Batteries: The Lifeblood of your MP3 Player

Its portability is the most attractive feature of any portable audio player. One of the main reasons why anybody would want to purchase an MP3 player is the freedom of being able to carry your music along everywhere they go. Portability means dependence on batteries. So if you are planning on purchasing and MP3 player, you need to pay special attention to manufacturers specifications as far as the battery is concerned.

Different manufacturers have different ways of rating their MP3 players. The playing time of the device is the most commonly used method. This refers to the total number of hours that the MP3 can playback continuous music when it is fully charged. There is a considerable range difference, starting off at 10 hours and going up to 35 hours.

When looking at these specifications, it is important to remember that the numbers mentioned are more likely to be at the high end and would refer to how long the battery is likely to last when used under optimum conditions. If, for example, an MP3 player has been rated at 20 hours, this most likely indicates that the battery will last 20 hours if played continuously without using any of the extra features, not even the screen display. Also, when the player is stopped and started in between, more power gets used up.

Some of the factors that consume excessive amounts of power include:

* Having a lot of audio in WMA format with Digital Rights Management

* Playing at a high volume level

* Using videos and photo display while playing

* Audio processing including equalization

Using the video is one factor that uses up the most battery power as compared to any other feature. Also, the consumption of power is higher in hard drive audio players as compared to flash memory audio players. Higher usage of the hard drive means higher consumption of power. Don't expect your batter to last long if you like to continuously look at photos and browse through your directories as your music is playing in the background.

If you own an MP3 player, you should consider using rechargeable batteries. They work out much more cost effective and they are non-polluting too. Several MP3 players run on lithium-ion batteries. These batteries can be recharged about 500 times before being discarded totally.

One of the essentials in a MP3 player kit is a battery charger. Some players offer you the option of plugging your battery into your computer's USB port. However, if you choose a stand-alone battery charger you will have the added advantage of keeping your MP3 player up and running whenever you want it.

Mp3 players are not powered by batteries alone. They can draw power either from the cigarette lighter in a car or from your computer of an AC adaptor in the house.

Take into consideration where you intend listening to your music. This will help you make the right decision when purchasing an MP3 player.