Thursday, 02 May 2019
What is a conventional WAV file?
Because there are now two major types of WAV files:
The conventional WAV file format, uncompressed.
A new WAV file format, in compressed MP3 format.
Both types of WAV file have the same extension, WAV. The only simple ways to tell them apart that I know of are:
For the same duration and sound quality, the MP3 WAV file will be roughly one tenth of the size of the equivalent conventional WAV file. A conventional WAV file is roughly 10MB per minute, an MP3 WAV file roughly 1MB per minute.
MP3 WAV files won’t play on Windows 95 PC’s unless you’ve upgraded your software to handle them by installing the appropriate codec (coder-decoder or compressor/decompressor software) – a term which is explained later on this page.
Sometimes a right-click on the filename when it is listed (for example in Windows Explorer or a program’s FILE > OPEN dialog box), followed by selecting PROPERTIES from the resulting mini-menu, will reveal information which tells you which format the file is. PCM (pulse code modulation) indicates a conventional WAV file, while MPEG Layer-3 indicates an MP3 WAV file.
Therefore there are at least two types of MP3 files, those with an extension of MP3 and some (but only some) files which have an extension of WAV.
What do I need to download MP3 files?
In order to download MP3 files you need exactly the same things that you need to download any other types of files:
A suitable computer with a connection to the Internet, via a local area network or a modem, etc.
A web browser such as Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator or Opera, or an FTP program such as Ipswitch’s excellent WS_FTP. Using a web browser to download files is much simpler than using an FTP program.
Enough hard disk space to store the file.
If you’re sensible, an active fairly modern virus checking program with a recently downloaded virus definition list. Although email messages and data files, including WAV and MP3 files, cannot contain viruses, program files can. Also remember that attachments sent with email messages can contain viruses, as can data files for programs which have their own macro language, such as Microsoft Word, Excel and Access.
