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PORTABLE AUDIO PLAYER BUYING GUIDE

Since its inception about two decades back, audio players have undergone revolutionary changes – they have gradually diminished in size; got exponentially bigger capacity-wise. Initially offering a meager 32 MB of memory, today we get portable audio players with in-built capacities of even 160 GB. Today the portable audio player market covers a wide range of shapes, sizes, features, storage capacities, file formats, and download services. Most players come with color displays and the ability to show digital photos transferred from your computer, sometimes with accompanying music. Many also play back movies, music videos, and TV shows downloaded from the Web or videos taken with your camcorder. Some can make their own recordings from a TV or download and share their content wirelessly over a Wi-Fi connection. These players have hit the Indian market and taken it by storm. Since almost everyone can afford them now, anywhere you look, you can see people using them right from the cheap Chinese models to the ever-popular iPods from Apple, they've found their way into Indian pockets of all sizes. Major brands of audio players apart from Apple, include Archos, Cowoon, Creative Labs, Philips, RCA, Samsung, SanDisk, Sony, and Toshiba. Brands from smaller companies are on the market as well. And audio playback has been incorporated into other handheld portable products, including CD and DVD players, mobile phones, and PDAs. Amidst such a variety, EXHIBIT steps in to assist you to shortlist the media player that befits you with this 5-steps “portable audio player buying guide”.

Firstly, let us consider the uses of portable audio players. Based on the varied features sported by the variety of audio players, certain players are better suited to certain uses - you should select the player that suits you and serves your purposes. Some people might align multiple uses, in which case they might consider purchasing audio players in plural. But generally, most of us go for a portable audio player for general, day-to-day use - a device that plays acceptable audio and is user-friendly. Enhancing the portability factor, you can use your audio players while traveling and commuting, during exercise, for recording audio, for watching video, as a storage device, etc.

Secondly, let’s find out how an audio player works. A digital music format, such as a WAV, resembles to any other computer binary data file: a long series of 1s and 0s. In order to turn an analog signal (such as one picked up by a standard microphone) into a digital stream, ADC (analog-to-digital converter) software measures the signal at a regular interval to find the sampling rate. These samples, if measured close enough together, form a near-exact representation of the analog signal so as to approximate the transmission using 1s and 0s that computers and audio players can read.

An algorithms, called codecs (compression decompression), compress songs into the smallest possible sizes with minimal loss of quality. The reason why audio file-compression technology is essential to digital audio, especially to portable audio, is because each second of true CD-quality sound takes up more than 1.3 MB of disk space. Using principles of psychoacoustics (how the brain perceives sound) and perceptual coding (eliminating imperceptible sounds), codecs have been developed. The sound depends on two factors: the quality of this compression algorithm and the bit rate at which the song is encoded, measured in Kbps.

A digital audio device uses a DAC (digital-to-analog converter) to convert the 1s and 0s back into an analog signal that can then be amplified and broadcast over headphones or speakers. When digital file is played, the analog-to-digital process essentially gets reverse. When a digital device plays music that has been compressed by a codec, software on its chip (called firmware) applies the codec to decode the file, and then sends the decompressed 1s and 0s to the DAC. The resulting sound output depends on the attributes and quality of the digital file, the DAC chip in the player, the amount of distortion and hiss added by interference from the device's other circuitry, and the audio output level of the audio output devices, like headphones or speakers.

Now, although MP3 is the most common way of storing digital audio, it is by no means the only one. There are a vast array of different file types, all used for the same purpose - storing more music in a smaller space. Not all players are able to play all file types, this is because different file types require different codecs to be incorporated in the audio player in order to play those file formats. Some of the audio file formats include AA (Audible, used by Audible.com), AAC (Advanced Audio Coding, used in Apple’s iPods), ATRAC3 and ATRAC3plus (used by Sony), FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec), MP3 (Motion Pictures Experts Group Layer 3), MP3Pro, OGG (Ogg Vorbis), WMA (Windows Media Audio) and uncompressed audio in the form of WAV and AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format).

Files downloaded from online music stores, such as iTunes or Napster, contain DRM (digital rights management). DRM ensures that these files cannot illegaly be shared, and potentially can also limit the number of times that a track can be played, burnt to a CD or transfered to a portable player. Again, not all players support DRM, so you may find you're unable to play files you pay to download in your portable player.

The number of audio tracks that can be stored depends upon three considerations: the bit-rate of the file, the length of the track and the size of the player. The bit-rate denotes the amount of data (audio) captured per second (kbps) - higher the bit-rate, better the sound quality. However, you need to offset this gain in quality as higher bit-rate implies larger file size, the larger the file, more disk space required and hence fewer music can be stored. The bit-rate that you should select will depend on where you'll be using your player; in a noisy environment you might not be able to distinguish between a 128kbps and 192kbps file whereas, if you listen to your music in a quiet environment, you'll want to go with at least 192kbps. As a rough rule of thumb, you will be able to store the following number of 3 minute audio files:
 

As you can see, even with the smallest player and the largest files, you can still fit on at least a full album's worth of files, and with the largest player and smallest files, as many as 16,000 files.

Thirdly, let us consider the basic features of an audio player:

Playback features
Apart from sporting traditional shuffle, repeat, resume, next, back, play/ pause, and playlist functions, newer models offer tunes appear more frequently in Shuffle mode; automatic cross-fading that adds smooth transitions between songs; automatic volume control, which makes all songs equally loud; and other artificial intelligence modes that can make it feel like a pro DJ is spinning tunes for you.

Sound enhancing options
This feature is targeted for the music aficionados who prefer to hear songs exactly the way the recording engineers mixed them and don't have much use for digital signal processing (DSP), which changes a song's equalization or spatial characteristics. But since digital audio files come from multiple sources and people have individual sonic preferences, EQ and other DSP settings come handy. Modern audio players sport customizable, at least 5-band EQ settings, as well as the standard presets like Rock, Jazz, Bass Boost, and so on. In terms of spatial enhancers, DSP features such as the SRS WOW add-on can make music coming through headphones sound like it's bouncing around a large room. It's purely a matter of personal preference, but we think music sounds better with some degree of customization.

Recording Music from other sources
Modern audio players that come with decent ADC, offer high-quality recordings and can record to uncompressed WAV files. Real-time encoding to MP3 or WMA comes in particularly handy when encoding from vinyl, cassette, or CD without a computer.

Recording Voice
Some audio players sport a small internal microphone for recording speech. These are acceptable for documenting a lecture, a meeting, or a conversation but unsuitable for high-quality music recording. The sampling rate is typically low, and the recordings are mono. Most audio players that record high-quality audio suitable for music recording as opposed to voice memos or interviews do so through an analog line-input, but there are exceptions. A few devices also record digitally or from mike-level sources. The former works great for dubbing tracks from modern stereo components. The latter lets you use a small, un-powered microphone for live recording.

Storage of Data
Many audio players can double as external storage devices, allowing you to shuttle data between PCs. Some models don't even require drivers; thus, you could transfer a resume or a presentation to the laptop of the person seated next to you on a flight. So-called plug-in players don't even need a cable since they have built-in USB connectors.

Wireless connectivity
Wireless connectivities, for example, via Wi-Fi or A2DP Bluetooth, are the latest technology cropping up in audio players which allow wireless music purchasing and downloads from online music stores. Built-in A2DP Bluetooth, enables the player to be paired with a compatible pair of wireless headphones for a cord-free listening experience.

FM/ AM Radio
FM radio is offered in many of the audio players, more common on flash devices, which lack the spinning hard drives and the CD-playing features that can interfere with the signal. AM radio though is rare. Other radio-related features include FM recording (usually to MP3), transmission (for playing back audio wirelessly through home and car stereos with FM tuners), and presets.

Color screens
Color displays, sported by modern audio players are brighter and easy to read than their monochrome counterparts. The players equipped with crystal-clear OLED screens offer better viewing angles and lower power consumption (though they are harder to read in bright sunlight).

Viewing Images and Videos
The color screen that modern audio players sport can display JPEG and BMP digital images. Some audio players even offer video playback. Although the screen on a typical audio player is too small for extended video viewing it can certainly be considered as a nice additional benefit.

Personal information management
Some MP3 players can accept phone books and schedules. The information is generally entered into Outlook or another PIM program and then synced to the device where you can view it but not change it on the go. These features tend to be limited and, for most, won't replace a handheld.

Fourthly, let us have a basic understanding of the types of audio players available.

Hard Drive Players
These audio players store music files on miniature hard disks similarly as computers do. Hard drives run from palm-size micro-drive players that weigh about 115g and have a storage capacity of 4GB (about 1000 songs) to large players such as the 80GB Apple iPod (around 23,000 songs), to larger players that weigh more than 450g with 160 GB hard drives (storage capacity of 40,000 songs), assuming an average file size of 3.5MB per tune.

The advantages of these players are that they store all your music on one device. Because the cost of a hard drive is far cheaper than a flash memory, a hard disk based audio player will be able to hold many more songs than a similarly priced flash-based one; in fact, a high-capacity player can accommodate every song you've ever purchased or ripped from a CD. They also tend to have more features and larger screens and are overall easier to use.

However, these players are usually built around a 1.8-inch hard drive; thus, they are larger and heavier than the others. Hard drives are mechanical devices more prone to problems when shaken, for instance, when exercising. In extreme cases they can get damaged in this fashion. So, for walking and general use they are perfect, but if you intend to use the player during physical exercise it would be worth looking at flash players. Again, most of them use rechargeable batteries (usually lasting 8 to 20 hours per charge) that you can't replace yourself, so after several years, you might have to pay for a new model or pay to get the battery replaced.

Micro hard-drive-based players
These models aim to give you the best of both worlds - full-size hard-drive-based players and compact, flash-based player. They sport miniature hard drives (about 1 inch or less in diameter) with capacities of up to 12GB. So-called "micro drive" players are being largely phased out in favor of high-capacity flash devices, but they offer an appealing compromise between hard drive and flash-based audio players.

The advantages of these players are that they are smaller and lighter than high-capacity players but still hold more tunes than flash-based models even at the same price.

However, these models have many of the same disadvantages like those of larger hard-drive-based units, including the moving parts that limit physical activity and non-removable batteries that eventually wear out and need to be replaced (though many new micro drive-based players feature user-replaceable batteries).

Flash-memory players
Known for their shockproof operation and ultra-compact dimensions, these are the smallest and lightest players, often no bigger than a pack of gum, and they typically weigh no more than 85g. They're solid-state, meaning they have no moving parts and tend to have longer audio playback time than players that use hard-disk storage. Storage capacities range from 32 MB to 32 GB, though most new players don't go below 512MB. Some flash-memory players even offer memory-card expansion slots to add more capacity.

The advantages of flash-based players are that, they are tiny, have no moving parts, their batteries last longer, and you can jog, snowboard, or bungee jump with them without causing skipping or damage. Many flash players include lots of extra features such as voice and line-in recording.

However, in general these players hold the fewest number of tracks. The aforementioned extras can make flash players a bit harder to use, and they have the highest per-megabyte cost.

CD Players
The cheapest of the lot, these are physically the largest. Rather than storing music as uncompressed audio on the CDs, the data are stored as individual files, which implies, you are able to hold far more music than a normal shop-bought audio CD. Controls and displays are comparable to other portable media players, and you can group songs on each disc according to artist, genre, and other categories. A CD, with its 650 to 800 MB storage capacity, can accommodate about 200 to 300 songs, and can hold more than 10 hours of MP3-formatted music at the standard CD-quality setting. You can create MP3 CDs using the proper software and your PC's CD burner.

The advantages of CD players are that these are the least expensive of all types of MP3 players, and they use incredibly cheap replaceable media (CD-R/RW discs). The number of tracks is limited only by the number of CDs you can carry. You can also play normal CDs if the need arises.

However, like hard drive players, CD players contain moving parts and so aren't suitable for vigorous exercise. They don't support the copyright-protected formats from online music stores. They're large and can skip when jostled.

Mobile phones and PDAs
Nearly all mobile phones and PDAs have built-in audio players, some with controls and features that rival stand-alone players. Network providers like Airtel and Vodafone let subscribers download music over their networks.

The major advantage of using a mobile phone as an audio player is that you do not have to carry an extra gadget along with you.

However, the songs are pricey, and the song capacity is often determined by the size of the external memory card, as well as the phone manufacturer, carrier, or music provider.

Satellite Radio
Some pocket-sized XM and Sirius receivers have built-in memory for recording up to 50 hours of satellite programming, and might also let you add your own MP3 songs to the mix.

However, not all models let you listen to live programming on the go; some must be docked at home.

Based on these types, portable audio players can again be categorized into three classes:

Budget Audio Players
Priced at less that INR 4,500/-, these players are usually very simple to use. Most lack color screens and some don’t have screens at all. Their internal memory ranges from 1GB to 2GB, and their small size and light weight make them sturdy. Their small size and light weight make them handy for workouts. Some have FM radio and voice recorder incorporated in them.

These players are mainly for young kids who may not be ready for a more complicated and expensive device can make the most out of these players. They’re also popular among exercise enthusiasts and fashionists who indulge in wearable technology. These players can also be used as great gifts and presents as well.

Basic features:
• The screen either absent, or tiny when present.
• Some sport additional features like voice recording, FM tuners, etc.
• Up to 2GB of flash memory.
• Enhanced portability; size-small, weight-light.
• Less expensive.

Buying Tips
• Music: Consider where you’ll get content for your player – that means deciding whether DRM support is a must.
• Platform: Not all players work with all operating systems; make sure your choice of player is compatible with your computer.
• Features: Even at this price, you can get extras like FM radio and voice recording.

Music Players
With screen sizes usually 2 inches or smaller and varied features, the major functionality of these music players is music playback, and you can browse your collection by ID3 tag. Some models sport extra features like FM radios, voice recorders, video playback, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. Music players tend to be small, since they don’t need big screens.

These players are designed for mobile music aficionados who want to work out to their favorite jams. will appreciate the small size. These also tend to be sleek enough to keep in any pocket without ruining the lines of your favorite outfit.

Basic features:
• Screen size 2-inches or smaller.
• Most models sport video playbacks, FM tuners and voice recorders.
• Some incorporate Wi-Fi, Bluetooth.
• Enhanced portability; size-small, weight-light.
• Moderately to highly expensive.

Buying Tips
• Music: Consider where you’ll get content for your player – that means deciding whether DRM support is a must.
• Platform: Not all players work with all operating systems; make sure your choice of player is compatible with your computer.
• Features: Most players have at least some extras like a built-in FM radio and voice recorder. iPods don’t, but there are plenty of accessories available to enable such features.
• Playback Time: 20 hours of playback time is a good baseline for a music player's rated battery life. Some players have Bluetooth or Wi-Fi built-in, but such features can dramatically reduce battery life.
• Storage: Flash memory should be enough to hold plenty of music, though some players have roomy hard drives. Some even have expandable storage slots so you can increase your player’s capacity.

Music & Video Players
With screens ranging in size from about 2.5 - 7 inches, the major functionality of these music players is Video playback. Also termed PVPs (Portable Video Players), some models sport extra features like touch-sensitive screens, video recorders, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. They generally come with high capacity as movies can take up a lot of memory. Music players tend to be on the larger side, since they need larger screens for video display.
These players are designed for video and music aficionados who want to carry around a plenty of video and audio content outside home and/or office. Players with 2.5-inch screens are still small enough to fit in most pockets, but larger screens mean bigger players, requiring bigger (and deeper) pockets, and hence, are less portable compared to other portable players.

Basic features:
• Screen size 2-inches or smaller.
• Video, music, photograph playbacks.
• Some incorporate touch-screens, FM tuners, voice recorders, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth.
• Large hard drives or copious amounts of flash memory
• Enhanced portability; size-small, weight-light.
• Moderately to highly expensive.

Simple Buying Tips
• Screen Size: 2.5 inches is adequate for watching longer videos, but 3 and 3.5-inch screens can decrease eyestrain if you’re watching lots of movies.
• Platform: Not all players work with all operating systems; make sure your choice of player is compatible with your computer.
• Features: Most players have at least some extras like a built-in FM radio and voice recorder. iPods don’t, but there are plenty of accessories available to enable such features.
• Playback Time: Five hours is a good baseline for video playback time per battery charge (25 hours for audio). Some players have removable batteries. So you can carry a spare to increase battery life for long trips.
• Storage: Video takes up a lot of memory space (500MB to 1GB per hour, depending on resolution). Flash-based players are smaller and lighter, but they don’t hold nearly as much content as players with large hard drives in them. Some even have expandable storage slots so you can increase your player’s capacity.
• File Formats: Consider where you’ll get content for your player – that means deciding whether DRM support is a must. If you have a lot of digital video already, make sure your player is compatible with whatever format your video is in; if not, you’ll need software to convert the videos.

Now that we have learnt the types of media players available, let us, finally, concentrate on some important factors that we must consider.

An iPod?
The first consideration in this step should be whether to go for an iPod – Let us consider the pros and cons of iPods before going further with your buying decision. The pros of iPods are that these are easy to use, thanks to superb integration of the players and the company's iTunes software. The iTunes Store offers the largest selection of legal digital content on the Web, including virtually all the available downloads of major TV shows. iPods also have a plethora of accessories to extend their use, from boom boxes and clock radios with iPod slots to iPod cases that come in many colors and fabrics. Several other brands of players have custom aftermarket equipment.

As for cons, iPods typically cost a little more than non-Apple players with comparable capacity. They also lack some of the features and accessories that many other players have, such as an FM radio, voice recorder, and an AC charger. Equipping a new iPod with some of these options can increase its price by quite a handful. And iPods have some special limitations, such as the inability to easily transfer music to any other device. In addition, iPods require you to open iTunes to transfer music into the player; competing devices more conveniently let you drag and drop music files without having to open any music-management software.

Priority in Audio or Visual
Some of the players are more graphics oriented while the others are more audio oriented. Most audio players can handle downloaded music videos, movies, and TV programs. If video content is your major share of entertainment mix, make sure the player's display is large enough (at least 2 inches) to let you watch comfortably for extended periods. Also think about what you'll watch, and how you're going to get it. For example, some models let you record directly from a TV, cable box, or digital video recorder (DVR), either on the fly or on a schedule. Some players sport wireless connections that let you wirelessly swap music, photos, and other files with other players of the same model; or patch into wireless home networks to connect with a PC; or access the Web to browse sites or to download music and videos. However, these special abilities come at additional prices.

Capacity, Size and Weight considerations
You should put in some serious thought process in these factors. Consider a flash-memory model (4 GB can hold about 1,000 songs) if a lower price, smaller size, lighter weight, and long playback time are more important to you than a vast selection of tunes. Look for flash models that can accept external memory cards if you want expanded song capacity. If you have a large music collection that you want to keep with you, a hard-disk player might make more sense. Players with an 80GB capacity can hold about 20,000 songs and could serenade you for months without repeating a tune. But a hard-disk player can be more complicated to manage than a flash-memory player. For some, navigating through the menus or directories (folders) of songs might also take longer. Hard-disk players vary in size, generally in step with capacity. Some players are about the size of a credit card, and a 6GB model can hold about 1,500 songs, whereas models with 30GB hard disks are about the size of a deck of cards and can hold about 7,500 songs. Identify your need precisely before moving on to the next factor.

Download issues
You can collect your music either from existing music on your computer, compact discs, vinyl/cassettes, etc. or from online music stores, subscription-based music services, P2P (peer-to-peer) networks, etc. So you must pay attention to the download factor; the source and the costs of media files. Be aware that online music copy-protected sources are limited with some models; iPods are compatible with iTunes and Real offering more expensive audios, while players that support the copy-protected WMA formats, like those from Archos, Creative, RCA, Samsung and SanDisk, allow access to the greatest number of online stores, and, because of the competition, less expensive music. Another WMA-store benefit: BuyMusic, Yahoo! Music, Real, and other sites offer songs at a higher bit rate than the standard 128 kbs, which has the potential to sound better.

Downloading "free" music from such online sources as peer-to-peer Web sites is another option. But you risk a copyright-infringement lawsuit by the music industry. You'll also increase your exposure to a host of nasty computer viruses and spyware programs that tend to hitch rides on songs swapped on these sites.

Also, note that with most players, you have choices when it comes to software for recording (ripping) music. You can use the software that comes with your computer or player, such as Apple iTunes, Yahoo! Music, Napster, or Windows Media Player, or download other freeware or shareware applications. If the program has the software plug-in for your player, you can transfer the music to your player directly; otherwise you'll need to use the program that came with your player to perform the transfer. Be sure to read the section on ‘codecs’ in this buying guide.

The Upgradeability aspect
Regardless of which player you choose, look for one with upgradeable firmware for adding or enhancing player features, as well as accommodating newer encoding schemes or variations of compression. This is particularly important for models with video playback due to the evolving nature of video formats. But note that upgrading firmware can be a time-consuming and sometimes risky process. MP3 players use several methods for upgrading; one method, which executes the upgrade file on the computer while the player is still attached, can cause permanent damage to the player if there's even a slight interruption during execution. Upgrades can be found at the manufacturer and music-management software application Web sites.

Ensure the earphone quality
While many players can produce near audio-CD quality music out of their earphone jacks, the earphones they come with can degrade the quality. Most perform respectably, and any performance differences might not be a bother to you in typical, everyday use. If you're particular about sound quality, it would be worth buying better-quality after-market earphones for use with your player.

Battery type, lifespan and power consumption
The battery type and the lifespan is a critical factor. Most hard-drive-based players come with non-removable lithium-ion batteries, which depending on the usage, typically last two to four years, whereas, most flash and MP3 CD players are split between those using AA or AAA batteries and can accept either standard or rechargeable batteries. Depending on the player settings, some will run out of power after only nine hours of play, while others can play music for more than 60 hours before their batteries give out. Flash-memory players tend to have longer playback times than hard-disk players. Playing videos can run down a battery in just a few hours. Since flash players need to be synced more often and it's easy to recharge as you sync, flash players with rechargeable batteries are usually preferable. You can expect a bit longer playback time using standard batteries, but purchasing a charger and using rechargeable batteries will be more cost effective in the long run as well as being more environmentally friendly. Other players use a rechargeable nonstandard "block" or "gum-stick" shaped nickel metal-hydride (Ni-MH) or lithium-ion (Li-ion) removable battery, which is more expensive and harder to find. Many players use a non-removable rechargeable battery. When the battery can no longer hold a charge, the player has to be sent back to the manufacturer for service - a costly procedure if the product is no longer under warranty. Many manufacturers offer replacement/ repair plans as well. Generally speaking, the larger the player, the longer the battery life, but this isn't always the case.

The look and the ergonomics
A player can have every feature in the world, but if the design doesn't match your lifestyle or if the interface is impenetrable, you still won't enjoy it. Whichever type of audio player you choose, make sure you'll be comfortable using the device. Look for a display that is easy to read and controls that can be worked with one hand. Because sizes and shapes vary widely, check to see that the player fits comfortably in your pockets, and that it's easy to find when you need to access controls. Accessories such as an AC charger, protector cases, or belt clips that might be very important to you might not be shipped along with the package; so, these are major consideration to you in the overall cost of the player as you then will have to spill out some extra.

By now, you should have a pretty good idea of how to find out a portable audio player that suits you. Once you are done with short listing of the audio player, you now might look forward to optional add-ons. The first and foremost add-on would be earphones. You can consider EXHIBIT’s ‘Earphone Buying Guide’, 15th June – 14th July edition and the ‘Top 10 Earphones for the Audiophiles’, this issue for details on earphones. Other add-ons include in-line remote controls, jogging kits, deluxe carrying cases, flash memory adapters, FM transmitters, flash memory, docking stations, USB/FireWire kits, extra rechargeable batteries, car adapters, and more. Just because these extras are optional doesn't mean they won't enhance your enjoyment of the device.
The portable audio players however are now facing steep challenge from devices like mobile phones, PDAs and other Multi-Functional Devices that feature audio playback capabilities. Nevertheless, we believe audio players will compete head-to-head in this battle of survival for at least a few years until these MFDs become advanced and affordable to such extent that carrying a second device will become redundant. Stay tuned to EXHIBIT and refer to the next issue for EXHIBIT’s pick of Top 10 Portable Audio Players.