Descriptions of Various Audio FileFormats
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File format for Macintosh system sounds similar to Windows' WAV format; not widely used on the Web, and not always playable on systems running Windows. |
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A file format that originated on the Sun and NeXT computer systems. Not widely used today. |
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The MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) format, an extremely efficient format used to reproduce instrumental music. The most popular format for Webpage background music. |
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A widely adopted format that uses data compression to produce high-quality audio in relatively small files; typically requires a separate plug-in or program for playback. |
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Developed by Real Networks, a format (abbreviation for RealAudio) designed for real-time streaming audio feeds. Annoying on low-bandwidth connections. |
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A widely used file format capable of high-quality sound reproduction, but with correspondingly large file sizes. Using WAV instead of MIDI or MP3 is particularly annoying. |
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WMA (Windows Media Audio) is a relatively new file format from Microsoft, promoted as an MP3 alternative with similar audio quality at half the file size. This efficiency makes it desirable although not all browsers (e.g. Netscape) support the format without the installation of a plug-in. |