I myself see three effects that this NetMD is going to cause.
1) Current users of MiniDisc will praise the speed of transfer.
2) New users will buy these as (from what I can see) the media is cheaper,
unless they need new types of discs, but then it'll be a different format
altogether
3) Both current and new users will become complacent with even lower forms
of compression than ATRAC, meaning the quality will actually continue to
DEGRADE instead of UPGRADE in a bid to make files smaller and fit more onto
a disc/memory card.
Now, I will probably start a war here on compression, and how ATRAC is
compression, but that works at 292kbps, whereas most MP3's are around the
128/160 mark, the highest you'll find without searching for a few hours is
probably at most 256, and in my opinion, the ATRAC compression system is
superior to MP3's, I've heard 96kbps files sound worse than LP4, direct from
CD. What we people need to do is not campaign for more files, but campaign
for less compression, or else we're going to find everyone using files that
are worse than mono LP4 and calling them CD quality. The only forseeable way
to compaign for less compression though, is to campaign for the spread of
broadband, then at least we could download files compressed at higher
bitrates ie 320kbps, and have the most compression in the MD player itself,
not the external source.
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Stuart Howlette
"There are many questions in life, but is the right answer only correct
because the majority believe in it?"
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.liquid2k.com/stuh84/
http://www.liquid2k.com/stuh84/personal/
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