I've recently read some CD portable reader (that're enabled to read mp3 also!), in many cases, cannot read mp3 encoded (even using LAME) with VBR encoding method ?? In that case, What's better to do, in general ? -to encode using ABR method (that's considered in several cases as VBR) or
-to encode using the most reliable CBR method at high bitrates ??
Please help me if you can .. thx

Yup that's true. Some crappy and old mp3 players do not have vbr support. The only solution is to use CBR in such cases; --preset CBR your_bitrate should suit your needs.

Do you currently own a mp3 cd player or are looking into buying one? If you are the latter then I suggest any Panasonic unit. Plays VBRs fine.

Pretty much everything these days plays VBR fine... I've yet to run into a player that hasn't, but it's possible some of the super-cheap ones from the early days won't play them. No reason anything else shouldn't though.

I used to have one of the first car MP3-CD players, and it could play VBR fine but the time display would be messed up. That's probably the most common problem by far. I've never seen any MP3 player that can't play VBR files, although I can believe they exist. I highly doubt that any current ones on the market will be unable to play VBR.

Heck, even Microsoft Windows Media Player doesn't know how to interpret bitrate correctly on VBR MP3s

Polar: I thought WMP10 fixed that? Seems to work okay for me. Explorer is still stupidly showing incorrect info, but WMP seems to be more or less right.

I have no idea. WMP10 is still not available in anything but English yet, if I'm not mistaken, so I haven't been able to try it out. I don't really care too much either. Just goes to show how much professionalism MS has.

At least Philips current DVD players doesn't.

I have about 3-4 years old stand-alone Philips DVD player and it plays every VBR mp3 ...actually it has problems with CBR ones - it plays CBR mp3's of certain bitrates only.

I am yet to come across an MP3 player that cannot play VBR files properly. However, the time display is almost always messed up. I guess that is a minor discomofort you have to live with. You get great quality songs in return though!!

My first MP3 player, by a company that has since disappeared no doubt, that I bought in 2001 could not play VBR MP3s. Of course, it was cheap, had 32MB and was as light as a feather so I didn't care back then.

I'd be amazed if you could find a CD/MP3 player these days that couldn't handle VBR.

OK, then I misinterpreted the specs. Sorry. Very strange though that their players doesn't support 160, 192, 224 and 320 bitrates in CBR files (according to specs), but do in VBR files.

I have 1 portable player
the brand is Panasonic,
correct time display
bitrate display not supported
playback --alt-preset standard n extreme fine

I started a poll about preset standard's hardware compatibility, but I searched & can't find it.

Edit: Found it, moderators consider making this a sticky, would probably be helpful for many people.

I've got a 726 that says otherwise.