Part I: Portable Media Players:
In the "old days", this would have been a transistor radio, tape player, or maybe a little TV. Nowadays, your options are much greater, though you can still get
a portable TV or radio. I wouldn't hold out much hope on the tape deck, though. [First person to respond back with the source of that line wins a prize.]
There are some digital portable televisions on the market, today, Their usefulness, though, will be variable, depending on your digital sources. Much more popular, though are portable DVD players (and blu-ray players). A portable DVD player can be found for under $50, when the sales are right. larger screen sizes, and speciality units designed for cars will have different prices. Blu-ray portables exist but tend to be at a higher price. One reason is likely the higher definition screen needed to enjoy the full resolution. For those wondering about portable gaming systems, fear not, those will be covered in the gaming guide, soon.
The "big item" though, are the portable media players. There are plenty of devices to choose from, and in some cases, personal preference is the only real factor in choosing "the best".
One of the most popular lines on the market is the iPod. There are numerous sizes and models of iPod available. These can be found for about $49, or so for the Shuffle, with ones with more features, or larger storage space commanding a higher price tag. Much like other Apple products, previously discussed, the iPod comes in a slim, attractive package. They install easily enough to your Windows or Mac computer, with the iTunes software. Sorry Linux and other OS users, but they take a little (or a lot) more fidgeting about to set up. You're able to acquire music, audio books, and in some devices movie files through the iTunes store - or from your own collection - and transfer them to your device. You can use the sync feature, or drag & drop through iTunes or the file manager.
Sony has extended their popular Walkman brand to the digital media player world. I've never received any endorsement from Sony, but I have had several of their Walkman line mp3 players over the past six or seven years. My current one has been serving me well for over three years. They do have "over the ear" models with 2 or 4GB storage. However for the most part the players come in 4, 8 & 16 GB sizes, with a display for both menu display and video playback. They will use either Sony's software, or drag & drop. For Linux users, this makes them less complex than the iPod. Walkman players come at a lower price point than the iPod, however the storage capacity is generally lower, as well. For me, one of the strong points for the Sony player is the tactile interface. I'm able to navigate my player, from my pocket, with my hands, without looking. For me, very often, this is a very important thing to be able to do. Other players have similar features,.
Samsung has ha a couple media players. They were based on the Galaxy platform. These resembled the Galaxy phone , and were compatible with Samsung (and comparable) accessories.
Sandisk has been a presence in the portable digital media player market for years. I've used a couple of their devices over the years. In fact, my "backup" (when I find I've been too lazy to charge my player) is a Sandisk from 2005. Since then, though, taking advantage of long-lasting internal batteries, and increasing amounts of flash memory. Like the Sony models, there are tactile interfaces in most of the Sandisk players. These players are often more economical than other brands, but this will come with a trade-off of features, storage capacity or battery life.
There are other brands available, often in the "economy" line. Some of these may suit your needs very well, or some may have the type of quality that says "You get what you pay for". I've seen both sides of this, with some good deals, and some ...junk. Ultimately, the choice is up to you. I advise reading product reviews for anything you're considering picking up. Personally, while I'm partial to Sony's units, the iPod is well worth looking at (and buying if you so choose).
If you need some guidance, ask, and I'll be glad to help you on specific models that I may be unable to for the scope of this piece.
Part II: "Fixed" Media Players:
We've looked at portable players. Now let's take a look at some of the more "permanent' players. When looking at these, we'll look at optical disc players, and streaming devices. By "fixed", in this case I'm referring to players that connect to your wall outlet, and are unlikely to move very often.
The DVD player sis the first thing we'll have a look at. DVD players have sure dropped in price from their release. Now, depending on brand and sale, I've seen them for $10-20 on the low-end. The DVD uses a laser to read digital information off of a disc, and play it on a television. DVD offered higher quality playback than analog media (VHS, reel, Super 8, etc). It also allowed a greater amount of information to be stored. As such, some movies included quite a lot of bonus material, along with the disc. DVD players will often connect via RCA (2 audio, 1 video) cable, though some may use HDMI cables. Quality and features may vary depending on brand and price.
Blu-ray players came out a few years ago, and after winning the format war with HDDVD, became the progression from DVD. Blu-ray discs allowed for even greater storage capacity. This allowed for even higher definition files to be stored on a disc - or far more "bonus material". Blu-ray connected through HDMI, and was geared toward working with new(er) HDTVs, though on some RCA or Colorstream was still available as an output. Blu-ray players can work as standalone units, but many are able to connect to the internet - or a local network, with wired or wireless connections. This allows these players to take advantage of digital content on some discs. Many players also though, have built in apps to take advantage of digital content services like Pandora, Hulu Plus, YouTube and Netflix (as examples). Prices on players varies by features, brand and sales, though I have seen them for as low as $40 in the past. An evolution to the Blu-ray player is the 3D Blu-ray player. These allow for 3D playback with movies and televisions with the encoding and capability, respectively.
The last thing we'll look at, today, is the streaming media players. While the Blu-ray players may have access to some content providers, some devices are set independently. Some examples are Apple TV, Google TV, and Roku's spread of players. Some companies like Netgear and RCA have also introduced products into the market, as well. Others, like Boxee have come and gone. Your choice on streaming content players will vary based on your needs, budget, and equipment. We've had a Roku HD here. It spent a considerable time connected through RCA cables to a25" tube television. It connectedthrough wi-fi to our network, and streamed content. While the device was capable of 720p resolution the TV and cable limited the output. The Netgear NeoTV, on the other hand, does not have RCA connections, and would require a converter to "step down" to an older television. There really isn't much of a "wrong" streaming content player. A lot of the decision making is on your needs, budget and preferences. If you have a Netflix account, then you need to get one that has this feature. If you subscribe to a particular paid network, then you need to make sure it's available on the device you choose.
Conclusion:
It's hard to pick a "best" device in some of these. It's also hard to give an "economical value" assessment. For the most part, it's personal preference on both fixed and portable media players. I can't stress enough the need to research and ask questions when you're unsure though. Like with the other buying guides, I'm willing to give more specific answers to questions, but it's tough to be too specific in the space I have available here. Come back tomorrow for our next Buying Guide!
BONUS Tip: "Old" cell phones can be converted into media players/internet phones. It may be a good idea to start by "factory restoring" the device. However once done, if you set it to Airplane Mode, it will disable the cellular antenna. You can then use it on wi-fi or without any access. I've converted a couple of old phones into media players/Skype phones.
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