DMusic.com | for indie musicians and fans | Free MP3 music downloads

Thomson Multimedia Announces mp3PRO

Posted by Heidi Chambers in on January 13, 2001 at 12:14 PM
Earlier this week, Thomson Multimedia announced a new MP3 coding-decoding (codec) format that will provide improved sound at lower bit rates. The codec is currently being developmented for implementation in the middle of 2001. The Thomson Multimedia press release states the codec is called "mp3PRO" and it will provide 128kbs performance at a 64kbs encoding rate. Using lower bit rates, mp3PRO will also offer Internet radio broadcasters the ability to lower their bandwidth costs while at the same time offering CD quality in the consumer preferred mp3 format. mp3 PRO will double the digital music capacity of some portable MP3 players. "While the current mp3 format is quite acceptable, our goal is to never stand still, but to continue to modify the mp3 format to deliver even stronger audio performance. This enhancement to the very popular mp3 format not only improves sound quality, but compression rates as well," said Mark Redmond, Vice President, Worldwide Audio, Thomson Multimedia. Thomson Multimedia press release also states that mp3PRO offers compatibility to both mp3 content and players. Traditional mp3 content can be decoded by any mp3PRO player. Content coded in the mp3PRO format can be played back on any traditional mp3 player. However, to enjoy the quality enhancements of the new mp3PRO format, mp3PRO compatible players are required. mp3PRO will first be implemented for Windows 98 and ME, Mac and Linuxsystems.

User Comments

richieZ	Date: January 13, 2001 @ 12:26 PM we have all heard these words before with other formats.... maybe this one will be different... it is afterall based on the Original format that started it all.... if winamp supports it, i will play it, it is as simple as that.. -richie
Chad	Date: January 13, 2001 @ 12:38 PM But will it cost something.. and what of charging for MP3.. hm.
Heidi	Date: January 13, 2001 @ 12:47 PM Chad, good questions. I am looking into them. ~Heidi
Anonymous	Date: January 13, 2001 @ 2:47 PM benim adým sinan ben bilgisayarýma mirc yani mp3 yüklemek istiyorum bana yardým ederseniz sevinirim
richieZ	Date: January 13, 2001 @ 3:27 PM riiiiiiiiiiiiight...
matt	Date: January 13, 2001 @ 5:04 PM My thoughts exactly.
pohsib	Date: January 13, 2001 @ 5:17 PM I saw a demonstration of mp3pro when I visited RCA during CES. The difference between both formats was pronounced.
richieZ	Date: January 13, 2001 @ 6:08 PM could you be more vauge please cw, you accidentily gave us too much detail... hehe...
Jackie	Date: January 13, 2001 @ 6:35 PM So, a 64 Kbit/s mp3PRO will still sound as a 64 Kbit/s MP3 on my RIO and with all current MP3 decoders? But it will sond like 128 Kbit/s with an mp3PRO decoder. How is that possible? How will the encoder/decoder be released? As source code, dll's, acm's, exe's or what? What kind of ID3 tagging system will they use? Id3v2 or some proprietary like WMA? What will it cost to license this new format? To me it sounds as Thomson realizes that MP3 just isn't good enough to keep its position in the future. They darn well know that it would be best to start all over with something new but the MP3 brand name is strong so they try to ride on that. But will it work at all? Put it on vaporware until we see something more tangible. Who is developing this new format? Thomson themselfs?
Heidi	Date: January 13, 2001 @ 7:11 PM Jackie, I'm currently looking into find answers for many of your questions, but here is the answer to one: mp3PRO is being developed by Coding Technologies, a company resulting from the cooperation between a Swedish company specialized in audio compression technology and a spin-off from Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits. Also, there has been no mention made of licensing fees, so I have no idea what they will be. ~Heidi
doobybrain	Date: January 13, 2001 @ 9:01 PM well, cant say we dont have users from around the world. heh. [doobybrain]
doobybrain	Date: January 13, 2001 @ 9:03 PM this is sorta proving my point that mp3 will soon be gone and that other music formats will replace it. however, if Fraunhofer does require people to pay for the use of mp3s, then i dont think this new format will last long since it is based on the original mp3 music format. we'll have to see what happens. [doobybrain]
Q-Logic	Date: January 13, 2001 @ 9:46 PM dooby, MP3 will always be around. This technology is useless. The LAME project is always improving the mp3 format. Making it sound better and decreasing file size. All other formats will die, including Ogg Vobris.
doobybrain	Date: January 13, 2001 @ 11:19 PM true, it'll probably be around for a long time, but will people still use it if they end up having to pay for each file they have that is of the mp3 file format? especially if other people and groups are developing new music formats to rival mp3 technology AND which will most likely be free. [doobybrain]
pohsib	Date: January 13, 2001 @ 11:59 PM To be more specific, the 64 kbps regular mp3 sounded very bad (as most people have already observed). The mp3pro file at 64kbps really defined the trebles (which are fairly distorted on a regular 64 kbps file). Much more listenable.
Heidi	Date: January 14, 2001 @ 12:52 AM I have two views.... I can't see MP3 staying alive if people have to pay for each file. Yet people don't like change. It's true. ~Heidi
homogenuity	Date: January 14, 2001 @ 2:05 AM in the vein of what doobs was saying, this technology (mp3), like all others will continue to progess over time. we will see better quality in incresingly smaller files. mp3 was not the first or the last. mp3pro is not the first or the last. perhaps just a new page. or possibly only a footnote. time will tell.
Olw	Date: January 14, 2001 @ 3:49 AM A swedish company called "coding technology" or similar has been hired by Thompson to develop this new format, pretty cool...
Anonymous	Date: January 14, 2001 @ 6:45 AM Hah...so you are saying that now I can decode (play) a 64kbps song on a mp3 player (Thompsons) and it will sound like a 128kbps song, even though the song was encoded as 64kbps and is compatable with all mp3 players. If it is encoded like shit...it must be shit.
Anonymous	Date: January 14, 2001 @ 10:53 AM And if you're on Napster, how do you know which 64kbs songs support this new codec, and which ones use the old ones and still sound crappy?
doobybrain	Date: January 14, 2001 @ 3:54 PM thats very true. but i think most people would rather get something for free than to stick with the same old stuff and be paying for it too. [doobybrain]
Heidi	Date: January 14, 2001 @ 4:30 PM Yea, people don't like to part with money. ~Heidi
RyanS	Date: January 15, 2001 @ 12:43 AM MP3 will still be alive for quite some time, but I see a new format (this or maybe some other like Vorbis) taking over. I don't see people with a very large MP3 library converting an already lossy format to the new and/or downloading the songs under the new format.
Anonymous	Date: January 15, 2001 @ 2:20 AM In response to the guy just above, where on Napster can you find 64kbs files? Nowhere. I reckon that Napster users should put suffixes on their MP3s to denote encoders and quality, eg: file-fh.mp3 = Fraunhoffer encoded file-be.mp3 - BladeEnc encoded file-rr.mp3 - Radio ripped MP3 file-vr-la.mp3 = Vinal record ripped, LAME encoded and so on...
Anonymous	Date: January 15, 2001 @ 10:50 AM You have time to do that ¿? Ouch
Heidi	Date: January 17, 2001 @ 12:31 AM Most Napster users aren't smart enough. ~Heidi
Anonymous	Date: March 20, 2001 @ 3:35 PM 192 or 320 kbits is the best any ower and your losing your original sound. 128 sucks believe me on a good stereo you can definetly hezr the difference
Anonymous	Date: June 30, 2001 @ 4:12 AM hmmmm... here there is a lot of people that haven't understand... mp3pro has the same quality with 1/2 size.. mp3pro 64kb = mp3 128kb etc. etc. it's a new (great) tecnology called SBR http://www.codingtechnologies.com/technology/sbr.htm watch it and try yourself!