minimum system for playing CDs and MP3s

[jamesrpm]

I want to copy all of my CDs and MP3s to a computer to use for a juke box .How fast of a system do I need? I have a P200MMX with 36 megs of ram and a 24x cd and Win. 98 but it seems to be choking just trying to play CDs.What are the minimums for a system to play tunes and nothing else?

TIA James

[RJ]

Minimum specs for playing a music CD ? Might be a 386 . . maybe 486. . something like that.
But it sounds better if you have a better sound card. And advanced sound cards have a higher minimum requirement.
My old P133 with SB16 plays CDs just fine, but the quality just isn't comparable to today's standards.
If your P200 can't play back CDs then something is wrong. What exactly happens if you try to play it back ?

RJ

[jamesrpm]

The sound shuts on and off when trying to play Cds. I've even shut everything else running off with End-it-all and it still does it.

[Hi Ho]

what program are you using to play it? Is there an equalizer? If so, turn that off, it puts a load on the CPU. Also, visualizations like in Windows Media Player can really slow down an old system. Try turning them off if you have them. I still can't get my other computer (K6 500mhz) to sound decent. The sound crackles, and cuts out too. It should have no problem. My old K6 233mhz played music just fine.

[glc]

That old beast should play CD's just fine *unless* you are using a PCI sound card or an old ESS (or similar) card, they just take up too much CPU overhead. Look around for an old ISA AWE32 or AWE64 sound card, that's your answer, they do not hit the CPU for processing and they sound a LOT better than a SB16 or any other ISA mainstream card. However, that's not enough horsepower to play MP3's unless you use an OLD version of Winamp - like a 1.x. It would also be better if you downgraded to Win95 with IE3 or earlier, you need the smallest footprint you can get without browser/OS integration - 95B (OSR 2.0 or 2.1) is the best way to go here because that will at least give you FAT32 and only IE3. I used to run Winamp 1.x on a 486DX4/100, 64mb ram, with 95B and it actually worked with an AWE32 (but not terribly well). Winamp 2.x wouldn't even run on it. The trick is - use old software on old hardware.

[jamesrpm]

Thanks for the information ! I'm pretty sure it is a SB16 card . And I do have the equalizer turned on , sounds a lot better when it does play.I'll do some more putzing around with this system before I send it to the great computer scrap yard. A local computer store is going to move soon and I'll look for a better sound card in their moving/ garage sale. I do have a copy of Win 95b so I'll try rolling it back to that also. thanks again

[Hi Ho]

What program are you using to play? I storngly recommend turning the equalizer off. That alone is probably what's killing it.

[jamesrpm]

Win amp 3.0 , I'll try shutting off the equalizer first thing.
Thanks

[glc]

Winamp 3.x is too heavy for that processor. Look for an older version. The SB16 doesn't have very good frequency response, the AWE series is like night and day, they were the audiophile cards in their day. I've seen AWE64 cards around for under 20 bucks. There's a bunch of them on Ebay, even the "Gold" model - which is a great card, it only has RCA outputs, great for feeding an outboard amp. I've got one of those in this beast, I have the RCA to 1/8" adapter cord feeding a 3 piece Altec system.

[jamesrpm]

I found a copy of WinAmp 1 at oldversion .com ,350kb ? is that right? going to try it tonight

[glc]

Yep - give that a try. It's going to look clunky as heck but see if it has enough features for you. I'd try 1.92.

[jamesrpm]

update, I tried Winamp and I can't get it to play at all. I need to get some other info off of the hard drive then I'll format it and start clean . I'll let you know how it goes
thanks
James
PS is there a file some where on the computer that has all the drivers in it?

[Hi Ho]

I still don't see why yours isn't working. My deceased K6 233mhz with 48mb of RAM and a Sound Blaster 16 running Windows 98 played music fine using Windows Media Player. Have you tried WMP?

[budbd]

Just a guess here, but your computer likely has a more than okay integrated sound system. My Gateway 333mhz still uses integrated soundlbaster, it sounds excellent and still has the still top knotch boston acoustics sound system and really pumps out the sounds on cd, and is all integrated.
Maybe just no sound card at all? Maybe that is the answer, and you could take it out.
Now my new Dell has integrated sound, BUT I had them install a soundblaster live 5.1, and hopefully that aint sucking off all kinds of power from my system, cause my new dell really is just a net machine with minor home business activity and photo saving dutiy(NO GAMING).
I had to think that maybe my soundblaster 5.1 card in the new dell is responsible for some minor troubles I am having with pre-installed programs not running and the few lockups I have had.

[Hi Ho]

I doubt a system that old has integrated sound. It was rare then. It is very common now but it wasn't in the 233mhz era.

[glc]

I'm pretty sure it is a SB16 card .