Comments on: Shrink my tunes? http://www.podiobooks.com/blog/2007/09/10/shrink-my-tunes/ News from the Staff of Podiobooks.com Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:33:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 By: phil http://www.podiobooks.com/blog/2007/09/10/shrink-my-tunes/#comment-65960 phil Mon, 17 Sep 2007 23:17:38 +0000 http://www.podiobooks.com/blog/2007/09/10/shrink-my-tunes/#comment-65960 Ah well, It's not as if I had a problem with the sound quality anyway. Keep up the great work! Ah well, It’s not as if I had a problem with the sound quality anyway. Keep up the great work!

]]> By: Evo http://www.podiobooks.com/blog/2007/09/10/shrink-my-tunes/#comment-65758 Evo Mon, 17 Sep 2007 14:08:24 +0000 http://www.podiobooks.com/blog/2007/09/10/shrink-my-tunes/#comment-65758 Phil, Yes and no. We've increased the quality <em>threshold</em> for our authors. Most of the new titles that have been added take advantage of the higher bit and sample rates we now allow. But very few of the older titles have been updated to these higher quality standards. Phil,

Yes and no. We’ve increased the quality threshold for our authors. Most of the new titles that have been added take advantage of the higher bit and sample rates we now allow. But very few of the older titles have been updated to these higher quality standards.

]]> By: Phil B http://www.podiobooks.com/blog/2007/09/10/shrink-my-tunes/#comment-65735 Phil B Mon, 17 Sep 2007 11:51:14 +0000 http://www.podiobooks.com/blog/2007/09/10/shrink-my-tunes/#comment-65735 Are you saying you've increased the quality of your files since you launched? So if I keep my downloaded files for future re-listening, I might be better resubscribing for a better version? How can I tell whether I have the best files available (other than redownloading everything now)? Are you saying you’ve increased the quality of your files since you launched? So if I keep my downloaded files for future re-listening, I might be better resubscribing for a better version? How can I tell whether I have the best files available (other than redownloading everything now)?

]]> By: John http://www.podiobooks.com/blog/2007/09/10/shrink-my-tunes/#comment-64538 John Fri, 14 Sep 2007 11:05:10 +0000 http://www.podiobooks.com/blog/2007/09/10/shrink-my-tunes/#comment-64538 Ihave been changing the bit rate of my podcastd and podiobooks for 2 years and have not noticed a loss of vocal quality. 32 kbps is as low as my player can play. I have not tried "Shrink My Tunes", but i'm sure that it works about the same as the software that came with my first MP3 player Ihave been changing the bit rate of my podcastd and podiobooks for 2 years and have not noticed a loss of vocal quality. 32 kbps is as low as my player can play. I have not tried “Shrink My Tunes”, but i’m sure that it works about the same as the software that came with my first MP3 player

]]> By: Evo http://www.podiobooks.com/blog/2007/09/10/shrink-my-tunes/#comment-62947 Evo Mon, 10 Sep 2007 20:57:40 +0000 http://www.podiobooks.com/blog/2007/09/10/shrink-my-tunes/#comment-62947 Steve, Yeah, but that same article says that some tunes actually sounded better. Of course, the true test would be someone testing it out on spoken word stuff, like our titles. That's the kicker. The good news is that it comes with a 14 day money-back guarantee. Still not enough to get me to try it, but I'm betting someone will. E. Steve,

Yeah, but that same article says that some tunes actually sounded better. Of course, the true test would be someone testing it out on spoken word stuff, like our titles. That’s the kicker.

The good news is that it comes with a 14 day money-back guarantee. Still not enough to get me to try it, but I’m betting someone will.

E.

]]> By: Steve http://www.podiobooks.com/blog/2007/09/10/shrink-my-tunes/#comment-62936 Steve Mon, 10 Sep 2007 19:28:12 +0000 http://www.podiobooks.com/blog/2007/09/10/shrink-my-tunes/#comment-62936 Doesn't get a great review here http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews/index.cfm?reviewid=1079 "Most of the tracks ShrinkMyTunes has, well, shrunk sound as though they're being played inside a large tunnel, and background noises (the odd cymbal, for instance) tend to sound less distinct." Doesn’t get a great review here http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews/index.cfm?reviewid=1079

“Most of the tracks ShrinkMyTunes has, well, shrunk sound as though they’re being played inside a large tunnel, and background noises (the odd cymbal, for instance) tend to sound less distinct.”

]]> By: Gary http://www.podiobooks.com/blog/2007/09/10/shrink-my-tunes/#comment-62846 Gary Mon, 10 Sep 2007 17:38:07 +0000 http://www.podiobooks.com/blog/2007/09/10/shrink-my-tunes/#comment-62846 Personally I'd be rather careful about further audio compression. Not that I know anything about this app and therefore can't comment on how good it is at what it does. Essentially MP3 is compressed WAV data - which is technically raw digital audio. The Joint Stereo used here, by Podiobooks.com, is a rather neat solution to fitting a 128Kbps stereo audio stream into half the space it should really use. There are some very good sites that explain how it works and it does get a little technical ;-) I'd guess though that this program removes all data for frequencies outside of the 'normal' human hearing range. Which can be a huge amount of data, but at the extreme a digital phone call (as a norm) uses 8bit mono - which is why sometimes you can't quite identify who's calling. It's all down to how much data is removed and from where... Personally I’d be rather careful about further audio compression. Not that I know anything about this app and therefore can’t comment on how good it is at what it does.

Essentially MP3 is compressed WAV data - which is technically raw digital audio. The Joint Stereo used here, by Podiobooks.com, is a rather neat solution to fitting a 128Kbps stereo audio stream into half the space it should really use. There are some very good sites that explain how it works and it does get a little technical ;-)

I’d guess though that this program removes all data for frequencies outside of the ‘normal’ human hearing range. Which can be a huge amount of data, but at the extreme a digital phone call (as a norm) uses 8bit mono - which is why sometimes you can’t quite identify who’s calling.

It’s all down to how much data is removed and from where…

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