Choosing The Right MP3 Or MP4 Player
Posted by juliabennet on February 19th, 2012
Greater consumer choice is always billed as a good thing, as it encourages competition and consumers benefit from being able to select products that best suit their needs. Sometimes, however, having so much choice when it comes to a single product can be confusing and frustrating for a consumer who just wants something that works and is suited to their needs. This is particularly true for consumers looking to purchase an mp3 or mp4 player, thanks to the sheer number of manufacturers that have flooded the market with countless players of all shapes and sizes. Purchasing a cheap mp3 player that still fulfils your needs or a cheap mp4 player that provides greater features can be a real challenge.
The first thing that you need to understand is the difference between a cheap mp3 player and a cheap mp4 player. The terms “mp3” and “mp4” actually refer to different digital file formats. Mp3 files are audio files, whereas mp4 files can either be audio or video files. As a result, the first question to ask yourself is whether you want your player to play both, video and audio files or just audio files alone. If you are looking solely for an audio player, then a cheap mp3 player will suffice. If not, then you will have to look for a cheap mp4 player.
Although the terms mp3 and mp4 are used to classify players based on their ability to play audio or video files, the reality is that there are a great many more file types within each category. Audio files, for example, include wav files, wma files, m4a files, and many more, while video files include avi files, mpeg files, wmv files, and many more.
Different players handle different file formats, and it is important to know what sort of file formats you most commonly use so that you can ensure the player you purchase can handle those formats. If you use an Apple computer, for example, you will definitely need a cheap mp3 player that handles the aac file format, because that is the default audio file format used by Apple audio software.
Size is also a factor to consider, especially when it comes to purchasing a cheap mp4 player. When looking at a cheap mp3 player, generally the smaller the better, since a small form factor makes a player easy to carry around. Mp4 players, on the other hand, are meant for watching videos on, and it really is not very pleasant to watch videos on a tiny screen. You will need to determine what size of screen you are comfortable watching videos on before you purchase your cheap mp4 player.
When buying your cheap mp3 player or mp4 player, keep these factors in mind as they will help you make a better decision. At the end of the day, better matching the player that you buy to your needs will mean that you have a better experience, and get greater value for your hard-earned money.
Whether you are looking for a cheap mp3 player or mp4 player, you are sure to find what you are looking for at mp3mp4players. They stock a wide range of players to suit your every preference!
