the Player                 

Remember my project "the Source" ? The introduction was the following:

THE ULTIMATE SOURCE TO PLAY MUSIC EVERYWHERE

The project was born from the idea to always have all my software (music) with me in any place. Obviously who knows me will never imagine that I am talking about a portable MP3  player because I want the same sound quality as the original CD.

A test done with the EAC free software, Exact Audio Copy from http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/, demostrated that the PCM files (.wav) extracted with this audio grabber could be better than original.

Given that situation, I decided to have a look in the portable PC market for the storage solutions.

After much time spent designing and testing a little PC board to use like a portable player, I found a simple solution: a Tablet PC

The tablet PC offer a complete integrate solution that can be modified to reach the target.

There are many website where get  information about Tablet PC and to compare the different models:

from the website http://www.tabletpc2.com

Combine the reliability and power of Windows XP, the portability of a laptop and the convenience of pen and ink, and what do you get? ...Power, Mobility, Versatility, all in a portable computer the size of a writing tablet. The Tablet PC is a fully functioning notebook that runs Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. Built on top of the Windows XP Professional operating system,Tablet PC Edition offers new, advanced handwriting and speech recognition capabilities that enable the creation, storage, and transmission of handwritten notes and voice input.

from the Microsoft website

The Tablet PC represents the evolution of the notebook PC, enabling you to work in more places and in new ways. Top 10 Benefits of the Tablet PC

and offcourse the best shop is Ebay.

One month was spent to search the best combination of characteristics and performances at a low price.

The max size acceptable was 26 x 18 cm, less than A4 paper format, to use in any place and to preserve the storage capacity using 2.5" harddisk, not 1.8" used in mp3 player and in the micro PC like Sony U51/U70/U71 or OQO model 01.

I have upgrade my 2.5" 80GB 5400rpm Samsung with a 2.5" 100GB 5400rpm Seagate to get the space for the operative system and I have changed the normal internal 40GB 4200rpm of the TR3000 with this one. Now is available the Seagate 120Gb but I am waiting the 160Gb at the beginning of next year to have enough space to store 500 CD in TTA format .

About the Tablet PC my choice as been the rugged HP TR3000 got on Ebay from Modern Computing Systems at a good price  for an item HP Demo that was used for 90-120 days with full warranty until 2007.

Good alternative could be these models:

•     TDV Vision V800XP-1 and V800XP-2 or the similar model EZ30D
   

•     DIALOGUE Flybook
      This is an incredible convertible laptop but since to be a little delicate.
   

but the TR3000 have the vantage to be rugged.

from the HP website (TR3000 datasheet)

HP today entered the rugged PC market with the introduction of the HP Rugged Notebook nr3600 and the HP Rugged Tablet PC tr3000. Designed to withstand long-term vibration, rain, dust and extreme operating temperatures, these mobile PCs are ideal tools for users who often work in remote and demanding environments.

from  Modern Computing Systems

The HP Rugged Tablet PC tr3000 is designed to provide true rugged features and wireless computing capabilities to highly mobile users in extreme conditions. Write, maneuver, and compute on-your-feet. This light weight tablet PC adapts to how you need to work.

 

For the car use I have design a custom support realized by:

TECNOGEN di ROBERTI GIUSEPPE
00040 Pomezia (RM) - 6, v. Peru'
tel: 06 91601283, 348 6060489
fax: 06 91601283
email:tecno.gen@libero.it

I also have develop a custom software to use like Player in any conditions and able to play any music and video format compatible with Windows Media Player 10.0 and also the types compatible adding a Codec like the TTA.

To download the last version of this software [CLICK HERE].

This player has been develop using Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0 and Windows Media Player SDK 10. The WMP SDK allow to create custom skins and visualizations, embed the Player in Web pages and custom applications like my player.

The TR3000 have enough performances to play also DVD and DIVX so I have installed this coded:

• the DivX Play Bundle by Divx.com (free version)
• the DVD pack by InterVIDEO (14$)

and off course the True Audio Plugins Pack to play my music.

Using the KNOPPIX  to explore the device of the TR3000 I have found that it use the STAC9720, a AC97 Codec with 18bit without an SPDIF output pin so to get a good audio signal we need to add an USB or PCMCIA interface or we should change the chip with a very complex method. In my webpage "the Source" are review some audio interfaces: Audiophile USB by M-Audio Transit by M-Audio Optoplay by Audiotrak

The TR3000 could be used also like a Navigator just adding an usb or bluetooth GPS receiver. I am using the Microsoft Autoroute:

I use it also like a measurement instrument together with my CLIO System by Audiomatica, M-Audio Transit and USB to serial converter.

The little keyboard is a very good product sell by Precision Squared Tech

Click here to see the source code of my player