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New Flash Memory Chip for MP3 players
The Conkman writes "In a
press release released today, Japan-based companies
Toshiba
and Matsushita
announced their partnership with California-based
Sandisk in the manufacturing of a new flash memory chip for portable mp3 players. The release states that the flash memory chip ( approx. the size of a postage stamp ) is anticipated to have an initial size of 32MB to 64MB and a data throughput of 2Mbs per second working towards a goal of a 256MB chip with a data throughput of 10Mbs per second. The mass production of the chip ( and the player I assume ) is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of next year. "
Now isn't that cool.
The Rio just didn't have enough capacity.
-awc
they say 32MB which is 8 times more memory than 32Mb -- let's hope for the latter, even though memory devices are usually stated in mega BITS to amke 'em sound bigger (although the technical reason is probably to remove any kind of access-related info from the memory size spec).
256 mega BYTES of storage is a SIGNIFICANT improvement.
I wonder if SDMI will be dead by then, or if the
player will only play "legal" mp3's. I really hope
people do to SDMI what they did to DIVX.
Other than that this looks really good for portable
computing in general not just mp3 players. Hmm, flash
is non-volatile, this could work as storage for
those cool wearable computers.
You should consider very carefully before you spend your hard earned money on a hardware MP3 player. Although Mp3 is a 'open standard' it is propritary because of the patents held on it. In a short amount of time, a new audio format will emerge. It's encoder will be GPLed and it will not be restricted by patents. It will have superior performance to mp3 (though prob not as good as AAC) and the encoder and decoder should have simmlar complexity to todays MP3 codecs. Unfortunatly, it will not be compatible with MP3 for patent reasons. So.. Please think first. The player you buy today may be junk in nine months.
The Rio and most other mp3-players has maximum memory of 32 Mb, though I think mp-man can take 96 Mb with an extra 64 mb flash. This leads me to a few questions related to this thread: Does this mean that most players can't take 64 Mb smartcards even when they are available? Then what is the reason for them making players that will become obselete in a few years? What is the memory limit of the current standard smartcards available, adress space speaking. Patrik Carlsson
The Rio and most other mp3-players has
maximum memory of 32 Mb, though I think
mp-man can take 96 Mb with an extra 64 mb flash.
This leads me to a few questions related to
this thread:
Does this mean that most players can't take
64 Mb smartcards even when they are available?
Then what is the reason for them making players
that will become obselete in a few years?
What is the memory limit of the current standard
smartcards available, adress space speaking.
Patrik Carlsson
Will it be cheaper than ordinary RAM?
It would be neat to use flash memory as a fast swap space at some point and actually be worth it. Right now it would be cheaper just to buy more RAM.
-- "Well, Hello, Mr. Fancy-pants. I've got news for you pal, you ain't in control but two things right now, Jack and s
You can already buy Compact Flash cards with well over 64MB of memory, at quite reasonable prices. Why don't the player makers concentrate on adding CF slots, rather than including more internal memory? No matter how much internal memory there is, it will never be enough anyway. Besides, the simplicity of changing an album by swapping out a card can't be duplicated with internal memory, even using USB--or even IEEE1394.
I think they should change their strategy to not include ANY internal memory at all, thus also lowering costs, and completely rely on storage media.
It's kind of off-topic/on-topic
thanks
~ Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity ~
We're looking at using an mp3 player for our phone system's hold music, but the ones I've looked at don't come with AC adaptors--which would be critical. The phone system is actually on a PC, and we currently just jack a portable CD player into it, but that thing is wearing out. (The PC is really owned by our phone services provider, so I can't hack it--at least I'm not supposed to.) The area where this equipment is housed doesn't really lend itself to hooking up a full-blown CD player or second PC.
Anyone know who makes an mp3 player that can take an AC adaptor?
Thanks!
[ insert your own witty .sig here ]
Consider:
-I have MP3 encoders on my computer.
-I have the ability to transfer MP3 files to the player.
-I now have a player with music on it.
Now tell me how a new standard will nullify one of the above. Is it going to magically erase all MP3 encoders I have? Will my player cease to play MP3's because it senses that it's no longer state of the art?
chris
San Francisco values: compassion, tolerance, respect, intelligence
All windows CE machines already support this type of memory. The cool thing about Compact Flash is that it's actually a scalled-down version of PCMCIA (PCCARD) - so in addition to memory you can also use hardware peripherals, from ethernet cards to celluar modems.
People will stop wanting to use MP3 because they either have to break the law (bladeenc) or pay $$$ for an encoder. They will prefer to use a new format which is superior to mp3 and lacks it patent restrictions. If you are only making files for yourself, can afford a good encoder, and dont mind not using the better formats out there.. Then, by all means. Keep using MP3. Most people however, will want to use the new format.
Big deal.
I'm still waiting for a Discman-like device that plays CDs full of MP3s.
The first company to make one will get my money. These flash memory-based products are overpriced and under-equipped.
Make sure that if you get an MP3 player, it's flashable to support a different decoding standard. None are yet, as far as I know, but hey..
There's an idea. Build a generic audio playing device, with a flash ROM to hold the decoding software. Then you can release plugin's (well, not really, but okay) to download to the device to change the type of music it will decode. Downside here is that you would need an actual processor in the thing instead of just a hardware decoder. Probably running at a fairly good speed too. Hmm.. Must research this..
---
- Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set him on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
So.. Please think first. The player you buy today may be junk in nine months.
I was responding to this. The player will not become junk if I can still use it to listen to my personal music collection.
People will stop wanting to use MP3 because they either have to break the law (bladeenc) or pay $$$ for an encoder
If I'm using it to listen to MP3's now:
1. I already have paid the $$ for an encoder; unless...
2. I just grab MP3's from the Net, in which case I'm breaking the law. (or are you assuming there are any owners of portable players who listen exclusively to MP3's legally recorded by someone else?
3. I don't care if people stop listening to MP3's. I don't feel any need to be fashionable about the format of my music. I can still use the device to listen to MP3's of my music in 10 years and enjoy it just as much.
I'm speaking here as someone who still owns a Beta (as in -max) VCR. I can still use it to record and playback (and the quality still beats the average VHS), the only thing I can't do is rent movies for it. Extend that to MP3's: I don't rent music. Is that clear now?
Chris
San Francisco values: compassion, tolerance, respect, intelligence
It would be fun to try it
Not really on topic, but Matsushita and Toshiba are one in the same. The former owns the latter. It is kind of like saying Pioneer and Kenwood announced that they will have working portable Dolby Digital DVD players/viewers by the end of the year. Same labs, different names.
Also, to my knowlwedge, Matsushita doesn't market anything with that name emblazoned on it, do they? Or do they do it in other countries (ie. not the US of A)? I thought they were pretty much a zaibatsu that pulled the stings and reaped the profits of a number of companies.
One other thing. How do you all pronounce that word? I always said Mat-su-SHIT-a but a friend who works there says it is Mat-su-shit-a.
uh huh huh I said sh*t..... twice.
/Sig/
it would be "Ma-tsu-shi-ta"
-- "Well, Hello, Mr. Fancy-pants. I've got news for you pal, you ain't in control but two things right now, Jack and s
It's a flash ram memory unit that holds 8MB. It's currently in production as far as I know, because I have one (in my dog).
It is about 2.5 cm by 1 cm by 3 mm. This size includes tha plastic case of the unit as well as the contacts and sliding switch to lock the memory. The unit as a whole seems pretty rugged and I wouldn't have any qualms with having a bunch in my pocket with my keys and pilot.
I would imagine they plan of making larger mem sizes.
penguinicide... when jumping out a window just won't do.
Portable mp3 makes possible a world that I would love to live in. Imagine you have your portable mp3 player that costs less than bread and has a wireless receiver system capable of 11Mbs.. now add to that tommorrow's compression standards that allow you to transmit a complete song in about 1/2 a second. You have a number of base stations that are constantly transmitting songs, in the order of 180 songs a minute and there's multiple stations in any one area. You turn on your portable mp3 like device and pick up a song, listen to it for as little or as long as you like and go grab another one.. maybe you really like this song, so you send it to a friend and he sends it to a friend.. songs get transmitted around the world in a few hours and we have a hit.. a hit caused by people actually liking the music.. not by record companies buying up CD's to get on the charts to get more air time.. When air time is unlimited and more than any one person can ever listen to, music will be free. (that's free like freedom folks.. but who doesn't like free beer?)
How we know is more important than what we know.
Arent MP3's still not quite CD quality? And you can still have stuff ups with the recording, as a friend of mine has...
OK, I'm not here to discuss the new 256MByte EEPROM or whatever. My only debate is why use solid state memory at all? 256MB is not going to be enough for those die-hard mpeggers that settle for nothing less than 256Kb/s. You get 68 minutes of music at this rate. The chip is going to be expensive too, so don't expect 1GB of solid state in your pocket for under $200.
The coolest (in concept) mp3 player out there uses Iomega Clik! discs for storage. at 40MB they hold barely an album at 112Kb/s compression, but they are small and cheap. What about other small storage methods? Anyone thought of Data-MiniDisc? Portables could easily be made to play these (along with normal MD's!)
Players with an hour of storage aren't going to get the market penetration until they cost well under 100 bucks.
~GoRK
All I've ever wanted was a music format that was like a 'Nintendo' cartridge. You just plug it in and go. No skipping, scratched, or otherwise worn out music. Solid state is the way to go!
I want a PCS phone w/ an intergrated MP3 player sooooo bad! They I could have Metallica play when I got a call. Also has the useful benefit of giving me one less gadget to worry about while keeping all the functionality. :) Those memory cards could double to holding my extra phone book and stuff. :) Throw in a PDA and a Game Boy and I'll bow down and kiss your feet.
At what price learning? At what cost wisdom? The price is a man's peace of mind, and the cost is his life.