Playback

[Doug Siddons]

Has anyone come across a CD/DVD player which has a built in hard drive onto which you can load files from a pc and has a display so it can be used as a standalone? I have looked at the current crop of domestic recorders but whilst they would be great at home plugged into the TV wouldn't be much cop on a gig. Don't need the DVD bit but as I don't own one would be a nice extra bell.

[revbobuk]

By and large these combined CD players with hard drive and screen tend to be called 'laptop computers' and they are available at reasonable prices!

[Simon Lewis]

This is what you want, but your wallet will be much lighter as a result. In two years, these will be made by the usual cut price brands and sell for 69 quid. Until then...

 

http://www.brennan.co.uk/images/jb7k.jpg

[Doug Siddons]

Thanks for the replies.

The brennan is along the lines of what I was thinking about, but way too expensive for what it is, and you have to load each CD individually so it can rip it to MP3 because it won't talk to a computer. Also it only supports MP3. I guess I'll wait for the chinese copies.

 

It needs to be as quick and reliable as an ordinary cd player so that rules out the laptop.

[Bobbsy]

Two questions:

 

First, have you ever used a laptop on which you've only installed the exact software you need to do your job? Once you get rid of net connections and games and all the other rubbish, they can be very stable and reliable--indeed, moreso than the typical "pro" CD player.

 

Second, out of curiosity, with memory and disk space as cheap as it is today, why would you rip to MP3? Why not stick with wave files unless the source is only on MP3?

 

Bob

[Doug Siddons]

Bobbsy

 

No I haven't used a computer like that and its a good point, but still comes in over the two hundred mark. As to the MP3 thing, that is exactly my point about the brennan. I have both denon and numark cd players in stock for playback and was realy just thinking about the fact that now hard disk recorders are becoming the norm for tv and I tend to carry wallet full of cd's for playback, it would be handy to have a cd player with my test tracks etc .stored in wav on its hard disk. Further thoughts during the time I've posted this are that seeing as these things can record video and audio it shouldn't be a great step for them to be hooked up to the desk to record the show. The only drawback it would seem with the current crop of tv recorders are they require a TV screen so you can see whats going on.

[Chris Beesley]

Its not a budget solution but this one from Denon may suit. http://www.denondj.com/DN-HC4500-P81.aspx - you would need the extra drawer unit or just use the software and a PC to update.

[Dan Gruner]

Doug,

 

Have a look at the Gemini CDMP-1400 U

 

http://www.studiospares.com/gemini-cdmp-14...%2Fnl%2Bw%3D%3D

 

Its a 1u CD/MP3 player than can also play files straight from a USB stick or HDD in various formats so you could carry everything around on a nice large USB stick. You would also have the very useful ability to play the files from any standard PC or MAC computer should this become necessary.

 

Not very expensive either!

[Rob_Beech]

There are a few bits like that knocking about where an external usb hard drive can be used, however the last time I looked the maximum size was quite low.

[Doug Siddons]

Thanks for all the replies but it seems that what I was wishing for doesn't exist yet. All the other products suggested require something else to be attached to them (with honorable exception of the laptop ) the brennan is the closest but price and the fact that it won't handle wavs or talk to a computer precludes it.