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There is a lot of confusion about who actually "invented" the HD-based MP3 player, and who copied who.

Here is a time line of when major players were introduced.

---++ October 26, 1999 - Compaq Personal Jukebox
<a href="http://research.compaq.com/SRC/pjb/">The Personal Jukebox</a>, or PJB, was the first commercially available HD-based MP3 player. It was created as a prototype personal audio appliance by Compaq's Systems Research Center (SRC) and Palo Alto Advanced Development group (PAAD). The PJB project started in May 1998, and the PJB-100 product shipped in November 1999.

<p>The PJB-100 was manufactured by <nop>HanGo Electronics and sold by Remote Solutions.
(<a href="http://www.pjbox.com/10-26.htm">press release</a>)

<p><img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/pjb100.jpg" align=left>
<br>CPU/DSP: Motorola 56309 DSP
<br>Display: 128x64 b/w lcd
<br>Disk: 6.5 GByte, 2.5"
<br>Ram: 12 MByte
<br>Size: 150x80x26 mm, 280 gram
<br>Interface: USB 1.1
<br clear=all>

---++ January 5, 2000 - Creative Nomad Jukebox
(<a href="http://us.creative.com/corporate/pressroom/releases/welcome.asp?pid=6193">press release</a>)
<p><img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/nomad.jpg" align=left>
<br>CPU/DSP: ?
<br>Display: 132x64 b/w lcd
<br>Disk: 6 GByte, 2.5"
<br>Ram: 8 MByte
<br>Size: 127x127x38 mm, 397 gram
<br>Interface: USB 1.1
<br clear=all>

---++ June 29, 2000 - Archos Jukebox 6000
(<a href="http://www.3dsoundsurge.com/press/pr1088.html">press release</a>)
<p><img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/archos6000.jpg" align=left>
<br>CPU/DSP: Hitachi SH-7034, Micronas MAS 3507D
<br>Display: 11x2 b/w character lcd
<br>Disk: 6 GByte, 2.5"
<br>Ram: 2 MByte
<br>Size: 115x83x34 mm, 340 gram
<br>Interface: USB 1.1
<br clear=all>

---

After this, many more HD-based players were released that I don't mention here. I only list the following players since they brought something new to the market:

---++ March 26, 2001 - Archos Jukebox Recorder
<p>First player with MP3 recording capability. (<a href="http://www.3dsoundsurge.com/press/pr1783.html">press release</a>)
<p><img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/recorder.jpg" align=left>
<p><b>Specifications:</b>
<br>CPU/DSP: Hitachi SH-7034, Micronas MAS 3587F
<br>Display: 112x64 b/w lcd
<br>Disk: 6 GByte, 2.5"
<br>Ram: 2 MByte
<br>Size: 115x83x34 mm, 340 gram
<br>Interface: USB 1.1 (later USB 2.0)
<br clear=all>

---++ October 23, 2001 - Apple iPod
<p>First player with 1.8-inch harddisk. (<a href="http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2001/oct/23ipod.html">press release</a>)
<p><img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/ipod.jpg" align=left>
<p><b>Specifications:</b>
<br>CPU/DSP: Portalplayer (Dual ARM7 SMP)
<br>Display: 160x128 b/w lcd
<br>Disk: 5 GByte, 1.8"
<br>Ram: 32 MByte
<br>Size: 102x62x20 mm, 184 gram
<br>Interface: Firewire
<br clear=all>

---++ November 12, 2001 - Archos Jukebox Multimedia
<p>First player with video playback and recording. (<a href="http://www.3dsoundsurge.com/press/pr1999.html">press release</a>)
<p><img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/multimedia.jpg" align=left>
<p><b>Specifications:</b>
<br>CPU/DSP: Texas Instruments TMS320DSC21, Micronas MAS 3587F
<br>Display: 237x234 colour lcd
<br>Disk: 10 GByte, 2.5"
<br>Ram: 16 MByte
<br>Size: 110x78x28 mm, 290 gram
<br>Interface: USB 1.1 (USB 2.0 & Firewire optional)
<br clear=all>

---++ January 9, 2003 - iriver iHP-100 / iHP-120
<p>[[http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.itmedia.co.jp%2Fnews%2F0301%2F14%2Fnj00_iriver.html&hl=en&ie=UTF8&sl=ja&tl=en][Introduced at CES 2003]]. Player with optical S/PDIF input and output.
<p><b>Specifications:</b>
<br>CPU: Motorola SCF5249 Coldfire at 120 MHz
<br>Display: 160x128 LCD with 4 shades of gray
<br>Disk: 10 or 20 GByte, 1.8"
<br>Ram: 16 or 32 MByte
<br>Size: 105x60x19 mm, 160 gram
<br>Interface: USB 2.0
<br clear=all>

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CategoryFrontpage: Time Line of Major HD Players [Misc]
r6 - 19 Jun 2008 - 17:12:56 - RobertMenes