Personal Technology Information

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 voil, 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


    MORE RESOURCES:

    04/28/2024
    The Best Binoculars to Zoom In on Real Life
    Whether you’re bird-watching or baseball-spotting, we break down prices and specs to find the best pair for you.


    more info


    04/28/2024
    The Best Sleeping Bags for Every Adventure
    Whether you’re climbing peaks or taking the family to the local park, we’ve found the best sleeping bags for every temperature, budget, and camping expedition.


    more info


    04/28/2024
    Our Favorite Digital Notebooks and Smart Pens
    These nifty tools combine the ease of jotting notes by hand with the power of saving them digitally.


    more info


    04/28/2024
    The Best Password Managers to Secure Your Digital Life
    Keep your logins locked down with our favorite password management apps for PC, Mac, Android, iPhone, and web browsers.


    more info


    04/28/2024
    How to Get Free Kindle Books With Your Library Card
    All you need is an internet connection, a library card, and a good ebook reader to dive into your next page-turner.


    more info


    04/28/2024
    I Tried These AI-Based Productivity Tools. Here’s What Happened
    Hoping to make life easier, I tested six AI-powered tools meant to help me write better and work smarter.


    more info


    04/28/2024
    The Mysterious ‘Dark’ Energy That Permeates the Universe Is Slowly Eroding
    Physicists call the dark energy that drives the universe “the cosmological constant.” Now the largest map of the cosmos to date hints that this mysterious energy has been changing over billions of years.


    more info


    04/27/2024
    The Best Sleeping Pads for Camping, Backpacking, and Travel
    Whether you’re snoozing in a campground or schlepping up to an alpine valley, these are the best pads we’ve found for resting your weary bones.


    more info


    04/27/2024
    The Best Robot Vacuums to Keep Your Home Clean
    Whether you’re up against pet hair or you want to splurge on a high-end laser-guided robot vacuum, we have the perfect pick for you.


    more info


    04/27/2024
    Get the Most Out of Your iPad With These Accessories
    These are some of our favorite stands, cases, keyboards, and styli, no matter which Apple tablet you have.


    more info


    04/27/2024
    7 Spring Albums That You Don’t Need to Fight About Online
    New music from Maggie Rogers, Tyla, Brittany Howard, and SchoolBoy Q showcase distinct artistic evolutions.


    more info


    04/27/2024
    Autocomplete Interview
    Autocomplete Interview - Is Ice Cube a nice guy? Do astronauts really drink their own pee? Does Gerard Butler still surf? The internet searches for answers and WIRED goes right to the source for the answer.


    more info


    04/27/2024
    Meta’s Ray-Ban Smart Shades Get a Fresh Blast of AI
    Plus: Leaked details tell us more about the new Google Pixel 8A, Freitag’s environmentally conscious bag is entirely recyclable, and it’s time to unpack a whole bunch of tech acronyms.


    more info


    04/27/2024
    1 in 3 Americans Live in Areas With Dangerous Air Pollution
    Climate change is increasing the number of days people are exposed to hazardous pollution, affecting already disadvantaged communities the most.


    more info


    04/27/2024
    School Employee Allegedly Framed a Principal With Racist Deepfake Rant
    This week in cybersecurity news: Google holds off on killing cookies, Samourai Wallet founders get arrested, GM stops its driver surveillance program, and a school principal's racist rant is revealed to be a deepfake.


    more info


    04/27/2024
    Russia Vetoed a UN Resolution to Ban Space Nukes
    A ban on weapons of mass destruction in orbit has stood since 1967. Russia apparently has other ideas.


    more info


    04/26/2024
    Roborock’s Robot Vacuums—Including WIRED’s Top Pick—Are on Sale Right Now
    More like Robot Rock, am I right? (Sorry.) These are some of the best dust busters around, and they’re cheaper than usual.


    more info


    04/26/2024
    Tesla Autopilot Was Uniquely Risky—and May Still Be
    In an investigative report into crashes and deaths associated with Tesla Autopilot, federal regulators concluded that the system lacked standard protections.


    more info


    04/26/2024
    The 33 Best Shows on Amazon Prime Right Now
    From "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" to "Fallout," these are our picks for what you should be watching on the streamer.


    more info


    04/26/2024
    The 17 Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now
    From "Road House" to "Bottoms," these are the must-watch films on the streamer.


    more info


    04/26/2024
    Decades of Garry’s Mod Nintendo Uploads Are Disappearing
    Nintendo is once again flexing its copyright muscles by filing takedown requests for user-generated content on the popular game platform.


    more info


    04/26/2024
    The Best Lubes for Every Occasion
    For the most sensitive parts of the human body, friction is the enemy. Here’s how to keep it at bay.


    more info


    04/26/2024
    Which Govee Smart Lighting Kit Should You Buy?
    Govee makes some of the best affordable smart lights, but its enormous range can be overwhelming and confusing. Here’s how to choose the right fit for your home.


    more info


    04/26/2024
    The Best USB-C Cables for Your Phone, Tablet, or Laptop
    Unravel the tangled world of cords and find the ones you need to charge your gadgets and transfer data.


    more info


    04/26/2024
    The Best Car Phone Mounts and Chargers
    These mobile accessories will make your smartphone a better—and safer—road trip companion.


    more info



    home | site map | contact us