The DMP-CD100 by D-Link is a Discman-sized CD player that plays regular audio CDs as well as MP3-encoded CDs, which can hold up to 10 hours of music. It features a built-in 10 second ESP system and the ability to be powered by either alkaline or NiCd rechargeable batteries. The player weighs less than half a pound and its dimensions are 5.35" (w) x 6.10" (l) x .75" (d). It sports a "Hold" button and the ability to program in up to 22 songs to play in specific order.
Setup
There really wasn't any true "setting up" that the DMP-CD100 needed. It came in a box that included the device, a user's manual, a pair of AA batteries, and headphones. All setup consisted of was inserting the batteries and plugging in the headphones. To listen to regular audio CDs, this is all that's necessary. However, for playing MP3-encoded CDs, you need to burn a CD-r of the MP3s. The player automatically detects whether the CD is an audio CD or an MP3 CD.
Appearance
The D-Link looks basically like an older-model Sony Discman, except it is slightly longer in the rear to accommodate the battery housing. The cover is has an anodized-blue finish and the back is a nice matte silver. All of the buttons are either in the central panel or on the right edge of the player, making player use intuitive and friendly.
The locations of the buttons on the front face are also labeled clearly. The buttons are arranged in an X, with the ESP button at the in between the top two buttons, and the T-Digit button arranged between the bottom two. The T-Digit button serves as a method to access tracks farther into a CD. For example, one of the MP3 CDs that I had contained 90 tracks. Instead of having to scroll through 69 tracks to get to the 70th, all I had to do was push the T-Digit button and choose which track I wanted.
The buttons, like the rest of the player, are made of plastic. While the player looks great, it feels somewhat cheap. However, this in no way affects the player's performance.
On the right side of the player are all of the connections and system controls. The Hold and dynamic bass assist sliders are located next to the open switch, and the volume control is right next to those. The DMP-CD100 has a Line Out connection to connect to external speakers, a headphone jack, and a 4.5V AC adapter connection as well.
The player's digital readout is located on the front panel. It has a battery life meter and a shock-protection gauge in the corners, and shows the track number in a larger font in the center. However, while this works well for standard audio CDs, it becomes a handicap for MP3 CDs. The display is unable to show the track name or artist, ignoring the ID3 tags that would make searching for a song on a 100-song CD much easier.
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