Things to Consider

Portable media players are available in a variety of makes and models, some of which are very good indeed, but – as if often the case with an emerging technology – there are any number of less reputable manufacturers who are all too keen to “jump on the bandwagon”. A little research will help you to make an informed purchasing decision.

Portable media players are of two different types, employing differing technologies, and the type that you choose will depend on how, when and where you want to use a player, and the volume of media that you want to carry with you.

Flash memory, or “solid state”, portable media players usually have a storage capacity of around 1 or 2 Gb, although often this can be extended by using additional memory cards. Satisfactory playback times can usually be achieved using ordinary AA, or AAA, batteries, and the biggest advantage is that this type of player has no moving parts, and is therefore more likely to withstand the rigours of physical activities, such as jogging.

Hard disk players, conversely, offer significantly larger capacities, from around 30 Gb, or so, up to a massive 80, or even 160 Gb. These tend to be more power hungry, and are generally equipped with rechargeable batteries of one form or another, with the option for charging via a USB 2.0 interface. The Archos 504 160 Gb model is a good example of the larger type, and offers playback times of 17 hours for music, and over 5 hours for video.

Whichever basic type of portable media player you choose, the size of the screen is important, both for viewing digital images, in the form of photographs or videos, and navigating your way around the functions of the device.

Typical screen sizes range from two to four inches – larger screen models are available, but tend to be both bulky and expensive. Larger is not always better – you also need to consider the resolution, and contrast ratio, of your chosen player.
The Archos 604 WiFi 30 Gb model, for example, features a 4.3 inch, TFT, LCD screen and full DVD resolution.

Portable media players from reputable manufactures will support most, or all of the common video and audio formats – MP3, WMA, MPEG-1, MPEG2, etc. – but beware that some, more obscure, players may only support a small number. The Archos 604 30 Gb, for example, is compatible with all these formats, plus WMV2 and protected WMV2 .

Conclusion

Larger and/or extra batteries, hard disks, and, of course, large, colour screens, mean that many portable media players are physically larger, and heavier, than typical MP3 players. The demands of video playback also mean that battery life, in some cases, relatively short. This should not, however, be enough to dissuade you – but do read reviews and testimonials, or test results, which can be found in reputable electronics magazines, or on the Internet, before you commit to a particular model.