Why not a portable DVD MP3 player?

[Karate Media]

I've been thinking about getting a portable CD player that will play CDs w/ MP3s and while looking at a few models, it occurred to me:

Why isn't anyone creating a portable DVD MP3 player?

I recently transferred a large chunk of my CD collection to MP3, which I then burned to two DVDs. I still just sit there in amazement at times, looking at two plastic discs that together hold almost 2500 songs, thinking, "That is sooo ******* cool!"

I would love to be able to get into my car and pop one of these in and know that I could drive for days and never hear the same song twice -- or just hit shuffle like I do on my computer and have my own little private "radio station" that plays all the songs I want to hear.

Is there a technological limitation as to why no one seems to have developed this? I wouldn't think so -- heck, I assume you could rig one up with a DVD-ROM drive and some technical know-how, if you were so inclined...

So is it a lack of interest? I'd certainly pay $80 or so (based on my finding some CD MP3 players for around $50) for a DVD MP3 player -- the 4.3 GB storage is better for me (and my wallet) than a 20GB $400 iPod!

Or is someone already working on one and I haven't heard? I'm not foaming at the mouth for one, so I haven't done any deep research, but does anyone have any ideas on the subject?

[i-on-s]

i think this will play mp3 on DVDRs.

http://www.mp3playerstore.com/stuff_you_need/dvd/dvd-0181.htm

doesnt give much info but it says it plays alot of formats i dont see why it wouldnt read mp3s off a dvdr since it can play both.

[MOVIEGEEK]

The problem is that MP3 is not to DVD-Video specs where a player needs only to read AC3,LPCM,DTS(MP2 optional).
If you can find one you're lucky.

[num-lock]

Moviegeek, it doesn't matter if its to a standard. If a company makes a player that can do this (play a mp3 off a dvd-r like it were a data dvd) then the hell with standards. MP3s on a CD isn't to the Redbook standard, but it works.

[Karate Media]

to i-on-s:

Huh! Yeah it's hard to tell if it will read MP3s on DVD or not...but maybe I should have clarified: "A DVD MP3 player that doesn't cost $329.00!"


to MOVIEGEEK:

If you are responing to i-on-s' in-dash DVD player, then you may be right.
If you are responding to my OP, then you are not. My DVD-ROM plays MP3s just fine -- it's data just like any other data. DVD-Video specs don't come into play b/c I don't want it to play DVD video, just MP3 files.

So no one is developing the idea yet, or so these few posts over the past few hours might suggest. Personally, I think it would be an incredible device -- a portable Discman-type device that plays CDs and DVDs w/ MP3s on 'em. Sell 'em for around $80 or so? Hmm...I know a couple of people who know their way around a circuit board...just rig up a DVD-ROM...Maybe you'll have to forget all that you've read -- I could be a millionaire!!!!

Nah...

Maybe I'll just take my laptop along with me on long trips and plug a tape adaptor into the line-out.

[furball6969]

i'm sure it's only a matter of time and that someone has thought of it long ago. i doubt you could patent the idea though as all the technology already exists. The most you could do is flog the market with a trade mark or trade name product - i.e. Walkman belongs to Sony.

my guess as to why they don't already exist is because the technology is too big.

The better idea would be to use the small DVD-R's that the digital video cameras use. i would buy that.

[Karate Media]

Man...I don't have the vision to create a product -- I just want it to exist!

No mini-DVD! I just want it to be the size of a Discman except it will play DVDs w/ MP3s on 'em. I don't wanna mess with having to burn (and buy) mini-DVDs. I've got an ages old portable CD player that still works great -- no anti-skip, but plays most any burned (non-MP3) CDR I put in it. Want to get a CD MP3 player, and just thought about taking the idea to the next level...

You, know, you wouldn't think you could patent it (and you probably can't, for the very reasons you mentioned), but look at Amazon and their one-click patent...whoo boy...

I WANT MY PORTABLE 4 GBs OF MUSIC NOW!!!!!! AND SOME MORE COUGH SYRUP!!!

[flyingmonkey35]

E-bay man just check Ebay.

its all there and its all good.

just to keep in mind some devlopers will put blocks on stuff like that in thier product on purpose or to prevent a law suite from some rock star.

you just let the music inndustry find out thier is a product out thier that can play a Dvd/Mp3 disc that is portable or in Dash. And i garntee youll see a lawsuite.

The music industry is still pissed off about portable mp3 players as is.

well thats my two bits.

[jeex]

i think a portable dvd mp3 player is a little too much.. i think they've pretty much perfected the portable mp3 player with the ipod. mp3lords such as myself couldnt fit every mp3 i have on it, but i think there would be plenty of space.. i actually bought an mp3 cd player back when they first came out.. its the old "genica".. it was kind of cool, but its been sitting in my desk for about 2 or 3 years now.. kind of a waste of money. maybe someday it will become a collectors item.

but the point remains, who really needs a dvdr with 1000 songs? i could see putting them on dvdrs for archiving and backup purposes, but to listen to on a portable device, no. maybe some people like the idea.. but its a bit overboard.. what, do you want a FMD mp3 player now? heh

[Karate Media]

jeex--

Actually, I would love a CD MP3 player -- give me yours!

No, really -- I simply will not spend $400 on an iPod. My wife recently decided she wanted an MP3 player and I ended up getting her a Rio Sport (she loved the armband) and that was $180 for only 128MB! F*** that! Give me a 700MB-capable unit for $50-ish with 700MB discs costing 20 cents or so. An iPod is extreme -- I love music, but I'm not paying more than $90 or so (at the most) to carry it around with me! Hell, I've got a good memory -- I can hum the songs for free!

I don't need to carry my ENTIRE CD collection around with me, it would just be great to leave a DVD at work, or in the car, w/ 1000 songs on it and not worry about lugging my CDs around, or losing a $400 glorified 20GB harddrive...huh, for someone who said earlier that I wasn't foaming at the mouth for this device, I certainly have it stuck on my brain...

Anyway, I started this thread, so I can cry if I want to!

[Greg12]

I luv my MP3-CD player, I can use MP3 format n get tons of songs on a disk, n the disks only cost pennies.


I'm not limited by internal HDD"s or expensivemedia cards.

[pacmania_2001]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006FXGB/103-7754901-0672656?vi=glance

Perhaps one of these? I'm guessing that like existing discman's it could be connected to your car stereo using one of those car kits.

Also despite the fact it doesn't meet your price range you have to take into account that it would also save you buying a DVD player etc.

Just a suggestion.

[SergeantD]

That Apex player won't do it. Couple of things here: portable MP3/DVD DOES NOT mean that it reads MP3s from a DVD-R. There are hardly ANY players that have the ability to do this, portable or not.

The ONLY player I have come across that DOES read MP3s from a DVD-R is the Koss DVP2165. And it does a GREAT job with them. I can store over 100 albums(CDs) on a DVD-R and it is very convenient. Those not familar with the Koss should know that it is a very small portable player without a LCD. They were found at Target stores for $79 but are now discontinued. Try finding them on Ebay.

[vitualis]

Remember, when you are talking about a player that can play MP3s off a DVD disc (or even a CD-R disc for that matter), the player, to be useful, needs to do more than just play the files off the disc.

It, IMHO, must also have a good way of dealing with playlists, playing music by genre/album/artist, etc. This component makes the player more difficult/more expensive to produce.

For example, my DVD player can play MP3s off CD-R discs but I almost never use it. Most of my MP3s on CD-R are arranged in an "archival" way (i.e., the entire album). More often than not, I don't want to listen to the whole disc but only select files on that disc. However, as the DVD player doesn't have a good way of organising/arranging playlists, I find it too much of a hassle.

You tend not to have the same issues on a smaller capacity MP3 portable device and you would tend to only transfer over the songs you want to listen to at a particular setting.

Regards.

[Raen]

You mean something like this?


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3019834657&category=15054

Happy bidding =)

[Karate Media]

You mean something like this?


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3019834657&category=15054

Happy bidding =)

Thanks for the link! Very interesting...I think this may fit the bill! Sony's website says:

"a sleek, portable CD player that even plays CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, or Memory Sticks with MP3 or WAV files. The handy playback controller displays CD Text information if its encoded on a music CD and also displays the ID3 tag information when playing back CD-ROM/DVD-ROMs or Memory Sticks with MP3 files"


The only catch is that this sucker costs $300 from Sony (mainly, it seems, b/c it also functions as a CD burner), which begs the question -- could someone manufacture a DVD MP3 player that costs under $100? Even the lowest actual price on the Sony, according to epinions, is around $250.00 -- so in a retail situation, this doesn't meet all my requirements; but in the wonderful world of ebay...

If the bidding stays low, then I may be able to conclude this thread with a review of said product in a week or so...but that retail price is dangerously high, and would warrant the query, "Why not just buy an iPod?"

We'll see...

[Karate Media]

...and I saw.

Whooo, what a crazy ride. I already got outbid of my maximum $100.

Still, it shows that someone's making one, so maybe there's someone else making one w/ fewer options for less.

It gives a boy hope...

[Karate Media]

Alright, came across this:

http://www.pjrc.com/tech/mp3/

It does break my rules, though: It's just a board for $150, which would easily go over $200 w/ DVD-ROM drive and case, etc. Still, it's given me hope, and I've dispatched my minions to start conceiving of a cheaper way to accomplish this.

Just keeping you abreast of my nefarious aspirations...

[mp3superfreak]

That Apex player won't do it. Couple of things here: portable MP3/DVD DOES NOT mean that it reads MP3s from a DVD-R. There are hardly ANY players that have the ability to do this, portable or not.

The ONLY player I have come across that DOES read MP3s from a DVD-R is the Koss DVP2165. And it does a GREAT job with them. I can store over 100 albums(CDs) on a DVD-R and it is very convenient. Those not familar with the Koss should know that it is a very small portable player without a LCD. They were found at Target stores for $79 but are now discontinued. Try finding them on Ebay.

My Norcent DP-300 reads and plays MP3's and MPG's on DVD-R. I agree that companies like Alpine need to make car head units with the mp3-dvd capability.....that would be TOO COOL!

BTW, the Norcent can be found at Amazon for $49, but you may want to check the forums at Nerd Out to make sure the newer models support this.

Superfreak out.

[energy80s]

What about this little beast for £120 http://www.e2thepower.com/pd1036760420.htm

Not sure if it will play MP3's from a DVDR, but you could always e-mail the guy first, and as it's not an auction, you can always return it for a refund.

[Karate Media]

energy80s -- Nice, but ends up being almost $200 (US), plus shipping.

I made a joke in another thread about hooking up the Mintek 1600 I just bought ($38.00 after gift certificate at Best Buy) to play DVD MP3s in my car. Of course, a good power inverter (to make it run off of the cigarette lighter) cost around $70 or so -- decided my little lark wasn't worth $70...

Ideally, I'm still looking for a Discman-type DVD MP3 player that would cost under $100. No need for video capabilities...If you stripped down the previously mentioned Sony, that would be nice, and possibly in the proce range....Man, the more I think about that thing, the more dumbfounded I am by the concept of that product --- why would I spend upwards of $300 for a CD burner that I'm gonna take in my car (and elsewhere) as a portable music device...it's probably just my opinionl I never buy tape decks w/ auto-reverse, either -- those rotating tape heads are just one more thing to break on it...

[energy80s]

You get what you pay for. Your not going to get much for less than £100. Even my in-car minidisc was over £200.

Never heard of autoreverse tape heads breaking as they're usually reliable. However they do go out of alignment quite easily.

[MOVIEGEEK]

I found the Mintek DVD-1710 at Best Buy for $350USD(it was on sale at Kragen/Shucks auto parts for $300 )
BTW..the auto-reverse on my top-of-the-line Pioneer tape deck broke after one year(out of warranty of course) and a shop wanted $125 to repair it not to mention the $50 service charge,so I told them to keep it and I bought a Sony non-auto-reverse deck.
http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?&b=0&e=11101873&m=1979&cat=1983&scat=2004

[Karate Media]

I think most of this has been theoretical musings of a sort, energy80s, the premise being "Why not create a Discman-type portable DVD MP3 player?" I'm not going to get much for less than $100 b/c these things don't seem to really exist (except for the Sony, which fails my qualifying tests due to price and the fact that it's weighed under by too many options - eg, CD burning)

Portable CD MP3 players are down around $30 (Audiophase) and $50 (Panasonic). I don't see why a portable DVD MP3 player couldn't be developed that would be priced around $80 or so. If I was going to lay out some cash, I'd just buy an iPod (or similar HD-based MP3 player).

Obviously there is a market for affordably-priced portable CD MP3 players, so why isn't there a market for affordable, portable DVD MP3 players (or more specifically, a CD/DVD MP3 player)? Is it lack of interest in developers or consumers? Or will interest grow as DVD burners become more prevalent in homes?

Or is there a technological barrier at the moment that makes it impossible to produce an affordable DVD-capable player? Am I completely deluded for comparing CD MP3 players to a theoretical DVD MP3 player? I know it's not as easy as, say, Panasonic making minor adjustments to a current line of CD MP3 players to make them read DVDs (eg, replacing the laser, etc.), but are the technological differences so great that it would really cost that much more?

[gcutler]

Don't forget this is a pretty bad worldwide economy, and there isn't alot of money floating around for such ventures, they are pretty much being left to the big and stable companies to try this new technology. It sounds like a great idea, but probably some markting exec at some big vendor felt that there isn't that much demand yet. Most of the visionaries lost their shirts in the Internet Bubble bust, so you are dealing mostly with ideas that will not shake anyones foundation. And I think that many people are relatively happy with the amound of MP3s you can fit on a CD, so maybe the marketing people may be right???

[Karate Media]

gcutler--

yeah, CDs hold a hella bunch of MP3s... I guess a good bit of my fascination stems from the fact that it would be sooooo cool if I could just keep two cheap, plastic DVDs in my car* that would have approx. 90% of my CD collection on them. Never worry about leaving a CD at home; only needing to fumble between two discs, instead of the 14 or so if I were to span the songs across CDRs. The far more infinite possibilites waiting for me when I hit "shuffle." Not to mention being free from the anxiety that would come with toting a $400-$500 iPod around with me.

It just seems more...elegant. Even the 14+ CDs these songs would fit on just wouldn't seem as wonderfully 21st century as two DVDs -- the promise of the future and all that.

But I agree that Sony/Panasonic/et al wouldn't bother developing a new product in the current economic climate -- at least not one that people aren't clamoring for.


*EDIT: I keep saying "in my car," but I really mean anywhere: 2 dvds in my car, 2 at the office, etc., all waiting for me and my portable DVD MP3 player. Just wanted to add that in order to avoid "in-dash" suggestions, which, obviously, aren't portable.

[gcutler]

What I think would be interesting, but has as little chance of existance would be to take the Size of the MiniCDs (They hold 240MB) , but use DVD technology so that you could fit about 1.2GB on a DVD-R the size of a Mini-CD media (Mini-DVD) . The Devices could be smaller, yet hold an obscene # of mp3s.

[energy80s]

I don't know about "an obscene number of MP3's" The average MP3 song is about 6 Megs (at a half decent bitrate), so even at 1.2Gb you are only talking of around 200 songs on a disc. Your best bet at the moment is to use some sort of hard drive system - like the Creative Labs one.

[Karate Media]

I don't know about "an obscene number of MP3's" The average MP3 song is about 6 Megs (at a half decent bitrate), so even at 1.2Gb you are only talking of around 200 songs on a disc. Your best bet at the moment is to use some sort of hard drive system - like the Creative Labs one.

For myself, I consider 128 Kbps to be an acceptable bitrate, and that averages out to be about 1MB per minute. So, barring an extraodinary amount of Pink Floyd in your record collection (or classical music), I would think that the average rock/pop song should be about 4 MB. All I can say for sure is that I've got just over 2500 songs on two plastic discs, and I think thats cool.

As for a HD-based player, they'll be great when they cost under $100. Sorry, but that's pretty much my cutoff -- I love music, but my home stereo system didn't even cost as much as an iPod. Of course, being a music lover and being na audiophile are not always the same thing: a few years back, when I was between receivers/etc., I listened to all my vinyl on an old public school-style standalone record player w/ a built-in speaker and a stylus that probably dug trenches through my LPs. I was happy to have my music (and on the cheap), regardless.

[Gazorgan]

Might I point out that a DVDR of mp3's will take an addition 3-6 sets of batteries to listen to the whole thing? Depending on bitrates, you are talking 80 hours? Let's not forget navigating a folder structure with 1200+ files...