Gold's MP3 FAQ page
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Gold's MP3 FAQ page |
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MP3 files are digital sound files which can provide reasonably high quality audio but with a file size typically 1/10th that required by CDs. This means that download times are correspondingly less and therefore more practical.
An MP3 file may contain (optionally) info about the file itself - artist's name, CD cover art, lyrics, genre, web links and so on.
You need either a standalone player (similar to a Walkman or portable CD player) or a computer with the appropriate MP3 player software installed. The computer must have a sound card - the MP3 player software will decode the file and send the signals to the sound card so you can hear it via the sound card's outputs (to your hi-fi, headphones or loud-speakers).
There is a minimum spec for a PC to be able to play MP3s - most modern machines are fine. Note that the sound may "drop out" briefly if you are also using your machine for something else at the same time as playing an MP3 but this does no harm otherwise.
For Windows popular MP3 players are Winamp and Sonique but there are many players available (many for free) including the normally buit-in Windows Media Players. Many also have facilties for creating music libraries to keep track of your MP3 files and selecting them to play.
To create your own MP3 files from normal audio (CD, Tape, Vinyl etc.) you need software to perform two functions, one called "Ripping" to turn the original into a WAV file and another called an "Encoding" which converts the WAV into MP3. Products containing these include Real Player, Audiograbber and MusicMatch Jukebox (see below), all available for download from the Web. Remember that normal copyright rules apply when downloading commercial MP3 files.
Assuming you want more than the Windows Media Players here are some web links offering downloads of MP3 software - some for free (click on the links below).
RealPlayer and RealJukebox at www.real.com
these are the ones I use most, for what it's worth !
Winamp at www.winamp.com
Sonique at sonique.lycos.com/
this one is really groovy !
MusicMatch Jukekbox at www.musicmatch.com
RCA MP3Pro Audio Player at www.mp3prozone.com
this one uses two data streams - a new fomat called MPRPro
(smaller files too)
haven't tried this one yet myself but looks promising !
Some of the above also come in Mac versions.
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Updated
21 February, 2002
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