Mp3PRO
Encyclopedia
mp3PRO is an audio compression algorithm (or codec
) that combines the MP3
audio format with spectral band replication
(SBR) compression methods. It claims to achieve transparency
at lower bitrates than MP3, resulting in a file nearly half the size of standard MP3. RCA
was the only company to offer portable players compatible with mp3PRO, but they have dropped support for the format.
mp3PRO can be used with the following bit rates:
, users are required to install additional software. This additional software can be a player such as Musicmatch Jukebox
, jetAudio
, Thomson Demo mp3PRO Player
, or a plug-in for an existing audio player. Optical disc authoring software such as Nero Burning ROM
includes mp3PRO support as well. For Macintosh
computers, the now-discontinued Audion
shareware
supports both real-time mp3PRO encoding and decoding.
mp3PRO playback in Linux
may be possible under Wine
using Thomson Demo mp3PRO Player or Winamp
with the mp3PRO plug-in. There is also an mp3PRO plug-in for Linux XMMS-Player. The absence of an mp3PRO player for Linux is largely due to RCA not releasing the mp3PRO source code, even after discontinuing its support of the format. Methods for playing mp3PRO files under Linux (including using the XMMS plugin from within MPlayer
) are detailed here.
Codec
A codec is a device or computer program capable of encoding or decoding a digital data stream or signal. The word codec is a portmanteau of "compressor-decompressor" or, more commonly, "coder-decoder"...
) that combines the MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
audio format with spectral band replication
Spectral band replication
Spectral band replication is a technology to enhance audio or speech codecs, especially at low bit rates and is based on harmonic redundancy in the frequency domain....
(SBR) compression methods. It claims to achieve transparency
Transparency (data compression)
In data compression or psychoacoustics, transparency is the ideal result of lossy data compression. If a lossy compressed result is perceptually indistinguishable from the uncompressed input, then the compression can be declared to be transparent...
at lower bitrates than MP3, resulting in a file nearly half the size of standard MP3. RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
was the only company to offer portable players compatible with mp3PRO, but they have dropped support for the format.
mp3PRO can be used with the following bit rates:
- 18, 20, 24, 32, 40, 48, 56 kbit/s for mono or LC-stereo
- 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 80, 96 kbit/s for stereo
Compatibility
Any mp3 player can play mp3PRO files, but they will ignore the higher frequency data that is stored (This does not affect the encoded bitrate). To play mp3PRO files in Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, users are required to install additional software. This additional software can be a player such as Musicmatch Jukebox
Musicmatch Jukebox
Y!Music Musicmatch Jukebox, a remake of the original Musicmatch Jukebox made by Musicmatch, Inc., is an audio player that manages a digital audio library...
, jetAudio
JetAudio
jetAudio is a multimedia player software that offers a playback option and multimedia file editor and burning capabilities. There are two different versions: Basic and Plus VX. The Plus VX version has additional bonus packs and unlocked video/audio conversion...
, Thomson Demo mp3PRO Player
Thomson Demo mp3PRO Player
Thomson mp3PRO Demo Player is a demonstration freeware media software program by Coding Technologies which converts Waveform Audio File Format WAV files to a compressed mp3 format by an estimated 50 percent....
, or a plug-in for an existing audio player. Optical disc authoring software such as Nero Burning ROM
Nero Burning ROM
Nero Multimedia Suite is a popular software suite for Microsoft Windows by Nero AG . Version 10 of this product was released in April 2010.- Included products :The following applications are included in Nero 11 :Disc authoring...
includes mp3PRO support as well. For Macintosh
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
computers, the now-discontinued Audion
Audion (software)
Audion is an audio player by Panic. It was originally a commercial program, but with the dominance of Apple's iTunes, development was halted and it was released as freeware.-Design:...
shareware
Shareware
The term shareware is a proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability, or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a...
supports both real-time mp3PRO encoding and decoding.
mp3PRO playback in Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
may be possible under Wine
Wine (software)
Wine is a free software application that aims to allow computer programs written for Microsoft Windows to run on Unix-like operating systems. Wine also provides a software library, known as Winelib, against which developers can compile Windows applications to help port them to Unix-like...
using Thomson Demo mp3PRO Player or Winamp
Winamp
Winamp is a media player for Windows-based PCs and Android devices, written by Nullsoft, now a subsidiary of AOL. It is proprietary freeware/shareware, multi-format, extensible with plug-ins and skins, and is noted for its graphical sound visualization, playlist, and media library features.Winamp...
with the mp3PRO plug-in. There is also an mp3PRO plug-in for Linux XMMS-Player. The absence of an mp3PRO player for Linux is largely due to RCA not releasing the mp3PRO source code, even after discontinuing its support of the format. Methods for playing mp3PRO files under Linux (including using the XMMS plugin from within MPlayer
MPlayer
MPlayer is a free and open source media player. The program is available for all major operating systems, including Linux and other Unix-like systems, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. Versions for OS/2, Syllable, AmigaOS and MorphOS are also available. The Windows version works, with some minor...
) are detailed here.