lossless vs. lossy music

[rudiger]

Behind every recording that is shared on "TTD", there is a person who made the original recording; a taper. Most tapers are "quality minded" people that go to great lengths to record and share shows in the best possible quality. After that, no one wants their tapes passed around as crappy mp3s that delete data from the original recording.

I understand your (and the tapers') position. What I can't understand, reading the first Pottel's post, is that TTD staff consider mp3 very similar to lossless, but they don't allow to share mp3 on their site. It was more simple to say: "mp3 is not allowed because it is a crappy audio format" (being it true or not).

[Simon]

Behind every recording that is shared on "TTD", there is a person who made the original recording; a taper. Most tapers are "quality minded" people that go to great lengths to record and share shows in the best possible quality. After that, no one wants their tapes passed around as crappy mp3s that delete data from the original recording.

I' understand your (and the tapers') position. What I can't undestand, reading the first pottel's post, is that TTD staff consider mp3 very similar to lossless, but they don't allow to share mp3 on their site. It was more simple to say: "mp3 is not allowed because it is a crappy audio format" (being it true or not).

It is not so much as being a crappy format - it is a good format for most of the time - but it is as Pottel says - each time you make an MP3 you rip the guts out of the recording and a few generations down the line makes it sound like something from Mars recorded by a passing spaceship. And it is not possible to prevent people degrading recordings in this way.:-)

[Ian Lewis]

I think with have the internet has moved on, there is now no real excuse to share the same music in the original format you received it in.  This hopefully being a lossless format.  Then for your own use there is no harm in compressing it.  I for example convert everything in AAC for my iPod.  There is no way all my music would fit on my iPod in a lossless format!!  But I'm sure to keep the original lossless versions

[IrisRose]

I'd like to get this thread going again, for I need some help. 
First, easy:  DVD files depend, don't they, on the resolution and quality of the equipment.    I've downloaded some files from you tube that seem to be better quality than original dvds from a show.  Youtube now lets you download a higher quality file than flv.    And again, the quality of the file depends on the uploader. 

My other question is more problematical:  Audio.   The other day Allen told me that one of my files on the hub was lossy.
I had spot checked the cd and the ones I checked seemed to be lossless.   How does it happen that one or more files on a cdr would be lossy and others lossless?   And also how would one checker find a file to be lossless and another find it to be lossy?    I need a brave and expert techie to help me with these problems.   

And then, could you guys help me with reading the checks.   If a wav file shows the tops and bottoms of the wave cut off, I figure the recording is lossy.   There are degrees to this, aren't there?  One recording will show just the tip of a wave cut, another will show major cut offs.     
And the spectrum:  Knut always uploads a spectrum reading with his recordings, but I have no idea how to read one.   

Help!!! Please!!!!  And thanks

[Hoops McCann]

I'd like to get this thread going again, for I need some help. 
First, easy:  DVD files depend, don't they, on the resolution and quality of the equipment.

Yes, but I don't know of a single external DVD recorder that transfers VHS to DVD using LPCM audio. So this would have to be done manually when capturing to a PC.

My other question is more problematical:  Audio.   The other day Allen told me that one of my files on the hub was lossy.
I had spot checked the cd and the ones I checked seemed to be lossless.   How does it happen that one or more files on a cdr would be lossy and others lossless?   And also how would one checker find a file to be lossless and another find it to be lossy?    I need a brave and expert techie to help me with these problems.

Well, it's possible. Seems unlikely, but if it's a compilation of tracks, probably...

And also how would one checker find a file to be lossless and another find it to be lossy?

The only check that is accurate is looking at frequency analysis and a spectral view zoomed in to a 2-5 second sample.

And then, could you guys help me with reading the checks.   If a wav file shows the tops and bottoms of the wave cut off, I figure the recording is lossy.   There are degrees to this, aren't there?  One recording will show just the tip of a wave cut, another will show major cut offs.

First of all, you will only see this cut-off at the top, not the bottom. Yes, there are degrees to this, depending upon the codec used. If you are unsure about one, just cut a 2-5 second sample out of the track, flac it, and attach it to a new post here. I'm sure someone would be happy to analyze it.

[IrisRose]

Thank you, Dan!    How do you read a spectral view?   

[Hoops McCann]

Thank you, Dan!    How do you read a spectral view?   

Really, even if you just look at the pictures, the link below is a great guide. Read the actual guide for more information- it provides greater depth than anything I could write here.

http://www.audiohub.org/get/fa/sa.htm