MP3 Player Question

[Koffee Bean]

Okay, here's the deal, I'm getting an mp3 player for a grad. gift, but I have a question, I see HardDrive based ones which I know how they work, but I also see ones that are MB ones, like the RCA Lyra (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008VFCS/qid=1055043308/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3_etk-electronics/102-3281450-2092900?v=glance&s=electronics&n=172282) (which has 128MB) for example. My question is how do they work? Can you only put 64/128MB worth of songs are? For ex. if I have 12 320 bitrate files with an average file size of about 10MB each (it comes out to 120MB) is that all I can put on it? And if not how does the whole MB thing work? Also, once I have put songs on an mp3 Player am I able to remove them, or are they stuck there forever?

[TC75580]

Originally posted by Koffee Bean
For ex. if I have 12 320 bitrate files with an average file size of about 10MB each (it comes out to 120MB) is that all I can put on it?
yes, but at 320kbps you should be able squeeze in most medium-sized albums on a 128mb player

and you can remove and add as much as desired

[Wolfie]

I know that for some mp3 players you can buy extra memory cards for more space.

Also, the mp3 players i have had you can delete stored files and replace them.

[Koffee Bean]

Well if I can only fit about 1/2 an hour of 128 files on 64MB and 1 hour on 128MB then it's not worth it! I call that a rip-off, I'll just stick with my CD player then only have 1/2 an hour of music on a 64MB player.

Wolfie, do you know if there is a limit to the number of MB the upgrade cards go to? For ex: Can they only go up to an extra 128MB?

[Captain_FLX]

lol 128mb isnt nothing a 320 song is usually 10 mb If i was you i'd just put 128mb songs so you can fit more on them :)

[Koffee Bean]

Most of my songs are 192 and about 5 MB so in 64MB player I can only fit about 12, and in a 128MB player about 24. That is SOOOO not worth it! HardDrive ones are better than MB ones it seems...

[BradL1279]

i was in ur position at onetime. i bought the nomad jukebox 3 20gig hd. i have not filled up half of it yet. my mp3s are only 192kbps iam gonna convert up to 320kbps when i get a 60gig in it. the njb3 has the best sound. of course u will not get cd quality out of it. but there are not any mp3 players that will support cd quality. the out put is 98dB which is the best and cd is 106dB so real close. so i advice the njb3. i love mine.

[CCSDUDE]

Koffee....if HD based players are to much...(you got a load to lose if someone steals it) and card based media is to much for the space...(yes it does suck..lol)...

I'd suggest picking up 1 or 2 (if they'll spring for 2) cheaply priced hand held CD players that have a decent sized LED display and mp3 playing capability.

You can just burn all your mp3's on CD's and play them off the actual CD...space problem solved without a huge HD or a crappy small SD card.

Only down side is it not being great for running/being active with other then having it stuck in a backpack with the headphones leading out and not running while you listen...

But most do have a HUGE anti-skip buffer as mp3 files are much smaller then normal raw cd audio and the file is being decoded after it passes the buffer so you probably won't have much trouble with skips. You basically have to worry about screwing it (the actual laser system and such) up with hard jolts rather then just missing a beat or two. Then again I'm sure they created many a CD player for portable use that was able to take major shocks...so if you pick up something like a sony sportsman with one of those clasp locks you'll be all good. In fact I have a tape player from Sony that's over 7 years old that I'ved dropped about 200 times while playing...and it still works great so their sportsman stuff does kick ass...

[Wolfie]

Wolfie, do you know if there is a limit to the number of MB the upgrade cards go to? For ex: Can they only go up to an extra 128MB?


It really depends on the brand of mp3 player you have but the commons ones I have seen are 32, 64, or 128MB. However, I have seen them go up at 256 and 512MB a few places (tend to be pricy too)

[CCSDUDE]

Originally posted by Wolfie
It really depends on the brand of mp3 player you have but the commons ones I have seen are 32, 64, or 128MB. However, I have seen them go up at 256 and 512MB a few places (tend to be pricy too)

Just so he knows...

Anything over 128mb will be in compact flash format (the actual card specs/usage) so unless the player you buy can use CF cards the most you'll get outta SD/SM cards will be 128mb per card...which sucks considering they cost between 50-80 bucks depending on brand. In the long run CF cards are cheaper.

I'm not sure why but as far as I know I've yet to find a SD/SM card over 128...also read somewhere that they don't make them.