Section 33.5. Audio Formats


33.5. Audio Formats

At last, we get to the heart of web audiothe various file formats . This section provides an introduction to some of the most common formats for web audio.

33.5.1. WAV/AIFF (.wav, .aif, .aiff)

The WAV and AIFF audio formats are very similar in performance and these days are probably ill suited for most web audio. However, these formats remain the standard for high-quality uncompressed audio before it gets converted for use on the Web. The Waveform Audio File Format (.wav) was originally developed as the standard audio format for the Microsoft Windows operating system, but it is now supported on the Macintosh as well. WAV files can support arbitrary sampling rates and bit depths, although 8 kHz and 11.025 kHz at 8 or 16 bits are most common for Web use.

The Audio Interchange File Format (.aif or .aiff) was developed as the standard audio format for the Macintosh platform, but it is now supported by Windows and other platforms. It can support up to six channels and arbitrary sampling rates and bit depths, with 8 kHz and 11.127 kHz at 8 and 16 bits being the most common online.

WAV and AIFF files are less commonly used on the Web than they once were, now that we have audio formats that are better suited for web delivery (MP3) or designed specifically for the Web (streaming formats). They sound good when uncompressed, but they suffer drastic loss of quality when compressed to small file sizes. For this reason they are useful for very short, downloadable audio clips, such as short greetings. They are usually added to web pages via a link for download.

The following summarizes the WAV and AIFF formats:

Good for...

Storing high-quality source audio before converting to web formats, delivering short clips where pristine sound quality is not important, reaching the lowest common denominator (because everyone can play them).

Delivery

Download.

Creation tools

The majority of sound editing tools can save files in WAV and AIFF format.

Player

WAVs and AIFFs generally play using the browser's default function for sound handling (such as Windows Media Player or the QuickTime plug-in).


33.5.2. MP3 (.mp3)

MP3's explosion in popularity is nothing short of a phenomenon and has changed the way we use and view the Internet. The key to its success is MP3's ability to maintain excellent sound fidelity at very small file sizes. In fact, its compression scheme can reduce an audio source to just one-tenth of its original size. For instance, four minutes of high-quality music in WAV format requires 40 MB of disk space; as an MP3, the same file weighs in at just 3.5 MB! With the discovery of MP3, it was suddenly feasible to transfer songs over the Internet without prohibitive download times. The rest is history.

33.5.2.1. MPEG compression

The MP3s that we've grown to love are technically MPEG-1, Layer-III files. MPEG is actually a family of multimedia standards created by the Moving Picture Experts Group. It supports three types of information: video, audio, and streaming (which, in the context of MPEG compression, is synchronized video and audio).

MPEG uses a lossy compression scheme that is based on human auditory perception. Sounds that are not discernible to the human ear are thrown out in the compression process. The resulting file sounds nearly the same, but contains much less data than the original.

There are a number of MPEG standards: MPEG-1 was originally developed for video transfer at VHS quality and is the format used for MP3s; MPEG-2 is a higher-quality standard that was developed for television broadcast; other MPEG specs that address other needs (such as MPEG-7) are currently in development. MPEGs can be compressed using one of three schemes: Layer-I, -II, or -III (the "3" in MP3 refers to its compression scheme layer). To learn more about MPEG, visit the MPEG web site (www.mpeg.org).

33.5.2.2. Creating MP3s

Any audio source file (usually a WAV or AIFF file) can be turned into an MP3 using an MP3 encoder such as Xing AudioCatalyst, iTunes (Mac), or MusicMatch Jukebox. For a complete list of MP3 creation tools, see MP3-Converter.com (www.mp3-converter.com).

To make an MP3, begin with raw audio saved in WAV or AIFF format. If the audio is coming from a CD, it will need to be "ripped" first (extracted from the CD format and saved in a format a computer can understand). The next step is to encode the raw audio into the MP3 format. Many MP3 tools rip and encode audio tracks in one step.

When encoding, you'll be asked to set the quality level, or bit rate. The standard quality setting for putting music on the Internet is 128 Kbps (which is near-CD quality sound) at 44.1 kHz. For personal use (to play from your computer or portable MP3 player), you can use the next higher levels (160 or 192 Kbps). To keep file sizes extra small, choose 112 Kbps or lower, but expect a loss in audio quality. To stream MP3s at rates acceptable for 28.8 modem users, many MP3 online "radio" stations use 22.05 K mono files compressed at a mere 24 Kbps.

When encoding, you'll also need to decide whether you want to make CBR (constant bit rate) or VBR (variable bit rate) files. Variable bit rate MP3s adjust their bit rate based on the complexity of the current audio passage. Variable bit rate MP3s can provide an enormous increase in quality at similar bit rates, but because VBR is inconsistently supported, the most reliable choice is CBR. Most of the new MP3 players support VBR, so keep an eye out for VBR to gain more support in the coming years.

33.5.2.3. Serving MP3s

MP3s can be served from a traditional FTP or HTTP server. MP3s can also be streamed using server solutions such as SHOUTcast (discussed later in this section). Along with the main advantages of streaming, this means that the MP3 file is not actually downloaded to the user's computer, providing better copyright protection.

And speaking of copyright, remember that although there is no problem creating MP3s for your own personal use, it is illegal to upload and distribute audio if you do not hold the copyright for it.

One of the most popular software packages used for streaming MP3s is SHOUTcast from Nullsoft. It makes it possible for people to broadcast audio from their PCs with a minimum amount of hardware and knowledge, over any speed Internet connection (although more bandwidth certainly helps). You can broadcast MP3s to individual users or to many users at once by redirecting your stream to a high-bandwidth server. To listen to a SHOUTcast server stream, open Winamp, iTunes, or any other stream-capable MP3 player and bring up the Open Location dialog box. Enter the URL of the server you want to listen to and hit Enter. For a list of SHOUTcast servers (and for more information), visit www.shoutcast.com. SHOUTcast server licenses are free.

The following summarizes the MP3 format:

Good for...

Distribution and sale of high-quality audio (like music tracks), radio broadcast-style transmissions at lower bit rates.

Delivery

Streaming, download.

Creation tools

One of dozens of MP3 encoding programs. See www.mp3-converter.com for a complete list.

Player

One of dozens of free MP3 players, such as WinAmp (Windows) or iTunes; browsers may support MPEG audio via the QuickTime or Windows Media players. You can select a program for MP3 playback in the browser's application preferences.


33.5.3. Apple QuickTime Audio (.mov)

Although QuickTime is best known as a video technology, it is also possible to create audio-only QuickTime Movies (.mov). QuickTime is a container format, meaning it can contain a wide variety of media. In fact, the QuickTime format can store still images (JPEG, BMP, PICT, PNG, and GIF), a number of movie formats including MPEG-1, 360-degree panoramic images, Flash movies, MP3 audio, and other audio formats. Once you package up media in a QuickTime .mov file, you can take advantage of QuickTime features such as dependable cross-platform performance, excellent compression, and true streaming.

Although the QuickTime system extension is needed to play a .mov file, it is widely distributed and available for both Windows and Macintosh systems. In addition, with the QuickTime plug-in, a QuickTime audio player can be embedded right on the page. And QuickTime has proven itself as a reliable format since you can assume most users have the appropriate plug-in or player.

QuickTime is discussed further in Chapter 34. For more information on QuickTime, see www.apple.com/quicktime/.

The following summarizes the QuickTime format:

Good for...

Continuous-play audio (music, narration).

Delivery

True streaming via RTP or RTSP (using QuickTime Server on Mac OS X Server or the open source Darwin Streaming Server on Unix and NT), pseudostreaming on HTTP servers, download.

Creation tools

QuickTime Pro for $29.95.

Player

QuickTime plug-in for viewing within a web browser or QuickTime Player (standalone utility).


33.5.4. MIDI (.mid)

MIDI (which stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a different breed of audio file format. It was originally developed in the early 1980s as a standard way for electronic musical instruments to communicate with each other.

A MIDI file contains no actual audio information (the digital representation of analog sound), but rather numeric commands that trigger a series of notes (with instructions on each note's length and volume). These notes are played by a MIDI player using the available "instrument" sounds in the computer. The function is similar to the way a player piano roll creates a song when run through on the player piano.

As a result, MIDI files are incredibly compact and ideal for low-bandwidth delivery. They are capable of packing a minute of music into just 10K, which is 1,000 times smaller than a one-minute uncompressed WAV file (approximately 10 MB).

QuickTime and most other MIDI file handlers install a General MIDI (GM) soundset with instruments like piano, drums, bass, orchestral strings, and even vocal "oohs" and "aahs" in standardized MIDI locations. Although these sounds may vary in quality and timbre from player to player, General MIDI files can depend on getting a piano sound when they send to Program 1, Channel 1 of the GM Player (built into QuickTime, etc.). These sound sets can be surprisingly good, but they still can't compete with recordings created in a studio. In general, MIDI files will always sound "computery."

Despite this limitation, MIDIs are an extremely attractive alternative for adding instrumental music to your web site with very little download time.

Because of the incredibly small download size and the availability of inexpensive tiny GM sound chips, MIDI has become a very popular format for mobile phone rings.


The following summarizes the MIDI format :

Good for...

Background music and loops. Mobile phone rings.

Delivery

Download.

Creation tools

Requires special MIDI sequencer software, such as Vision, Cakewalk, and Digital Performer. Creating and editing MIDI files can be complicated. Consider using an existing MIDI file if you are inexperienced with music composition and digital audio.

Player

QuickTime plug-in or Windows Media Player. MIDI sound engines are built into most of the current web browsers.


33.5.5. RealMedia/RealAudio (.rm, .ra)

RealNetworks was a pioneer in producing a viable technology for bringing streaming audio to the Web. Despite heavy competition, it continues to lead the pack in terms of widespread use and popularity, and it has grown to be the standard for streaming audio, including live broadcasts.

RealAudio is a server-based streaming audio solution. Real's Helix server offers advanced features for streaming audio delivery, including bandwidth negotiation (the proper bit rate version is delivered based on the speed of the connection), RTSP transmission for smooth playback, and administrative tools for tracking usage and minimizing server load. Using the SureStream feature, the bandwidth can be adjusted on the fly (while the file is streaming) to accommodate bit rate fluctuations.

A robust Helix system can allow thousands of simultaneous listeners. The server software requires a large investment, and RealNetworks charges licensing fees for the number of streams. There is, however, a free version that allows five simultaneous listeners. For more information, see the RealNetworks site at www.realnetworks.com.

If you aren't ready to commit to Helix, RealMedia and RealAudio files can be pseudostreamed from an ordinary HTTP server for sites with a limited amount of traffic.

To listen to RealAudio files, users must have RealPlayer, which is available for Windows, Mac, and Unix systems. The RealPlayer plug-in comes installed with most systems and makes it possible to embed a RealMedia player right in the web page.

RealNetworks also offers tools for creating RealAudio and RealMedia files. The latest version (as of this writing) is RealProducer Plus, which provides complete tools for converting audio and video to streaming format. Audio can be saved in either the current and preferred RealMedia format (.rm) or the RealAudio format (.ra) for support in older versions of RealPlayer.

The process for adding RealAudio to a web page is covered in detail later in this chapter. For more information, visit the RealNetworks site at www.realnetworks.com. For consumer-oriented information and downloads, see www.real.com.

The following summarizes the RealAudio format:

Good for...

Continuous-play audio and live broadcasts to large numbers of people.

Delivery

Streaming (via RTSP), pseudostreaming (via HTTP).

Creation tools

One of the RealNetworks encoders (such as RealProducer Plus) or a third-party tool such as Cleaner from Autodesk.

Player

Freely available RealPlayer, Commercial RealPlayer Plus (with added features), RealPlayer plug-in.


33.5.6. Windows Media (.wma, .asf)

Microsoft's Windows Media is a streaming media system similar to RealMedia. Like RealMedia, it comes with the standard components for creating, playing, and serving Windows Media files. Windows Media wraps all media elements into one Active Streaming File (.asf), Microsoft's proprietary streaming media format. Audio may also be saved as nonstreaming Windows Media Audio format (.wma). Because Media Player is part of the Windows operating system, it is widely distributed and stable on the Windows platform. A version of Media Player is available for the Mac as well, but it generally lags behind the Windows release and may not support the latest Windows Media codec standards.

Windows Media Audio files are encoded using the special Windows Media Audio codec (currently in Version 9), which is ideal for all types of audio at bit rates from 16 Kbps to 192 Kbps. For voice-only audio at low bit rates (8 Kbps), use the alternative ACELP codec.

The Windows Media system has its advantages and disadvantages. On the good side, the server software comes free with Windows NT Server 4.0 and later, and there are no charges for streams as there are with RealMedia. Administration tools make it easy to track performance and bill per view or per minute. The disadvantages to Windows Media are that the server only runs on Windows NT and it doesn't support Flash or SMIL (Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language) like RealMedia.

For more information on Windows Media, see www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/default.mspx. The FAQ is a good starting point.

The following summarizes the Windows Media format:

Good for...

Continuous-play audio and live broadcasts.

Delivery

Streaming, download.

Creation tools

Windows Media Encoder for converting to Windows Media format, Windows Media Author for creating synchronized multimedia presentations. See the Windows Media site for a complete list of creation tools at www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/AudioProd.aspx.


Flash (.swf), developed by Macromedia, is an ideal format for adding high-impact interactivity and animation to web sites. Audio (from short clips to long-playing audio) can be embedded in a Flash movie and triggered instantly by user actions. Recent versions of Flash can also embed streaming and pseudostreaming MP3 audio (and video). The popularity and power of the Flash browser plug-in and standalone Flash Player have quickly made Flash a viable alternative for custom players and interactive audio. Creating Flash audio players can be a challenge, but the payoff can be very impressive custom audio players only limited by imagination. Flash is covered in more detail in Chapter 35. For more information, see Macromedia's site, www.macromedia.com.

The following summarizes the Flash formats:

Good for...

Interactive sound effects, specialized web applications with embedded long-playing sound.

Delivery

Streaming (via QuickTime 8 or RealServer), pseudostreaming (via HTTP), download.

Creation tools

Macromedia Flash, Adobe LiveMotion.


33.5.7. AAC (.m4a, .m4p, .mp4)

The Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) format was developed by the MPEG group as an improvement on MP3 and other previous MPEG audio formats. It is the audio format at the core of the new MPEG-4 standard and offers several considerable improvements over MP3. Probably the most notable is that it offers higher sound quality at lesser bit rates than MP3s. The format supports multichannel surround sound capability and takes less computing power to decode. In 2003, Apple added AAC support to the iPod and since that time has used copy-protected AAC (.m4p) as the format for distribution of audio from the iTunes Store. Look for this format to take over for MP3 in the coming years.




Web Design in a Nutshell
Web Design in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference (In a Nutshell (OReilly))
ISBN: 0596009879
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 325

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