MP3 - The Definitive Guide

ISBN  1-56592-661-7   Price  approximately £20  UK
Scot Hacker                 9 Chapters, 1 appendix, Glossary and index in 375 pages
 

Chapter List

               vii   Preface
            1  The Nuts and Bolts of MP3
            2  How MP3 Works:  Inside the Codec
            3  Getting and Playing MP3 Files
            4  Playlists, Tags and Skins:  MP3 Options
            5  Ripping and Encoding: Creating MP3 Files
            6  Hardware, Portables, Home Stereos and Kits
            7  The Not-so-Fine-Print Legal Bits and Pieces
            8  Webcasting and Servers:  Internet Distribution
            9  Competing Codecs and Other File Formats

            Appendix:  ID3v1 Genres
            Glossary
            Index
 

Synopsis

        The MP3 audio format is still a bit new to some people.  MP3 The definitive Guide explains not just what to do with the code and the MP3 applications that are available it also explains various legal issues and gives a few clues about how musicians might think about or see the MP3 format.  MP3 is here to stay, and the applications for this versatile compression format are expanding exponentially along with the numbers of people who use it.

Review

MP3 The Definitive Guide is a completely cross platform book that sets out to give the reader a full explanation of the MP3 format and the various things that are associated with it.

The author is an experienced musician who has learned a few things about Linux and wishes to communicate his ideas with a wider audience.  After getting his B.A in philosophy at UC Santa Cruz he made a living writing reviews of jazz and improvised music.  Eventually he became the Content Manager and Production Editor at ZDNet.  He has also written the BeOS Bible.  A superb publication.

The book starts with an easy to understand explanation of the basic issues surrounding the MP3 format.  Page nine has a short section about rights, piracy and politics.  This is useful for those of us who are either new to the internet or the MP3 format.  At chapter two the MP3 "codec" is explained.  This would seem to mean that you are given a simple introduction to some GCSE level physics.  We can all handle that can't we ?  The next part explains about MP3 players and where to get them for each platform.  The Linux stuff is a bit basic but you can quickly find more info on the internet.

Later in the book some hardware is discussed.  This looks a bit like the Sony labs of the 1970s.  I remember it well.

MP3: The Definitive Guide should appeal to a wide audience of users, from the people who are just getting started with this new technology to those who want to fully understand the complexities and possibilities that MP3 presents.

" The animal on the front cover of MP3: The Definitive Guide is a hermit crab (Coenobita perlatus).  The hermit crab is commonly found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and inhabits the areas surrounding the islands of Aldabra, Mauritius, and Samoa.  Despite the name of the hermit crab, which alludes to a solitary lifestyle, Coenobita perlatus are very social creatures.  They characteristically travel in groups of 25 or more, and have been found living in colonies of over 100 in the wild.  Hermit crabs make their home by occupying the discarded shells of gastropods in order to protect their soft, coiled abdomens and inner organs.  They prefer shells that fit snugly in order to prevent evaporation of moisture.   Most hermit crabs carry water in their shells, which they use for breathing and a water source when they are far away from the sea."

Review by  Richard Ibbotson