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MP3,
short for MPEG Audio Layer 3, lets you shrink songs into small
digital packages that can be downloaded from the Net or sent
via e-mail and played on a PC. Unlike analog transmissions
these digital signals can be copied and transferred innumerable
times with virtually no loss of sound quality. In the past
year, MP3 has caught on with Internet surfers and spawned
thousands of Websites offering free downloadable music. In
response to the demand for downloadable audio files,
the Big Five record companies (BMG Entertainment, Sony Music,
Warner Music Group, EMI Recorded Music and Universal Music
Group) have formed the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI).
The group has teamed up with IBM to develop a more secure
system for distributing music on the Internet. SDMI's goal
is to use digital music for promotion and profit while limiting
unauthorized copying.
Mp3
Benefits
Portable
music - MP3 compresses files to a manageable size, MP3
lets you take your music pretty anywhere either on a portable
or car player.
Turns your computer into a jukebox - You can easily
store, manage and play MP3 files with graphically visual player
on your computer making it into juke box of your favorite
tracks.
Share MP3 files easily - Because of the size of MP3
files you easily transfer either via physical (CD-r) or electronically
(over the Internet).
Easy to create custom CDs - With your collection of
MP3 files you can make custom CDs of your favorite tracks.
Easy to transfer over the Internet - With slower Internet
speeds, MP3 files makes it easier to transfer.
Music quality lower than CD quality - Even with higher
birate used to encode your MP3 files but still not as good
as CD quality sound.
Publish and distribute your own music instantly over the
Internet - You can record & mix your music using a computer
and easily publish and distribute your music without spending
thousands of dollars for packaging and promoting you are your
music.
Online promoting of music - Promoting your music online
can be achieved in several ways posting MP3 files on a website,
newsgroup, or sharing them through files sharing networks
(Napster like programs).
Advantages
& disadvantages for record companies:
Distribution & production cost reduced - Companies
can reduce production & distribution moving from creating
music and distributing on physical media such as CDs or cassettes.
Easy Promotions - Record companies can simply create
a web site for the artist and allow sample downloads of the
artist.
Direct sales to customers via Web - Customers can buy
and start downloading their favorite tracks straight away
from artist or record company web sites.
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