Mp3 argument
Mp3 argumentMp3 argument
The Next Revolution in Music Technology: Make or Break?
Throughout life I have encountered several different mediums of music including
eight-track recordings, vinyl records, cassette tapes, mini-discs, digital audio tapes (DAT),
and compact discs. I have always considered the CD to be the greatest technological
advancement (as a medium of music) of my generation because it was the first digital
audio format made readily available to the general public. Because of the CD, people
were hearing music like they had never heard it before - exactly as it would sound in the
artist�s recording studio. Among other things, we have digital audio technology to thank
for that. But we have recently been presented with something new that some may give
thanks for - Moving Picture Experts Group Technology, Layer-III, better known as MP3.
To those �outside� the complicated world of the Internet and technology, MP3
probably will not ring any bells. But anyone who has accessed the Internet or skimmed
through any popular magazines lately will likely recognize MP3 and the propaganda
surrounding it.
I do not want to bombard you with numerous technological terms, but a brief
explanation is necessary in order to understand arguments surrounding the issue. MP3 is a
new way to save, copy, and play audio files on a computer. The audio files are near
CD-quality and take up very little space on a computer�s hard drive. Previously,
high-quality audio files were saved on a computer in WAV format, which takes up much
more hard drive space than MP3. For example, a three-minute WAV file would use about
30 megabytes of disk space. But in MP3 format, the same song would use only two
megabytes, leaving much more hard drive space available on the computer (which benefits
the computer user).
Because MP3 files are typically less than five megabytes in size, they can be
transferred very quickly and easily to and from anyone�s computer via the Internet. MP3
allows computer users to copy their favorite songs from CDs or other sources, onto their
computer�s hard drive - ideal for playback when working at the computer. MP3 also
makes it possible to convert your own personal recordings into digital audio files that are
very easy to distribute.
The interest and popularity surrounding MP3 has grown so much in the past few
months that consumer electronic companies are even beginning to manufacture portable
MP3 players. The players connect to a computer, and MP3 files are transferred to them,
allowing users to utilize the portable unit the same way they use a portable cassette or CD
player.
As you may see by this brief overview, the new audio format has generated a lot of
activity. As far as obtaining MP3 audio files goes, there are thousands of web sites
dedicated to supplying the files (mp3.com, mp3.box.sk, mp3.lycos.com). An Internet
surfer can search for music in MP3 format, and...
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