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MPEG AND DSP INTEGRATION

by Priyesh Surati & David Austin

Start ý MPEG Audio Encoding and Decoding ý Encoder Technology ý Decoder Technology ý Affect on the Music Industry ý Current Uses ý Sources and PDF

CURRENT USES

The MP3 compression algorithm offers the ability to store a vast amount of audio information in a small storage space. This means that whole CD libraries can be stored on several CDs rather than hundreds. It also means that CDs can be downloaded from the ýNet, sparking on-line companies such as MP3.COM, which markets MP3s online.

This technology also gives new artists a chance to distribute their music without a recording label. Most, if not all, free MP3s on the Internet are created by independent recording artists.

FUTURE USES

No one knows what the future holds, but everyone loves to speculate. The future could be bleak for MP3 technology, because technology constantly changes. However, it is unlikely that MP3 technology will completely die because of its widespread use. Before it dies out, it will probably change form becoming MPEG-1 Layer 4 or something similar. We will probably witness the next generation MP3 standard, which will be more sophisticated.

The best place for MP3 technology is in the car. With it, you can store your whole CD library on several CDs, making them easier to be played in the car. This means, you will need an in-car MP3 decoder. If these decoders become popular, the market for MP3s will continue expanding rapidly. Currently, there are several in development. With the growing amount of remote Internet access, it is also possible to have MP3 streamed directly into you car via cell phone Internet technology. You would be able to listen to any radio station around the world with quality sound in near real-time.

There is talk of using this technology to improve the sound quality of Internet Telephony. The only problem is that it is difficult to encode MP3 in real-time without hardware support. There are hardware-based MP3 encoders, but they are still not ready for the consumer market. Some of the other applications include a portable MP3 player, MP3 via cell phone, and many more. The list of possible applications is endless.

THE LAST NOTE

The MPEG-1 Layer III, or MP3 technology, is unique in that it uses perceptual models, rather than the classical digital bit compression to compress audio files. By using this technique, it is possible to compress audio files without losing audible signal quality.

MP3s offer society the ability to store high quantities of audio information in a relatively small amount of memory. It also offers many independent recording artists the opportunity to create and distribute their music inexpensively over the Internet. However, the most impressive part of this technology is what it can do in the future. With it, we may be able to listen to high-quality radio broadcasts from around the world in real-time from our automobiles.

In its short 12-year history, this technology has grown from obscurity to one of the most widely used and recognized audio standards ever developed.

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