MP3 and MP4 Player Buying Guide  

Introduction to MP3 Buying Guide

• How does it work?
• Loading files
• MP3 or MP4
• MP3 players
• MP4 players
• What you'll need

• It's all in the Memory
• Formats
• Screen Size
• Other great features
• Additional accessories
• Is it legal?
• Is it loud?

MP3 and MP4 players are available in a range of colours, shapes and prices. MP3 players give you access to songs at the touch of a button. MP4 players also allow you to watch videos, store photos and even download films. This guide helps you understand how they work and what to look for when choosing one.

Buy an MP3 player from Tesco.com

How does it work? 

MP3 and MP4 players work by compressing music and video files. These preserve sound and picture quality whilst taking up less memory and maximising the number of songs or clips which can be played. Files are downloaded onto the player, either via your PC or directly via the Internet. Once files are downloaded, you can play them back as many times as you like, using headphones, external speakers and, in the case of MP4 players, a small display screen.

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Loading files 

There are two main ways to load music or videos onto your player. You can either transfer material from your PC via a USB cable or download it directly from a website using the built in browser. Most players now come with the software needed to convert files to the MP3 or MP4 format. The majority of the software now uses a simple drag and drop system to upload songs and video from your PC to your MP3/MP4 player; however different models vary so it is always best to read the instructions beforehand. Download websites offer songs, video clips and full-length albums and films. Tesco Digital now provides a Download service, with over 4 million tracks to choose from, including all the latest releases, and a growing range of film and video content.

Find out more on Loading files

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MP3 or MP4 

Both types of media player offer many benefits. Both are light, portable and easy to take wherever you go and both allow you to store files easily. If you just want to listen to music an MP3 player is ideal. However, if you want to watch videos, play games, or store your photo collection, you will require an MP4 player.

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MP3 players: 

There are two main ways to load music onto your MP3 player. You can either transfer music from your PC or download it from an MP3 download site. Most MP3 players come with the software you need to convert CD audio files to the MP3 format. Music download websites offer songs and albums to buy. For 79p per track you can download MP3s from Tesco.com. You just need an Internet connection and a home computer with the right specifications.

• MP3 players also allow you to download and listen to music at a good sound quality.
• Are generally very small and portable, and will fit in your pocket or clip onto your belt.
• Can store a large number of songs, even those with small memory can usually hold a few hundred tracks.
• Some ranges offer accessories for their products such as protective cases, skins, car chargers and FM transmitters to help you personalise your music player and get the most from it.

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MP4 players 

• Allow you to download and view photos, video clips or full-length films, as well as music. Different players allow different playback depending on the file type, make sure you read the instruction manual to check which file types can be uploaded to your player.
• Are generally larger than MP3 players in order to accommodate the screen which is needed to view the photos and video clips.
• Usually have a much larger memory than MP3 players, allowing you to store more videos, photos, music and in some products games.

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What you'll need 

Most PCs, whether desktop or laptop, meet the minimum requirements needed for an mp3/mp4 player, but make sure you check your computer first, just in case.

MP3 and MP4 players typically connect using USB, USB 2.0 or FireWire ports. Transferring a song via USB 2.0 or FireWire is twice as fast as traditional USB and takes a matter of seconds. However this varies depending on the number of files being uploaded.

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It's all in the Memory 

Memory is one of the most important features as essentially the greater the memory, the more material you will be able to store. Memory is measured in megabytes (MB) and gigabytes (GB).

Models range in memory size across the music players. The capacity size makes a difference to what you use the MP3/MP4 player for, for example a 1 GB MP3 player holds around 251 songs whereas 160GB is enough room for the equivalent of 80,000 songs, or more than 600 hours worth of video. Most MP4 players have a capacity of at least 8GB, and make use of a small hard-drive, as opposed to the memory chip found in MP3 players. However, it is important to note the memory capacity on different brands can mean different things; you'll get more out of some 8 GB MP4 players than others claiming to hold 16GB.

If you choose a lower capacity player you'll be able to change the songs or videos which are loaded, you'll usually have to swap them around on your computer first. With a higher capacity model you'll be able to access your entire collection at any time. A higher capacity is also handy if you are looking to download a large number of films or full-length albums. If you travel a lot then a high capacity MP4 player is ideal to carry around your favourite films, music videos, photos or entire music collection. You can delete files to make space at any time.

• The table below will give you an idea how much music different players can hold. In general 1 MB =1 minute of MP3 music.

* We assume that each song is 4 minutes long and each CD contains 60 minutes of music or consists of 15, a 4 minute, songs.

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Formats 

An MP3 file is one of a number of different music files that are available. You'll need to check the compatibility of your player before buying music online. Other similar formats include:

• WMA - Windows Media Audio
• WAV - Windows Audio-Video Format
• AAC - Advanced Audio Codec (used by iTunes)
• ATRAC - Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding (used by Sony products)
• AIFF - Audio Interchange File Format

Find out more about MP3 formats

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Screen Size 

MP4 players come with a screen to allow you to watch movies or video clips. The size of the screen varies but can be up to 7 inches. Many players will, however, connect to a TV screen, which is handy if you want to watch films with friends or family or in a hotel room. Some models will even allow you to record live TV programmes, or transfer material between TV and player.

Other great features 

There's more to your average player than music, videos and good looks. Other useful features to look out for include:

• Integrated FM tuner: some devices include FM reception, meaning you can switch between songs or videos and your favourite radio station.
• Voice recording: handy if you want to get creative, send recorded, rather than written email, or simply like the sound of your own voice
• The ability to Play games: handy if you need a distraction, but fancy a break from music or film.
• Data storage: some players are almost as good as a personal organiser, allowing you to Store documents, contacts, calendars and to-do lists

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Additional accessories 

There's an ever-growing range of accessories to go with your player. Tesco.com has an extensive range of useful add-ons, from protective cases and skins to stereo speakers.

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Is it legal? 

Most audio and video files can be downloaded legally. However, it is a breach of copyright to download material that has been copied illegally and made available on Internet through file-sharing software. It is best to only download from official sites such as Tesco Digital.

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Is it loud? 

When enjoying your music and videos, remember that too much exposure to loud noise can damage your hearing, and lead to conditions such as tinnitus. It is therefore advisable when using headphones, not to have your player at high volume for long periods.

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