Disadvantages of cd players?

[HiredGun]

what are the disadvantages of cd players, besides the larger form factor? is it true that they have less longevity than other mp3 players?

[Odie]

I would suppose that due to the moving parts, they might have a lesser operating life than flash based players. It really depends on the build quality and quality of the components used.

- Odie

[FlameGrilled]

Like Odie put it, it's down to build quality and the anti-shock arrangement.

Battery endurance is heading in the right direction - to the point now that it's starting to make flash decks look a little lacking in that department.

Tolerence of less than perfect CD media, based on the reliability of the 250 model (and early 350 units) speaks for itself - no problems after the equiv of crammng 6 years worth of wear and tear across 5x 250 models (2x OEM units, 3 x iRiver branded) across around 2-3 years, therefore no issue.

Assuming non-mechanical parts like the laser emitter/receiver (not it's motor-drive for positioning) don't pack up and the motor don't develop shot bearings before the deck has earn't it's keep (these days, in a quality deck - this shouldn't happen), then there is no reason why a CDP can't live to a ripe old age along with a flash-memory unit.

Media will eventually, clearly, get scratched and maybe even be rendered useless by 'hot spots' that can occur from a combination of heat buildup in a deck when under long continous use and where (given read issues due to dodgy discs) the laser is focused around a given area in the read attempt - but at 50p or less to replace, there is no same reason why when making a treasured compressed audio disc you can't simply burn a spare duplicate - £1 (for two discs) vs hundeds of hours of listening over thousands of hours of actual use over two discs is still bloody cheap.

The only practical disadvantage that might come to mind to some, is the 700Mb capacity limit of current CDP's vs 1.5-4Gb (Corniche drive) and 10-60Gb (2.5 and 1.8 inch drives) HDD's.

Where Corniche drives HDD's are concerned, the cost is getting so close to quality CDP money that there is room for concern - so it comes down to the choice of having a big variety and needing a computer to refresh the content when you dont have your wanted content with you (HDD) or simply swaping over to a substitute CD-ROM (a good CDP case can hold a minium of 6 discs+1 carried in the player itself).

So the lower price of Corniche drive units does introduce the question of value when it comes to CDP's, but there isn't enough of a price break vs proper capacity HDD's to make this a real question.

A worthy compressed audio CDP costs around 1.75-2x the cost of an equiv non-supporting Audio CDP.

A HDD unit (big capacity) costs around 1.75-2.5x the cost of an iRiver CDP (the more premium priced stuff). So you do get a value break due to capacity if you lump for an iHP/iPod/Lyra - but pay the price in laughable battery endurance (laughable, being somewhere between a slight snigger where endurance is not too bad, and a full blooded round of hysterical manic laughter where some decks have battery endurance that is very 70's retro chic stuff).

So i figure that leaves us down to physical size vs it's bulkiness, the CDP i mean, and to that i say that a good moden deck (any iRiver really, Sony D-NE1) makes a mockery of the concept of being too bulky or too heavy - they can exist hanging off your belt when cycling or jogging without issue - hell, you could have one on your belt whilst climbing without too many unresolvable problems.

Regards

FG - The Spirit of Da Cat

[terrymx]

i dont have any problem with the size at all. dont know why people always complain about that. maybe they wear clothes without pocket. the imp400 is real convience with the belt pouch and you never have to worry.

i would say cd player last longer than hd player. i dont worry much when i drop a cd player, that can be different if i drop an hd player. hear tons of people getting mad about their hd player harddrive fail and all that. flash players memory could also be damage enthough its nonmovable.

the disadvantage of cd player to me is really just not having the capacity. i dont think the laser lens for the imps is capable of reading hd-burn cds. on the other hand, hd palyers cost like a gazillion dollars, so i guess i have to live with my imp400 for the next ....few years.

[FlameGrilled]

Size is only an issue, with CDP's, if the whole object of the exercise of going to compressed audio is for a smaller/less bulky deck than a conventional CDP.

However, unless you are dealing with first-gen designs (the ones that mirrored style, bulk and size of decks pre to the whole iMP series), then all MP3 CDP's are relatively low impact on bulk and compact in size.

Hell, even the 250 is depth of three slimline cd jewel cases (at worst) and a few mm wider (worst case) than a CD disc - it's only at the extended portion of hinge of the clamshell it's breaking up the compact look.

The 350 looks more compact, to my eyes, than the 400 - and the 350 is a slimmer 250 size with the appropriate style change to remote-orientated use.

The 550 is around the same kind of size/bulk profile as my current 'most loved' toy, the D-NE1, and weight is about the same.

My duff 250 experiences (x4) represent, rememeber, excessive and totally unsuited out-of-spec use of them - so the very fact they ran 100% stable til the spindle failures set in, is a testament to design and engineering.

No.5, the last 250 i bought for strictly personal use, was probably one of the last of the ending manufacture and it definately demonstrates why iRiver won their rep in the CDP department. Where would the 350/400/550 series be today, if the 250 (the original flagship deck) and it's oler relatives hadn't demonstrated that all the intended qualities were practical and cost-effective to manufacture..??

No, i really dont see any disadvantage to a CDP - that's why when the 250 got replaced.. i went for another CDP.. i just had to find an iRiver 550 to suit or a damn near equal quality subby.

Capacity - nah, 700Mb CD's aint a storage limit - a good case can hold around 10 CD's with ease (the old iMP-250 case could, actually) - 10x700Mb (damn near 7Gb in total) for around <25p per disc (retail - get them where i do, and the price hits 5p per disc) is still a capacity over cost ratio you'll be pushed to beat.

If rapid exchangability of content is important - the CDP is the king of the hill. If you dont change content much, but want years worth of back-to-back duration, the HDD unit is king.

Battery life still keeps the CDP in the running, as it's close to flash player performance - HDD's are getting better in that respect, but ther load pattern on the power source is definately not yet suited to ultra efficiency on battery endurance.

Damage - you sentiments are one of the best reasonings for CDP's, on a purely practical level - that a CDP that get's dropped is fixable.. but probably cheaper and better to simply replace.

As an iMP-400 user, you know that if your's meets an untimely end... you can replace it for cheaper than you originally paid for.. without even having to dip a tentative paw intot the world of alternative models.

The CDP's last and final 'nail in the coffin' killing blow to player features.. is it's total free-play lack of OS requirement. Since ISO 9660/Level 2 is common now, all CDP's are totally OS independent when it comes to firmware upgrades and disc writing software compatibility.

There is not one HDD or flash deck that is guaranteed, despite the wonders of UMS connectivity, that's guaranteed to be recognised and bi-directionally accessed on any USB supporting computer regardless of OS and which core code the OS used to provide USB control.

CDP's, get yer butts up to the top of the hill and guard that well deserved KOTH challenge win...

FG