From TNPC issue #4.15...

The MP3 Empire Strikes Back (Against WMA)

by Al Gordon
July 26, 2001

Microsoft's Windows Media format has been challenging long- dominant MP3 as the digital recording compression of choice lately because of Microsoft's Windows Media Audio's (WMA) superior sound quality at 64 kbps--so-called "FM radio quality." WMA at that rate is a good choice because it has half the file size as 128 kbps "CD quality" MP3 recordings, while giving a comparable sound in most digital audio players. The truth of the matter is that most portable headsets won't capture full CD fidelity and, even if they could, outside noise would obscure it anyway. The extra file size is just wasted, with WMA format you get to put twice as much music on your player.

An important tip: don't WMA-encode with Microsoft's Windows Media Player; it has "digital rights" encoding that limits the files to use on the same PC that recorded them. Use a third-party WMA encoder instead that allows for unrestricted recording.

With WMA's strong feature set, the MP3 developers, Thomson Electronics and Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits, have countered with "MP3Pro"--equal or better sound at 64 kbps and a still smaller file size. I do not have the most sensitive ears in the world, but it sounded good to me. Eventually, this standard will be available in a wide range of quality levels--it is expected to make "CD quality" MP3 much closer to real CD quality. But for now, 64 kbps is all you can do, as MP3Pro exists only in the form of Thomson's RCA "demonstration" player. Look for more developments by fall.
http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/415/tr.cgi?almp31

You can reach Al Gordon at:
mailto:al@TheNakedPC.com

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