MP3 players

[Bezza]

Can I copy music from my hi fi system straight to an MP3 player and if so, what is it like to play back?

[Buenchico]

The output from your hi-fi system is analogue form. The information needs to be converted to the digital MP3 format before it can be stored on your MP3 player. The usual way to carry out the conversion is by using software on your PC. (A very few MP3 players, eg Philips HDD120, have built-in software that allows recording from analogue signals but the vast majority of players don't have this facility).

So, unless you've got one of the few players that have a dedicated analogue recording facility, you can't do what you propose.

Chris

[wideboy]

Some modern hi-fis do have a digital output and can go straight into the mp3 player (look at each manual for connections). However, you might be disappointed with the playback through a 'real' hi-fi system (not just a typical midi system) as it can show up the difference between mp3 (90% of the sound is 'thrown away' !) and the original. Most people are quite happy with mp3 on portable players or the computer (I even have an mp3 'ghetto blaster' in the kitchen, and an mp3 player in the car) but through the hi-fi I can tell the difference.

[Buenchico]

Wideboy's information that some modern hi-fi's have a digital output is correct but this output is not compressed into MP3 format. So, if you want to start with hi-fi output and end up with a stored MP3, you're going to need some software to do the conversion/compression part of the process. I don't know of any hi-fi which does this, so you're still going to need one of those rare MP3 players which has this software built-in.

Chris

[wideboy]

We must have been lucky then, or we did our research well, because my son's iriver iHP-140 (a superb machine no longer available) has a line in and can take optical as well and has a menu option to record as mp3 or wav. Hope he appreciates it. (The output is from an Aiwa midi system which is 'nearly hifi').

[Bezza]

Thanks for your help everyone, your comments have been really useful.