What Is the File Extension MP3?
A file extension can show what a multimedia file contains and what programs can use it. For example, AVI (Audio Video Interleave) indicates video playable on Windows Media Player. One common audio format is MP3.
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Description
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MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3) encodes digital audio in a compressed form, which takes up less storage space and makes for faster transfers. (See Reference 1.)
Use
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The format is not only playable on Windows and Macintosh systems but is also popular for use in stand-alone audio players like the iPod. (See Reference 3.)
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Origins
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Fraunhofer IIS, in Erlangen, Germany, owns the MP3 patent which became a standard in 1991. Karlheinz Brandenburg pioneered much of the work under the guidance of his professor, Dieter Seitzer. (See Reference 2.)
Compression
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Compression bit rates commonly range from 128 kbps (kilobytes per second) to 256. The higher the rate, the better the sound quality but the larger the file. (See Reference 4.)
Size
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You can calculate the size of an MP3 by using the calculator linked under Resource 1. For example, a 4-minute song encoded at 128 kbps takes up 3.75 MB.
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