MP3
MP3 stands for MPEG, audio layer 3. This is one of three different formats of coding for the compression of the audio signals. Layer 3 uses psychoacoustic compression to eliminate useless information from the signal.
It also uses a filter bank to increase quality from that of Layer 2. The outcome of all of this is CD quality sound in a file that uses one twelfth of the space.
There has recently been a large controversy over mp3's. This is because they are easily transferred over the Internet due to their small size. Many artists are claiming copyright violation as many users are receiving the artists music without cost. There are many programs that are faciliting this
trading including Napster and Scour Exchange. More can be read about the
current standings of this debate at: Wired News.
More information about MP3:
