The Best of Both Worlds: A CD MP3 Player has Portability with
Massive Playlists
The portable CD player ain't what it used to be. New formats
enable a single disc to hold up to 675 songs. That's up to 45
hours of music on a CD mp3 player that fits in your pocket or
purse.
Personal CD players can play pre-recorded CD's and HD
(high-density) CD-R/RW discs burned in formats like mp3 and WMA.
They'll hold 30+ hours of music. MiniDisc players using the
ATRAC3Plus technology are smaller, with even larger capacities.
Sony developed a three inch CD in the early 1990's that can be
played on MiniDisc Sony CD players. The player is only slightly
larger than the disc and about an inch thick. Some allow audio
CD duplication you rip directly from your CD collection without
additional software.
New CD mp3 player portable devices can play high density discs
with capacities comparable to a 4GB mp3 player. And some
discount portable CD players are priced less than half the cost
of 512MB mp3 players. Use RW discs and you can edit your
playlist anytime you want.
Things to consider when selecting a portable CD player
include:
- Compatibility - Will it play both standard and HD
CD's? Will it accommodate multiple formats (mp3, ATRAC, WMA,
etc.)?
- Storage Capacity - depending on the format, HD discs
will hold up to 32 hours, and MiniDiscs up to 45 hours.
- Lifestyle - anti-skip features vary, so if your
player is subjected to shock or vibration you'll need the best.
To listen to your songs without headphones, look at a portable
CD player speaker accessory.
- Size - personal CD players are compact, but MiniDisc
players are much smaller and hold more music.
- Features - there are many including: FM receiver,
direct record, battery type and average life, AC/DC adapters,
etc.
- Price - starting around US $25, these players can
exceed $400. Decide which of the above factors are most
important to you, pick an appropriate price range and stick to
it. You're sure to find what you want.