While I'm far from a fan, I can't ignore the wide spread interest in the all in one, CD/Analog Source Ripper and Mp3 Encoder/Player MUSICMATCH JUKEBOX. Mp3.com seems to be pushing it in your face of late, like there's nothing else out there, but that's just my opinion. click the icon for a link to download from their homepage.
a link to the WINAMP home page! WINAMP changes sooo much, there's no sense keepin it here now!!! I could never keep up...let them guys do it..I'm too lazy!!
FONT FACE="arial" COLOR="C0C0C0" SIZE=2>>
for those using MAC's...well it's NOT a bad word around here...I
know I know...you guys get bad raps from IBM owners and clones..but here's
a link to the main mp3 player for Mac's my apologies I didn't put it up
sooner! Mp3's should be enjoyed by all!!! with the exception of the record
companies...hahahahaha!!!!
HOW ABOUT WINPLAY 3?
Just click on the player and it will download WINPLAY 3 32 bit version for WINDOWS 95! (about 144k!)THE FREEWARE VERSION!!!!
FOR THOSE OF YOU RUNNING WINDOWS 3.1
Download
the 16 bit version of WINPLAY 3 which I might add is hard to find, but
it's here!!! we wouldn't want to leave you out of all this mp3 fun now
would we??? nope!!!! I might add, IT SHOULD WORK on win 3.1 so i'm told,
but there's NO guarantee!!! i've also been told that the 16 bit version
might work where other mp3 players have failed!! so you might wanna try
it if you don't think your comp can run mp3's! both winplay files are zip
files needing winzip!!!gees..did I flog that into your brain enough on
this site...here's a link to WINZIP
so you can get it! CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD WINPLAY
3 16 BIT VERSION ZIP FILE (about 787k) it's FREEWARE!!!!!
MP4??? is there such a thing....sorta. Mp4, is officially being called Mpeg 2-AAC from what I understand, and with the hoopla created by mp3 and internet music in general, the folks who own the rights to the new format are not going to make the same mistakes as they did with mp3, and are not letting the format be too widely released as of this writing (june 2001). regardless, here's a few sites I found on the subject.
MPEG-2 Advanced Audio Coding: Data Compression for the 21st Century
AAC? Is it really better than MP3?
Mayah Communications
Mayah, in addition to hardware
and authoring software dealing with mp2 and mp3 playing and editing has now
available a realtime Mpeg2-AAC recorder wich is software based and available
as a shareware downloadable demo. the quality is very impressive to my ears.
Coding Technologies-Mp3Pro Zone
June 2001, RCA and it's parent company Thompson, along with coding technologies, announce MP3PRO, high quality mp3 audio files at pretty much the same quality as regular mp3 files, only the file size is half of regular mp3's. Sounds like BS???, well in my initial test, I would have to say NO. comparing the quality of mp3's at the 44/64kbps stream rate, vs mp3 PRo at the same stream rate, Mp3 PRO wins hands down, with very few artifacts, and a fairly crisp and clean high end. but don't take my word for it, use the link here to download the RCA player/encoder and see for yourself, the only trick is that they HAVE to be played in the RCA player, as while they say the files are backward compatible, that's a half truth. sure they'll play in any mp3 player, but only at 1/2 the quality. the full fidelity is heard in the RCA player. personally, I think this is mostly likely to be THE format of the next compressed audio generation, but only time will tell.
From Mp3 to Real Audio, probably the most popular format on the net, at least for streaming! mine works pretty good...i've got the Real Player.....have you?well, if you haven't, here's your chance to do somethin about it
REAL AUDIO PLAYER ARCHIVE Thanks to Stan Baker of Austin Texas who e-mailed me saying that real audio players for older machines are also on the real audio site. he writes:
"This page has a form through which you can get the most appropriate Real Player
for your
machine. I almost never found this, and couldn't tell you what I did to end up
there."
Tell me about it Stan. I couldn't find anything on their site when I originally started constructing this page...and I thought I did a thorough search. glad you could find the site.
Sonique is giving Winamp a run for it's money in the catagory of multiformat players. it can even handle lesser known formats like Ogg Vorbis (for the record, winamp can also handle ogg with a freeware plug in install HERE so it's more of a personal preference then anything else, what with so many choices for internet players these days.
MEDIA PLAYER/ENCODER Here's a Link to get Bill's version of his answer to the mp3 revolution, Windows Media. I won't agrue the quality issues, except to say because of the security features, the format is taking off with record company web sites, and some radio stations streaming audio on their web sites. whatever you decide, it might be a good idea to have it installed (if you don't already) as you never know what sites are using to streaming audio and video these days.
Winamp started as a mp3 player...but seems to be more of a overall media player these days...from midi to mp1 and 2 and wav, seems WINAMP can play it...hence why it is also in this section of the players page.
OGG VORBIS Ogg Vorbis is a completely open, patent-free, professional audio encoding and streaming technology with all the benefits of Open Source." to quote the web site, which is quite different from the fraunhofer originating mp3 format, which you would think was open source given the availability of utilities to convert wavs to mp3. Will Ogg catch on??? likely not, as it's still not very wide spread. See above for links to download Sonique or the Ogg Vorbis plug in for Winamp.
Here's
Mp3's competitor..VQF, which brags quality as just as good as mp3, but
at lower bit rate, thus smaller sized files...can't say for sure, regardless...if your curious, check out this site.
This
player isn't that well known..it's useful as a wav player, but you can
link up off their web site, and play some "mood music"..hence the name
"beatnik", sorta like the "mood ring". it's interactive too, as you can
mix sound effects with the music to listen to while on the net..but don't
take my word for it, download the player and give it a try.
This is a player that is getting recognition from Record Companies...which
may be a reason to avoid it..hahaha! but numerous record company sites
seem to be using this on their web sites for "try and buy" from their artists...may
rival real audio, who knows...but if you wanna go directly and GET
THE LIQUID AUDIO PLAYER the other link here is for the main page...I've
got it in my machine, how about you?..it's FREE!!!
This
seems to be the record companies answer to pirated music on the internet.
with the a2b player, like liquid audio, it has a digital "signature" which
can supposedly "trace" the downloaded file...I say supposed, because I
don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me. the good news is that there is
free music along with this player on the site which by the way was developed
by
and the quality is comparable to mp3...you could probably call it the "legal"
mp3...but will it have a future? if more sites adopt it, I believe it will,
because, besides mp3, this is the only format I have found that comes close
to the same quality
In an attempt not to leave out any format, here's one of the lesser known audio formats..it was more well known in the early days of real audio, but now that real audio seems to be
taking over for streaming, true speech is not on as many sites....still comparable to real audio in quality..possible a little "dirtier" with the sample clips I have heard, but still worth mentioning here. This link will allow you to download a player and encoder for win 3.1, win 95, and MAC..though apparently, if you have a Netscape or I-Explorer, clicking on the files should play them..if not grab the player here...also with links to sample sounds where you can actually try the player out!
