MPEG AUDIO
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There are different formats of MPEG Audio, simply called Layer-1, -2, -3, with increasing encoder complexity and performance (sound quality per bit) from 1 to 3. The three codecs are compatible in a hierarchical way. Obviously, Layer 3 is the most complex, efficient Layer that achieves the best perceptional Audio.
Layer I vs Layer II vs Layer III

Layer 1 - 1:4 compression (or 192 kbps per audio channel).

Layer 2 - 1:6..8 compression (or 128..96 kbps per audio channel).

Layer3 - 1:10..12 compression (or 64..56 kbps per audio channel).

LAYER I / II
XingSound - By Xing Technologies - This is the first MPEG Audio Player for Win3.1. Since this program is sharware, 44.1Khz / 16-Bit / Stereo encoded files (MP2's) this program allows 16-Bits at 22.05Khz, MONO.

File : mpgaudio.zip - 102Kbytes (PKZIP File, requires UNZIP.EXE)

DOWNLOAD - mpgaudio.zip

SoundCD - This program, created in Visual Basic, decoded Layer II MPEG's (MP2) in realtime, with the maximum quality - according to the ability with your CPU. (for CD-Quality playback a Pentium 90 is needed). Also, since SoundCD is freeware it can only play files with the size of 500Kbytes or less. (approx 30 secs or less).

File: soundcd.zip - 54Kbytes (requires UNZIP.EXE)

DOWNLOAD - soundcd.zip

MA-Play 1.2- A full CD-Quality MPEG player for Windows 95 and NT. This program decodes both Layer I and II. Created by Tobias Bading at the Berlin University of Technology. This program has NO LIMITATIONS and ALLOWS your computer to use its full CPU power (approx. Pentium 90 is needed for CD-Quality MPEG Decoding).

File: maplaypc.zip - 232Kbytes (requires UNZIP.EXE)

DOWNLOAD

Cool Wave - MPEG Filters- This is not a separate program but it is an add-on to Cool Edit. This filter enables MPEG Audio Layer I and II Encoding and Decoding (not real-time) within the Cool Edit environment.

File: coolmpeg.zip - 90Kbytes (requires UNZIP.EXE)

DOWNLOAD

LAYER III
Layer III, created by Fraunhover labs IIS in Erlangen, Germany is BY FAR THE BEST layer for MPEG Audio Compression. Because of its complexity, Layer III enables CD-Quality audio to be decoder, in REAL-TIME on a 486 DX-100 or higher CPU, without the $300 MPEG card.
Winplay3 - Created by Fraunhover, who introduced the MPEG Audio Layer III to the MPEG industry, is a sharware program for windows 3.x or higher. Also, because of the low-bandwidths the MPEG streams, Winplay3 includes REAL-TIME-INTERNET playback of Layer III MPEG's. This program is sharware as well as it only plays the first 20 seconds of Audio samples. For information on registering for Winplay3 contact jeffrisi@trends.ca or layer3@iis.fhg.de.

Version 1.4 - File: wpv140.exe - 1170Kbytes

DOWNLOAD - wpv140.exe

Version 1.3 - File: winplay3.zip - 304Kbytes (requires UNZIP.EXE)

DOWNLOAD - winplay3.zip

SAMPLES
LAYER I / II
LAYER III
These samples can be played Real-Time over the Internet via "M3U" file or can be downloaded
to your computer and played from your drive locally (MP3 files).