Consumer Reports Buying Guide for MP3 Players

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Newer models with color displays can show photos and videos

The MP3 player continues its evolution from simple audio player to complex multimedia device. 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, or TV shows, downloaded from the Web or videos taken with your camcorder.

As digital players morph, one thing remains constant: the brand name that's on most of them. Apple's iPod players account for more than three of four players sold. Hardware alone doesnt explain Apple's dominance. While iPods score well in our tests, so do players from other manufacturers, some of which offer capabilities and features that iPods lack.

Apple's success rests in part on its creation of a self-contained digital-entertainment system. iTunes, its content-management software, works seamlesslyonly with iPods. Its online iTunes store offers by far the largest library of online video content, supplementing its dominance over online music sales. It also offers comprehensive one-stop access to podcasts, the booming (and mostly free) online downloads that offer everything from National Public Radio broadcasts to music-preview shows to weekly self-help recordings.

And while you can play content obtained from the store (and use iTunes software) on virtually any computer, including Windows PCs and Macs, you need an iPod to enjoy it portably. Not that all innovative content comes from Apple. Other legal online content sources include BuyMusic, MusicMatch, Napster, Real, Sony, URGE, Wal-Mart, and Yahoo. Unlike iTunes, some of these sites also offer subscription-based services that let you fill your PC or player with rented music for a flat $15 per month (the music stops playing if you dont periodically dock your player an Internet-connected PC to confirm your account is in good standing). Downloaded songs from contemporary artists typically cost less than $1 per song, or $10 for an entire album; music videos, hit TV-show episodes, and short films cost $2 each. Players that support the copy-protected WMA formats, like those from Archos, Creative, RCA, and Samsung, allow access to the greatest number of online stores, and, because of the competition, cheaper music.

Before you buy any digital player, be sure your computer can handle it. New computers shouldn't be a problem, but make sure any player you're considering is compatible with your older Windows or Macintosh computer (including its operating system). Keep in mind that some operating-system upgrades can exceed the price of a player. Your computer must have a USB port. Consider high-speed Internet access if you plan to download much of your music. Also keep in mind that getting started can be tricky with some players. Even if compatible with the player, an older computer may not recognize it easily, so you might have to seek help from the manufacturer.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

Major brands of digital music players include Apple, Archos, Cowon, Creative Labs, iRiver, Microsoft, Philips, RCA, SanDisk, Sony, and Toshiba. And MP3 playback has been incorporated into other handheld portable products, including CD players, cell phones, and personal digital assistants (PDAs).

Flash-memory players. These are the smallest and lightest players, often no bigger than a pack of gum, and they weigh no more than 2 or 3 ounces. 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 512 megabytes (MB) to 8 gigabytes (GB), or about 120 to 2,000 songs. Some flash-memory players also have expansion slots to add more memory via card slots on the player. Common expansion-memory formats include Compact Flash, MultiMedia, Secure Digital, and SmartMedia. Sony players can use a MagicGate MemoryStick, a copyright-protected version of Sonys existing MemoryStick media. Memory-card capacities range from about 32MB to 2GB. Memory costs have dropped. Price: $40 to $280 for the player; $20 to $50 for a 1GB memory card.

Hard-disk players. There are two types: microdrive and standard hard-disk. The palm-sized microdrive players have a tiny hard drive with a storage capacity of 4GB to 8GB (about 1,000 to 2,000 songs). They weigh about a quarter-pound. Standard hard-disk players are about the size of a deck of cards, and they have a storage capacity of 20GB to 160GB (about 5,000 to 40,000 songs). They typically weigh less than half a pound. Some hard-disk players with video capability have relatively larger displays, and as a result tend to be the bulkiest models. Price: $140 and up.

CD players with MP3 compatibility. Flash-memory and hard-disk portable players aren't the only way to enjoy digital music. Many of todays portable CD players can play digital music saved on discs and can support the copyright-protected formats from online music stores. Controls and displays are comparable to portable MP3 players, and you can group songs on each disc according to artist, genre, and other categories. A CD, with its 650MB to 800MB storage capacity, 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. Price: $25 and up for the players; 15 cents to 75 cents or so for blank CDs.

Cell phones. An increasing number of phones have built-in MP3 players, some with controls and features that rival stand-alone players. Sprint, Verizon, and other cell-phone providers let subscribers download music over their networks. But music phones are pricey and most store fewer than 150 songs. Price: 99 cents to $2.50 per song; $150 and up for a phone with a two-year contract or $500 without one.

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. Not all models let you listen to live programming on the go; some must be docked at home. Price: $175 to $400 for the receiver; about $13 a month for satellite service.

IMPORTANT FEATURES

Software and hardware. Most MP3 players come with software to convert your CDs into the audio playback format the player can handle. You can also organize your music collection according to artist, album, genre, and a variety of other categories, as well as create playlists to suit any mood or occasion. All come with software to help you shuttle content between your PC and the player with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection. All players work with a Windows PC and some support the Macintosh platform.

Player upgradability. On most models, the firmware - the built-in operating instructions - can be upgraded so the player does not become obsolete. Upgrades can add or enhance features, fix bugs, and add support for other audio and video formats and operating systems. This is particularly important for models with video playback because of the evolving nature of video formats.

Display. Most media players have a display screen that allows you to view the song title, track number, amount of memory remaining, and battery-life indicator. Models with color displays also let you store and view pictures from your digital camera, and in many cases, video clips.

Some displays present a list of tracks from which you can easily make a selection, while others show only one track at a time, requiring you to advance through individual tracks to find the desired one. On some of the models you can access the player's function controls by a wired or infrared remote control. Most players have built-in management of songs that can be accessed by album, artist, or genre. Individual playlists of songs are usually created on a computer and transferred to the player, though many let you manage the music on the player, allowing you to edit playlists and delete files.

Photo playback. Virtually all players with color screens can display JPEGs, the default photo format of most digital cameras. Some can handle TIFFs, BMPs, and lesser-known formats as well. Many let you view your photos in slideshow fashion, complete with fade-outs, scrolls, and other transitions, as well as with music.

Video playback. A growing number of hard-drive players with color displays can also store and play back video. The video is in a format that compresses about three hours of video into 1 GB of hard-disk space. Popular content sources include CinemaNow and iTunes, which let you download music videos, TV shows, and short films for $2 apiece. But iTunes only works with iPods, and CinemaNow only supports players that can handle copy-protected Windows formats. Virtually all video players come with software that converts nonprotected movies into a format the player can handle.

As for the viewing experience itself, MP3-player screens are relatively tiny& - even when compared with portable DVD playersand are hard to see in outdoor light. Players with the largest screens, up to 3 inches wide, are easier to watch for longer periods and some come with built-in speakers. But they can weigh as much a pound and are often too bulky to stuff into a shirt pocket.

Sound enhancement. Expect some type of equalizer, which allows you to adjust the tone in various ways. A custom setting through separate bass and treble controls or adjustable equalizers gives you the most control over the tone. Some players have presets, such as "rock" or "jazz", as well as channel balance control.

Playback controls. Volume, track play/pause, and forward/reverse controls are standard. Most portable MP3 players let you set a play mode so you can repeat one or all music tracks, or play tracks in a random order, also referred to as "shuffle" mode. An A-B repeat feature allows you to set bookmarks and repeat a section of the music track.

Useful extras. In addition to playing music, most MP3 players can function as external hard drives, allowing you to shuttle files between computers. Some players can act as a USB host, which lets you transfer images, data, or music directly from a memory-card reader, digital camera, or another MP3 player without using a computer. A few of these won't let you play or view the files you transfer. Some allow you to view text files, photos, and videos on their display screens. Other convenient features include an FM radio tuner, a built-in microphone or line input for recording, and adapters for patching the player into your car's audio system.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Decide whether to get an iPod. With Apple's family of players so ubiquitous and so similar in many ways, it's worth considering the advantages and shortcomings of iPods before considering other options. iPods are easy to use, thanks to their superb integration with the company's iTunes software. The iTunes Store offers the largest selection of legal digital content on the Web, including almost all the available downloads of major TV shows. And with the use of iTunes software so widespread, it's very likely that a friend or family member already uses it - so you'll need an iPod to share their songs or videos.

As for drawbacks, iPods typically cost a little more than non-Apple players with comparable capacity. They also lack some of the features and accessories that adapter with many other players, such as an FM radio, voice recorder, and an AC charger. Equipping a new iPod with some of these options can add more than $100 to its price. And iPods have some special limitations, such as the inability to easily transfer music to any other device.

Weigh capacity vs. size. Consider a flash-memory model (4GB can hold about 1,000 songs) if a lower price, smaller size, and lighter weight are more important to you than a vast selection of tunes. Opt for the largest-capacity flash player you can afford. Look for 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 can hold up to 20,000 songs and could serenade you for weeks without repeating a tune. However, a hard-disk player can be more complicated to manage than a flash-memory player. Hard-disk players vary in size, generally in step with capacity. Microdrive 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.

Consider download choices. Be aware that online music copy-protected sources are limited with some models. For example, Sony players work only with one online music store, while iPods are compatible with iTunes and Real.

Consider power consumption and battery type. With any portable device, batteries are a consideration. Our tests found a wide variation in battery life. Depending on the player settings, some will run out of power after only six hours of play, while others can play music for more than 150 hours before their batteries give out. Playing videos can run a battery down in a few hours.

Consider ergonomics and design. Whichever type of MP3 player you choose, make sure you'll be comfortable using it. Look for a display and controls that are easy to read and 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 is easy to access when you need to need to reach the controls.

Copyright © 2003-2007 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.

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