"1GDW" wrote:
> Is [variable bit rate (VBR)] something we should be exploring?
VBR is most commonly used in a form of MP3 compression.
MP3 throws away a large portion of the original file
to make the MP3 version much smaller. Sometimes an
MP3 file is only 15% the size of the original. MP3 is
fine for casual use, as in a portable music player,
or to speed up downloads from an online sound library.
MP3 is not recommended if critical listening, scientific
use, or commercial production is planned.
Most, but not all, modern MP3 players know how to decode
an MP3 file that uses VBR. I've read that Apple's iTunes
doesn't get along with VBR.
If your goal is reducing file storage requirements, take
a look at FLAC, the Free Lossless Audio Codec. A FLAC
version is usually only 50% of the size of the
original recording. Unlike MP3, a FLAC file can easily
be converted back into the original WAV format without
loss of data.
Unfortunately, most music players don't understand FLAC
format. So the FLAC file has to be decompressed into WAV
format before most players can use it.
--oryoki
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