Comments on: AAC: Apple’s Preferred Audio Codec http://www.mcelhearn.com/2009/03/03/aac-apples-preferred-audio-codec/ Writings about more than just Macs, by Kirk McElhearn Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:06:22 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Kirk http://www.mcelhearn.com/2009/03/03/aac-apples-preferred-audio-codec/#comment-777 Kirk Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:28:13 +0000 http://www.mcelhearn.com/wordpress/?p=255#comment-777 It was once suggested to me that Apple does not support FLAC because of a worry about the actual open-ness of the codec; that there may be elements of its implementation that could be open to a lawsuit at some time. I see no other reason for them _not_ using FLAC, since it is so ubiquitous. It was once suggested to me that Apple does not support FLAC because of a
worry about the actual open-ness of the codec; that there may be elements of
its implementation that could be open to a lawsuit at some time. I see no other
reason for them _not_ using FLAC, since it is so ubiquitous.

]]> By: asmeurer http://www.mcelhearn.com/2009/03/03/aac-apples-preferred-audio-codec/#comment-776 asmeurer Sat, 16 Aug 2008 06:29:06 +0000 http://www.mcelhearn.com/wordpress/?p=255#comment-776 Actually, I kind of wish Apple supported APE or FLAC with iTunes, so I don't have to use XLD all the time. From what I've seen, APE has good compression, though FLAC and Apple Lossless are fast decoders. I only use lossless, so any discussion about AAC is useless to me. Actually, I kind of wish Apple supported APE or FLAC with iTunes, so I don’t have
to use XLD all the time. From what I’ve seen, APE has good compression,
though FLAC and Apple Lossless are fast decoders. I only use lossless, so any
discussion about AAC is useless to me.

]]> By: asmeurer http://www.mcelhearn.com/2009/03/03/aac-apples-preferred-audio-codec/#comment-560 asmeurer Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:28:39 +0000 http://www.mcelhearn.com/wordpress/?p=255#comment-560 I rip all my music in Apple Lossless. I'm guessing that is an Apple codec, since it has Apple in the name. I rip all my music in Apple Lossless. I’m guessing that is an Apple codec, since it
has Apple in the name.

]]> By: Boo http://www.mcelhearn.com/2009/03/03/aac-apples-preferred-audio-codec/#comment-558 Boo Fri, 09 Mar 2007 17:31:29 +0000 http://www.mcelhearn.com/wordpress/?p=255#comment-558 Ironically, the player-independant version of Mpeg4 video (.mp4) seems to suffer from a similar problem. It's ironic because Mp4 (.mp4) is the most open movie file format, as it has been designed to be playable with any application, much like AAC. (In contrast to QuickTime Mpeg4 movies (.mov), or Windows Media Mpeg4 movies (.wmv), etc.) In the same way AAC is like Mp3, Mp4 is like Mpeg. The designers of the format seem to have taken pity on users who otherwise have to manage an array of video players - one for each format of video. Now we don't! Now video is like Mp3 or AAC. I suspect Windows users think .mp4 is a QuickTime format, as QuickTime seems to be one of the first major players to support this new-found openness - and Windows Media Player apparently won't play .mp4! I'll refrain from speculating on why that might be. In any case, Mac and Linux users seem pretty keen on .mp4. And like AAC, .mp4 isn't going away any time soon. Apple likes it, Sony likes it, Linux likes it, Google likes it, etc. Here's a tip: if there's a download link available for a Google Video, flip the switch from "Windows/Mac" to "Video iPod/Sony PSP" and click the download link. An .mp4 file will download. (If you leave it set to "Windows/Mac," a Google Video Player will begin downloading. Not sure what it does - I just know I don't want yet another video player. Ironically, the player-independant version of Mpeg4 video (.mp4) seems to
suffer from a similar problem.

It’s ironic because Mp4 (.mp4) is the most open movie file format, as it has
been designed to be playable with any application, much like AAC. (In
contrast to QuickTime Mpeg4 movies (.mov), or Windows Media Mpeg4
movies (.wmv), etc.) In the same way AAC is like Mp3, Mp4 is like Mpeg.

The designers of the format seem to have taken pity on users who otherwise
have to manage an array of video players – one for each format of video. Now
we don’t! Now video is like Mp3 or AAC.

I suspect Windows users think .mp4 is a QuickTime format, as QuickTime
seems to be one of the first major players to support this new-found
openness – and Windows Media Player apparently won’t play .mp4! I’ll refrain
from speculating on why that might be. In any case, Mac and Linux users
seem pretty keen on .mp4.

And like AAC, .mp4 isn’t going away any time soon. Apple likes it, Sony likes
it, Linux likes it, Google likes it, etc.

Here’s a tip: if there’s a download link available for a Google Video, flip the
switch from "Windows/Mac" to
"Video iPod/Sony PSP" and click the download link. An .mp4 file will
download. (If you leave it set to "Windows/Mac," a Google Video Player will
begin downloading. Not sure what it does – I just know I don’t want yet
another video player.

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