Creative TravelSound MP3 User Manual page 51

An MP3 and WMA Primer
About MP3
and WMA
It is illegal to encode MP3
or WMA files for trade or
sale unless you have the
express and explicit
permission of the copyright
holder(s).
MP3 is the acronym for Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Audio Layer 3, a type of audio data
compression technology developed by a group of companies working together as a subgroup of the
International Standards Organisation (ISO). The term went on to become an official standard in 1992 as
a part of the MPEG-1 standard. The company primarily associated with MP3 is Fraunhofer Gesellschaft
(FhG) in Germany, who owns key patents to the technology.
The MP3 format can significantly reduce a digital audio file's size by as much as one-twelfth of the
original, with virtually no loss in quality. It is an efficient way to store high-quality music or other audio
content on your computer. MP3 digital audio files have the file extension .MP3.
WMA is a similar compressed audio format. Developed by Microsoft, it is touted to offer audio quality
similar to the MP3 format but at half the file size. WMA files have the file extension .WMA.
Take note that WMA files may be protected. They may be created with a digital protection system, or
may require a fee before usage. Creative TravelSound MP3 can only play back unprotected WMA files.
Protected files need to be 'unlocked' on your computer before being transferred to the Creative
TravelSound MP3 for playback. Do note that for WMA files, they can be created with digital protection
or attached business rules such as requiring monetary payment before they can be played. These are
known as protected WMA files.
The choice between MP3 and WMA file format depends largely on your preference. You can sample
these files by downloading them from various Internet sites. You can also legally produce them from
original audio CDs, provided they are for personal use only.
Making MP3s or WMAs — audio extraction
The first phase in making an MP3 or WMA file is extracting audio data from an audio CD. To extract
audio data, you will need a CD-ROM drive that can extract digital audio data, and a program known as a
Ripper. This program uses the CD-ROM drive to read the audio tracks from the audio CD and stores it
on your hard disk. The time needed for a successful audio extraction depends on:
• CD-ROM drive speed
• defects, like scratches on the audio CD
• error-checking features on the CD-ROM drive
An MP3 and WMA Primer D-1