Electronic skip protection is a data buffer system used in some portable compact disc (CD) players and all MiniDisc (MD) units so that audio will not be disrupted if the disk cannot be read due to movement.
The technology surfaced around 1995 as a physically smaller alternative to the bulky rubber shock absorbers utilized in portable players at the time.
In 2006, the time generally ranged from 10 seconds to "skip-free", where the player will rarely skip due to a large buffer.
Due to the nature of the ATRAC compression scheme, and to ensure uninterrupted playback in the presence of fragmentation, all MD decks and portables buffered at least 10 seconds when the format was introduced in 1992.
Flash-based MP3 players with no moving parts do not require electronic skip protection.