Hector Campos, Joseph Ruffolo, Steve Salm and Randee Schneiderman
MP3 stands for MPEG 1 Audio Layer 3. It is the latest coding technology implemented by the Moving Pictures Experts Group. It focuses on reducing the number of redundant sounds into one audio signal. Thus, it shrinks data size without losing quality. An individual can now download CD-quality music from the web, create his own MP3 files from CDs with a ripper and an encoder, and transfer MP3 files into a portable player to take with him wherever he goes. To get started, please see Using MP3 - Five Easy Steps.
Before MP3, individuals recorded, downloaded, and played high-quality
sound files using a format called WAV. However, WAV was incredibly
heavy on file size and tended to waste data on superfluous sounds.
A two minute song recorded in CD quality would take up to approximately
200 MB of space. A group of technology experts, known as the Moving
Pictures Experts Group (MPEG), worked to improve the open standards for
video and audio compression. Engineers have been continuously modifying
MPEG to confine high quality audio into even smaller packages. MPEG
technology emerged as a technology which efficiently filtered out outside
sound from the original audio source. This technology enabled for
smaller audio file size while still maintaining the original audio integrity.
There are 4 standard computer features needed in order to get started enjoying this technology...
1. 16-bit sound card
2. Speakers
3. At least a 100-megahertz Pentium processor
4. Software player
...And 5 easy steps!
Step
#1: Download and install an MP3 player
Step
#2: Visit an online music portal to look for songs
Step
#3: Choose specific song to download onto hard drive or play in real-time
Step
#4: Convert your CD’s to MP3 files
Step
#5: “Burn” MP3 song onto a recordable CD
Step #1 - Download and install an MP3 player
Where can I get the free MP3 player to listen to MP3 files?
In order to listen to CDs, you need an MP3 player. MP3 players for Windows are available for downloading at any of the sites listed below. It is important to note that the user should consider buying an MP3 player with a play list encoder that lets you create songs and play them in a specified order.
1. WinAmp—www.winamp.com (most widely
used MP3 player for Windows machines)
2. RealPlayer—www.real.com
3. MusicMatch—www.musicmatch.com
4. Sonique—www.sonique.com
Where can I get the free MP3 player to listen to MP3’s on my Apple computer?
1. Quicktime—www.apple.com
2. RealPlayer—www.real.com
3. MacAmp-www.macamp.org
Step #2: Visit an online music portal to look for songs
Where should I look?
In order to find the MP3 files that you are looking for, you should visit the following online music portals.
1. Mp3.com
2. Mp3.lycos.com
3. Bigredh.com
4. Scour.net
5. Oth.net
Step #3: Choose specific song to download onto hard drive or play in real-time
Step#4:
Convert your CD’s to MP3 files
How do I take my discs and turn them into MP3
files?
You need a CD ripper to “rip” music tracks from a CD and save them
onto your hard drive. A CD ripper is software that resides on your
hard drive. Your computer needs to have a CD-ROM drive. The
software enables the computer to extract the tracks from the CD in the
CD-ROM and lets you choose which tracks from your CD you want to grab.
According to CNET, Audiograbber has the best CD ripper due to its ease
of use and great performance. Once you've ripped the tracks to your
hard drive, you'll need to convert them to the MP3 format since they are
originally in WAV format. To convert from WAVs into MP3s, you need
an MP3 encoder. Most CD rippers have MP3 encoders built in (i.e. Music
Match Jukebox), but one can also download an encoder from MPEEnc.
Step #5: “Burn” MP3 song onto a recordable CD
How do I burn an MP3 file onto a disc?
You need an encoder/decoder software program to accomplish this task.
The MP3 file needs to be converted into the right audio format for your
system before it can be burned onto a disc. MusicMatch has one for
Windows and MacAmp has one for Macs.
The MP3 community owes a lot to Diamond Multimedia for its fight to get this technology acknowledged and protected. The Recording Industry Association of America saw the vast potential loss of revenue through the emergence of MP3 technology because of copyright violations. They also feared that record labels and their talent would lose control in the distribution arena. RIAA asked the United States courts for an injunction against Diamond Multimedia and their RIO portable MP3 players. The courts denied the RIAA’s request thus paving the way for an all out field day in the emergence of this exciting technology.
In an effort to maintain control over MP3 technology, music distribution and copyright violations, the Secure Digital Music Initiative was created.
The Secure Digital Music Initiative
The Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) aims to prevent pirating and maintain order in cyberspace. The SDMI was moved forward by the RIAA and about 110 companies. The main aim is to creating a technical framework for digital music that prevents mass illegal distribution (a.k.a. pirating).
The concept is to develop a digital certificate for all copyrighted
music that is recorded on a CD or a website. The technology would
detect a digital certificate every time someone tries to download a song
onto their hard drive or portable MP3 player. In theory, a person
would be given rights to download a song onto their computer or MP3 player.
The technology would also have the ability to detect if songs have been
illegally copied. These certificates would have to be stamped on
every song recorded down the line or the system would break down.
While the SDMI is powerful in theory, there are still many technical and
legal challenges ahead for this initiative.
There are many different companies that are working on competing technologies. For example, Liquid Audio, founded in January 1996, is about to sign a deal with EMI to distribute Liquid Audio and Genuine MP3 files -- a different, secure MP3 format. In addition, Diamond Multimedia stated that future versions of the Rio will be capable of playing this new type of file.
Sony also announced that it is about to make music downloadable using Microsoft's new Media Technologies 4.0. Due to Sony's mass reach and Microsoft's influence on the computer industry, this standard may have a huge impact on the future of MP3. Another contender is AT&T Labs which has established its own Net Music format, a2b, that can be used on Iomega zip disks.
Other competitors who are not related to record
companies include America Online which recently purchased Spinner.com,
a Web-based radio station that enables users to play songs in a non-downloadable
format, and Null Soft, which makes the MP3 playing software Winamp. IBM
is also experimenting by sending streaming audio to users using Road Runner's
cable modem service. All of the above companies may develop standards
that replace MP3.
Portable MP3 players resemble small personal radios. Instead of playing cassettes, CDs, or FM radio, portable MP3 players play MP3 files stored in RAM. They weigh only a few ounces and thus can be taken anywhere and played at any time. Once MP3 files have been downloaded from the Web, they can be transferred onto the portable MP3 player via the PC's parallel port.
The main disadvantage of the portable MP3 player is its limited memory. The majority only have 32MB of RAM. However, users can adjust the bit rates of MP3 files to store more information. There are also a few players with 64MB of RAM and memory-expansion slots. Below is a list of some machines to check out along with storage and pricing information.
Five MP3 players to check out:
1. Lydstrom Songbank—www.lydstrom.com
Cost: $1,000
Storage: 10 gig hard drive
Special: Can store about 250 discs worth of music
2. Eiger Labs MPMAN F20—www.eigerlabs.com
Cost: $200
Storage: 32 MB
Special: 32 MB comes standard. That is roughly 30 minutes of
music. Storage can be expanded to 64MB through the purchase of a
Smartmedia Flash Card
3. MP3-GO—www.mp3-go.com
Cost: $400
Storage: Soulmate holds over an hour. Portable music store holds about
100 discs worth of music.
Special: The MP3-Go is not just an MP3 player. It has 3
separate pieces of hardware. The Internet Audio Port downloads MP3
files from the Internet and stores them. It can download an entire
CD in 3-6 minutes. The Portable Music Store is the main piece of
storage hardware. It has a CD player on it which allows for CD downloads
onto the device (up to 100 CD’s worth). The Soulmate is the actual
small portable MP3 player. The theory is that you gather the digital
recordings onto the Portable Music Store and then download the ones you
want to the Soulmate. Soulmate holds about an hour of music.
4. Samsung YEPP E32—www.sosimple.com
Cost: $150
Storage: 32 MB comes standard. Storage can be expanded to 64MB
through the purchase of a memory card.
Special: It is the smallest sized player on the market
5. Diamond Rio 500—www.rioport.com
Cost: $270
Storage: 64 MB standard. Can be expanded to 96 MB.
Special: Flashy look. Smaller than a pack of cigarettes.
New MP3 Players-Music to Your Ears
The Hits Just Keep on Coming as Downloadable Music Rocks the Web