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[INTRODUCTION]
[DETAILS]
[PICTURES]
[BUILD YOUR OWN AMP]
Proud user of:
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"WHAT IS IT?"
MP3 is a format of compressing audio files to 1/12 of their original size (about 1MB/min),
while having imperceptable quality loss. This makes it easy to have a very large
collection of CD-quality music in a VERY small place (HD). It is kind of like having a
100-CD CD changer that has no delay when loading up songs. The one limitation of MP3s are
that you have to be at a computer to listen to them, limiting their portability. AMP is a
stand-alone MP3 player that can work in a stereo system, or in a car. It current has a
capacity of about 470 songs at CD-quality (2GB). It has a LCD disaply and uses a keypad to
take input. It is a computer, a stripped down computer, that is. It consists of a HD, RAM,
MB, chip, Sound, and I/O. No video, floppy, CD, etc. They are unnecessary, and you eat
additional power in the car. |
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The question most people ask is "WHY?"
Well, I wanted an audio system that would match the following criteria:
- Recordable
- Re-recordable
- CD-quality audio
- Instant Access to songs (i.e. no fast forward/rewind)
- Affordable
- Cheap Media
- Portable
- Durable
My options were: MD, DAT, CD-R, and MP3.
Although DAT has indexing capabilites, I ruled it out because there were too many
moving parts, meaning that it was not too durable... plus, it cost way too much. I ruled
out CD-R because it was not re-recordable. This meant that I could only record a CD once
and that was it. If I changed my mind about the order of songs, I could not do anything
about it.
The only downside of MP3 was that portable units were in their infancy, costing way too
much with to little capacity. MD was too expensive after adding up the costs of media,
recorder, portable unit, and a CD palyer with digital output.
My plans for my audio system went on the back burner for about a year, until I ran across Hugo Fiennes'
MP3mobile. I then realized that a home made portable MP3 player was feasible. |
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