MP3 CD Player Unveiled

by Sid Vanderpool

Think about taking your library of 1000 CDs and magically shrinking them down to 150 CDs and still have every song with you. You go from two large Univenture cases that weigh 75lbs each to one small case that weighs only 15lbs or so. Is it a dream? Not anymore. On September 8, 1999 Pine Technology USA, Inc., (www.pineusa.com), this week unveiled the latest in MP3 hardware technology, the 'D'music' portable MP3 / audio CD player. This is the first product of its kind to be brought to market. Dubbed the SM-200C, it is similar to the popular Discman product. Like the Discman it can play back ordinary audio CDs but that is where the similarities stop. The SM-200C can play MP3 CDs. Aregular CD or CDR can hold can hold over 100 MP3 compressed music tracks and give you up to ten hours of music. This is also the first MP3 hardware device which does not require a computer or Internet connection, as MP3 CDs can be created on CDRs and will be available soon from mainstream retail outlets. The player boasts features such as title display, anti-shock with a buffer of 10 seconds, remote control and repeat and auto search functions. It has an equalizer that can be adjusted for different music formats such as pop, classical, jazz or music requiring that extra bit of bass. "This CD-player extends the boundaries of MP3 music more than ever," said Brian Hamilton, national sales manager for Pine Technology USA. "The ability to store over 100 songs on one disc has never been achieved before so this is good news for all music lovers." Could this be the answer for those in search of the ultimate DJ system? The SM-200C is priced at $299 and will be available in November. The CD-player is the second in Pine's family of MP3 digital products. The digital MP3 portable recorder, 'D'music', is already available, priced from $188. For more information, visit www.pineusa.com.   Technical specifications CD Digital Audio MPEG Type Output 1: Headphone Stereo 15mW + 15mW Output 2: Audio Line (Level: 0.7V ms - 47K) Analog Volume Control Built-in Charger Battery: 4 x AA (Rechargeable or Alkaline, 8 hours with Alkaline) Voltage: 5V Display: FSTN LCD (Title display) Dimension (mm): 130 (W) x 138 (D) x 31 (H)