What You Need to Know About Video MP3 Players

MP3 files are audio only. Videos cannot be encoded as MP3s, or put still another way: there is no such thing as an MP3 video. So the first thing to know about video MP3 players is that they must, by their very nature, play other types of file formats besides MP3s.

As a result, what you next need to know in looking at video MP3 players are what types of video files exactly you're interested in being able to view. Different video MP3 players support different file formats, and not all video MP3 players support the same ones.

Video file formats include:

• MPEG-4 (aka MP4 or M4E)
• WMV - a video format for Microsoft Windows Media Player (and compatible devices)
• MOV - Apple QuickTime video file
• RM - Real Media video file (for Real Player)
• SWF - Macromedia Flash file
• DivX
• ASF
• AVI

There are also various picture and photo file formats that many video MP3 players can read. For example:

• JPEG
• GIF
• BMP

In order to get the right device for you, then, you must have an idea what types of picture/photo/graphics programs (i.e. Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, iMovie, iPhoto, Final Cut Express, etc.) and associated file formats you need supported.

You'll also want to know if the video MP3 players you're considering support streaming media files, such as RTS or ASF. For these to work, your device will also need its own connection to the internet (often provided via Bluetooth or WiFi).

Similarly, there are now several audio and video file formats for 3G network-enabled mobile phones (such as 3GPP) which may or may not be supported by the custom video MP3 players you're considering.
Beyond file formats, when comparing and contrasting the best video MP3 players, you'll also want to pay close attention to the display screen. Unlike with audio MP3s (and other audio files) the size, pixel resolution, and color depth don't matter very much. But for viewing pictures, graphics, photos, videos, and movies, all three factors matter very much. Those factors again, in greater detail, are:

• Screen size - How much surface area (length and width) does the display screen occupy? This will give you an idea of how big or small the images you're watching will appear.
  
  
• Pixel resolution - The more pixels per square inch, the sharper and clearer the image will appear.
  
  
• Color depth - Different displays can support different ranges of colors. The contrast, vividness, authenticity/accuracy of the images you're viewing will all be affected by how many colors your device can (and cannot) read. For example:
•  1-bit monochrome has two colors - black and white
•  8-bit offers 256 colors
•  24-bit (often erroneously labeled 32-bit color) allots 8 bits to red, 8 bits to green, and 8 bits to blue, giving what's popularly known as "TrueColor"

Finally, many custom video MP3 players will come with extra features that may or may not be valuable to you, such as a built-in radio tuner or the ability to view YouTube videos.

Beyond all that, the criteria for selecting the best video MP3 players for you are very much the same as for choosing any other MP3 players, including:

• Price
• Size
• Manufacturer/Brand
• Storage Capacity
• Expandability
• Battery life and battery replacement capabilities
• Features
• Accessories