DigitalBuzz - Digital Life

The MP3 and MP4 generation was generated mostly due to advances in data compression. Let us first take a step back and focus on digital music. There are two types of data in the world: Analog and Digital data. Analog data is real time data, and it is essentially how we perceive the world. As you listen to any music, you are listening to an analog signal. Everything we see and hear is analog. So what is the significance of digital? Digital is a way of storing and transferring this data. Think of a twelve inch ruler. With this ruler, you can measure any distance between between 0 and 12 inches. Depending on how good you are at reading the ruler, you can probably measure to a resolution of 1/16 of an inch. Even though there is measurable distance between these 1/16 inch marks, the distance is rather insignificant to you. At this point, you can record the distance two ways:

1) You can mark the ruler with a pencil and store it in its true “analog” value

2) You can round the value to the nearest 1/16th and record it. This could be referred to as a “digital” value.

Digital is a collection of zeros and ones that represent a number. Because there are two values, the system is base 2. Our normal system is a base 10 system. For example:

The number 1456 is really:

6x(1) + 5x(10) + 4x(100) + 1x(1000) = 1456

Where the number in parentheses are 10^x power.

Let’s try a base 2 number of 100110:

0x(1) + 1x(2) + 1x(4) + 0x(8) + 0x(16) + 1x(32) = 38 (decimal)

Where the number in parentheses are 2^x power.

In this base-2 example, the number is referred to as “6-bits”. A typical “byte” is normally “8-bits”. So instead of storing the number 38, computers would store the number 100110.

So why would you want to do that? There are 6 digitals in base-2 versus two digitals in base-10. The answer is simple! Ones and zeros are much easier to store (It is like a light switch, either ON or OFF). Further, in a base-2 system, there are only 2 possible solutions. In a base-10 solution, there are 10 solutions per digit. The more solutions you have, the more chance to make errors.

Now let’s revisit the the analog signal. In this type of data, there are an infinite number of solutions. Mind you, the error won’t be great, but you ARE guaranteed some error every time. Every time you recall a analog signal, the results will be varied to some degree.

Think about your cell phone. About 5 years ago, all cell phones were analog. When you entered areas of poor reception, you received static, distortion and noise. Now, most cells phones are digital. As long as a portion of the ones and zeros are transmitted, you will receive a perfect signal every time. (If you transmit the number 1.2 or 1.5 or 0.8, it will always be read a one! i.e., the signal is immune to noise!) If you cannot even read these simple ones and zeros, you drop off completely. The clarity of the signal is perfect and repeatable, as long as the data is present.

Music works in the same manner. Old-school records and cassette tapes are analog signals. These media will product static and noise and will degrade over time. CDs are digital signals. As long as the compact is readable, the CD player will provide you with the exact sound as it was recorded. The CD itself might degrade over time, but the data will always be stored in its original form.

Since the inception of digitally stored music, the quality of music has remained high and to the same standard as it is today. Compact discs still offer the highest form of music available. The problem with compact discs is that the amount of bits required to store a song is high. That leads us to the modern use of data compression and MP3. (And another article for another day!)

Matthew is a 31 year old online entrepreneur and engineer currently living in San Diego, CA.

Visit http://www.MP4nMore.com for iPod and portable media reviews and resources!
Visit http://www.TheWebReviewer.com for money making articles, resources and reviews on today’s hottest online money making ventures.

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There are now three different options available to buyers of portable MP3 and audio players. There are the newer hard drive based players, such as the Ipod. There are also memory based (flash or otherwise) players that store audio files in the memory in the players, like the Yepp, IRock, IRiver, and Iaudio. Finally, there’s the older technology — cd players that use regular cd disks for storage, and can play both MP3 and regular audio disks.

Is newer really better? Or are the memory and hard disk based systems simply taking advantage of the “cool” factor. There’s no absolute answer, since it depends on how you want to use the players, but there are some decided advantages to going with the older CD based audio players. Here’s a rundown of the reasons why you may want to purchase a CD based player, particularly now that manufacturers are cutting back on their production.

1) Price: Since CD based MP3 players have been around a while, the prices have dropped significantly even on high quality units. Instead of paying several hundred dollars for an Ipod, other hard drive based player, or a memory based on, a CD based player can be purchased for $40-$50.

2) Flexibility: CD based players play regular CD’s, so store-bought music and audiobooks can simply be popped in, and ready to go. They also play MP3, and often the WMA format (particularly the Sony models). You can’t play store-bought music on hard drive or memory based players.

3) Storage Issues: For people who listen to a lot of different music, there’s a need to have some form of permanent storage. Memory based players can’t provide that permanent storage, and hard drive systems like the Ipod are still a poor permanent repository for your music collection. Since CD based systems use permanent storage on CD (or erasable on CD-RW), there is no “temporary storage” involved. The same CD serves as permanent storage, and the listening source. In effect, storage capacity is infinite.

4) Simplicity: CD based players are far simpler to use. There’s no software, or transferring files from one computer to your player. Simply pop in a CD and it’s ready to go. They are a better, more familiar choice, particularly for older people, or those that don’t want to have to learn new software and computer based procedures.

5) Standalone: Both hard drive and memory based players require some means of transferring music files to them. That usually involves using a computer to do so, via some form of interface and software (and a USB cable). CD based players don’t require anything besides a playable CD. It’s true that you CAN burn disks for portable use, but it’s not required to listen. Again, for people who are technologically uncomfortable, the CD players are easier and simpler to use.

6) For Purists: Many audiophiles and music purists do not want to use MP3 and WMA formats, because they are lossy formats. That is, the sound quality is inferior to the format used on regular CD music disks. Players that cannot play the higher quality format, but are limited to MP3 or WMA, simply don’t play the music as it was recorded. While many don’t care about this, for some, it is a major issue.

On the flipside, the newer technologies are smaller (also easier to lose), less prone to skipping, do not require carrying around CD disks, and no doubt, their prices will drop in the future. Right now though, there’s no question that the cheaper, simpler, and established CD portable audio players have some exceedingly convincing advantages. They can be used by anyone regardless of technological expertise. They are flexible, and do not require moving around files from one machine to another. The same disks can be used portably, at home on standard stereo systems, and DVD players, and are permanent. And, the bottom line: They are significantly cheaper.

One caveat though. With price drops on CD players, it’s not worth buying a cheap version, or off brand to save a few dollars. They are less reliable, have poor battery life, and fewer features. We recommend portable CD players from Panasonic (our favorite), and Sony, for their robustness and quality.

(c) 2005, Robert Bacal, Bacal & Associates. You are welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end) all links are made live, and this copyright notice and indication of authorship are included.

Robert Bacal is a professional book author, and a daily user of portable audio equipment for both playing audiobooks and music, and also runs Buyingadvice411.com - Product Buying Advice For The Befuddled and Smart Consumer.

http://buyingadvice411.com offers impartial and unbiased information to product buyers to help them decide what product to buy. There’s buying advice and product reviews on a wide range of items, including MP3 players, antiques, exercise equipment, automobiles, appliances, mattresses, digital cameras and more.

For more information on purchasing mp3 and portable audio equipment, go to: http://buyingadvice411.com/MP3_and_CD_Players.

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