How Do MP3 Players Work? Digital Audio Technology Revolutionizes Music Enjoyment

Millions have enjoyed recorded music since 1877 when Thomas Edison invented the phonograph. Then came radio, records, tapes and CD's. But today's digital audio players are a quantum leap forward in music technology. To understand what makes these music players so revolutionary, let's explore the question, "How do mp3 players work?"

Until recently listening to music recordings involved mechanically moving the media past an interface to pick up an analog signal called a wave-form. This signal of vibrations was amplified and sent to the speakers where we heard it as sounds. When digitized, the wave-form becomes a WAV file. It's a major improvement, but the file is very large and a CD disc is limited to about 80 minutes of music.

So What is an iPod, and How does an iPod work?

Apple's iPod is the best known mp3 player. In answer to the question, How do iPods work, the next two paragraphs really describe how all portable digital music players function.

Software converts the music to a small digital file, usually WAV to mp3, using a codec like MP3 or WMA. The codec compresses the file by discarding sounds inaudible to the human ear. The digital file is stored in the mp3 player's flash or micro-drive memory. Because the file is so small, a player no larger than a deck of cards can hold up to thousands of songs.

For play-back the mp3 player executes several functions. Embedded software reads the file, decompresses the encoding, converts it back to analog, amplifies the signal and sends it to the headphones. And voilá, we have crystal clear sound without the annoying cracks, pops and hisses particularly common to records and tapes.

How We Do MP3 (Player Types, Functions & Features)

Even with a seemingly never-ending stream of new products, there are basically three types of audio devices that work well for audio CD duplication in a portable personal player.

Flash Players - the smallest, least expensive, and most reliable. Using solid state memory with embedded software, they have no moving parts, so batteries last longer and skips are eliminated. They have limited memory, but will still hold dozens of songs. Most players have search, shuffle, repeat and other popular features.

Micro-Drive Players - the tiny hard drives in these mp3 players have up to 60GB of memory and will hold thousands of tunes. Some also store and display photos. Anti-skip technology helps, but shock or vibration can still cause skips. They typically have more functions and features than flash players.

CD MP3 Players - the new generation of portable CD players. Using formats like mp3, WMA and ATRAC, they play (some also burn) CD's that hold 10 to 45 hours of music per disc. They play standard and/or 3" MiniDisc CD's. Standard CD sized units cost less than most mp3 players. MiniDisc player prices are higher but they hold the most music, and they're about the same size as a micro-drive mp3 player. Most play both pre-recorded and CD-R/RW discs. Features are similar to the other players.

For more information, see Compare MP3 Players

MP3 players information from A to Z: player types & features, how they work, accessories,comparisons and more - plus free music download tips and info at A-Z MP3 Players.com, Your Complete A-Z Resource for MP3 Players, Accessories and Information.

This article may be re-printed in its entirety, with no changes and this resource box included. © 2005 http://www.a-z-mp3-players.com All rights reserved

---

What Are You Looking For In A Cheap MP3 Player?

Are you stymied by the vast offerings in cheap mp3... Read More

Basic Diagnosis Guidelines for Your PC

Simone is exasperated. She has to work on her university... Read More

How to Buy a Plasma Television Set

Most people think that all you have to do to... Read More

Flash Memory, Part I: MMC and SD

MMC and SDFlash memory is available in so many formats... Read More

DVD The Ultimate Consumer Digital Media

Digital Video Disc or as it is sometimes referred to... Read More

EDTV vs HDTV

Confused by EDTV vs HDTV? We don't blame you. The... Read More

Computer Viruses are Bad Luck

OK, so you caught a computer virus and your system... Read More

Passwords and the Human Factor

Passwords have a strange dual nature. The stronger and safer... Read More

Cisco Certification: Building Your Home Lab, Part II

In the first part of this home lab tutorial, CCNA... Read More

Digital Cameras Ratings Abolish Camera Comparison Guesswork

Digital cameras ratings are great tools for deciding which camera... Read More

5 Steps to Removing PC Clutter

It's hard enough as it is these days to get... Read More

Email Management

If you utilize a computer at home or work it... Read More

Keeping Passwords Secure

As the web has evolved, so have the methods of... Read More

Desktop Security Software Risks - Part 2

This is the third in a series of articles highlighting... Read More

An All Too Familar Pain

Lost & Found for the 21st CenturyIn today's hectic world... Read More

Why Build Your Own Gaming Computer?

The best way to get the gaming computer that you... Read More

HTML Explained: Part 2

Get started creating web pages using text files and HTML... Read More

Customize Your Portable Player with an MP3 Player Accessory

Everywhere you look today people are listening to personal audio... Read More

Is Desktop Search Deserving?

Google, in their march to stay ahead of the pack... Read More

Computer Performance Tips

Introduction In this article I will clearly spell out the... Read More

Compare MP3 Players for the Coolest Features and Sweetest Deals

How can you compare mp3 players to be sure you're... Read More

5 Minute Guide to Video Editing for Beginners

Getting started with video editing is very simple you only... Read More

Help, I Need a New HDTV! (Part 4 of 5)

Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More

The Benefits of Open Source

If you are a building a website or a forum,... Read More

Help, I Need a New HDTV! (Part 1 of 5)

Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More

Top 9 Ways To Speed Up Your Surfing & Computing

It seems like fast never quite rates fast enough.No matter... Read More

Plasma TV vs LCD TV

For those seeking to buy their first flat panel TV... Read More

How To Remove One Operating System from a Dual Boot Windows XP Computer

In Windows Xp, you can install two operating systems on... Read More

Basic Computer Thermodynamics

That desk in front of you and everything else around... Read More

Nephrology and Dialysis For a PDA

Saving Lives With A Pocket PCFree medical downloads can be... Read More

A Peek Into the Near Future of Electronics Technology

How long do you think DVDs have around? 20 years?... Read More

What Exactly are Screensavers? - part I

After reading this good article you will know some important... Read More

What Has A Portable MP3 Player Have To Do With Your Business

Plenty! When we made the decision to be our own... Read More