Streaming and Downloading.
Steaming
is the most popular
because the music virtually starts playing straight away. It is
like turning on your radio. You listen while it plays
from "some distant location".
In the streaming process, a
very small text file with a file-extension of *.m3u downloads in
a couple of seconds and your computer system reads the data file
with instructions to the player to access the underlying mp3 and
play it as though it was on your computer. This means the whole
file does not have to download before you can play it. A
"ghost" copy of the mp3 "slowly" forms in a hidden system folder but
after you have heard the stream, the "ghost file" may disappear
- usually
if the publisher wants you to make a financial contribution for
his work.
Usually computers are
pretty fast in these days of 2009 and an mp3 download can occur
pretty fast and so plays automatically as soon as it is
completed, using a player on your computer that is associated
with mp3s; practically as good or virtually the same as
streaming.
But if you want to end up
with a sample or song file on your computer for later enjoyment,
you need to know more...
Having the mp3 music file "associated" with a playlist file with a file extension, for
example (there are others) of *.m3u, the song just streams immediately.
If a download link is provided directly to the *.mp3 file then you have
permission to download it and save it wherever you want to.
There is a lot more I could say about this but this will get you
there for now.
Mp3s used to be easily saved or
retrieved from the browser cache, but new "security measures"
intended to prevent the listener from
retaining a permanent copy of a song on the computer for later use
is by giving you an m3u text file that doesn't actually tell
you
anything (like you can't read it) but which the computer can work with.. and when you
have listened to a file, the system may delete any trace of the file, that
could have been retained for later plays.
Of course there are always ways
around all of this... Experience will be your teacher.
About quality of music files
-
The point that the MP3
format is a "lossy" file format,
and thus is poorer quality might not be known by listeners who
wrongly judge the quality of a song especially if it is playing
in 128kbps or less. In a higher quality bit-rate mp3 file, it is
quite noticeable what is missing from lesser bit-rate files.
When you hear the 196kbps it is most noticeable.
Of course,
if the music is
good, listeners who prefer to get the highest quality
recording can find it only available on the original CD. What real music buff would settle for less?
The daunting step these days seems to be in making the decision
to become a paying customers.
Poor quality music is easily
accepted as there is so much available these days and so many
sources of "stimulation" that it is only a true music lover that
chooses to get the best quality for themselves instead of
settling for "second or third rate". Investing in something that
really gives you what the music is now capable of with the level
of digital editing and mastering these days, the aim is for a
"super experience", and there are many artists who are now
providing that. I hope to follow in their footsteps and will do
the best I can with continuous upgrades of each song and album as I go along.
Where
possible, downloading a
music file from the net to your computer is really good
havingness. You can play a
file over and over and include it on a
playlist
(particularly using Winamp) or save it to CD
or DVD. Where and how to save files can present some
challenges but we keep learning.
To access an audio file
on your computer, double-click on the music file
itself and it will open the program that plays it. Or open the Player of your choice
first and then
trek for the music file yourself.
Finding Media Files -
To
find to your music or audio files that have gotten misplaced or are just deposited all over the place, do a 'search' as
follows....
With Windows 98:
Left click
on the start button. Click on 'find'. In the 'Named' field, type [*.wav] or [*.ra] or
[*mp3] (without the brackets) -and set the 'look in' to where you suspect the files might
be. Hit 'find now'. You can double click a sample file and it will activate a player and
you can listen away.
With Windows XP:
Left click on the start button. Click on "search" and then
choose "files and folders".
Choose
either
1) "pictures, movies and video" and tick the "music
box" and hit "search".
or
2) Click "All files and folders" and
specify music files such as *.mp3, *.wma, *.wav, *.flac or even
*.ra.
Once they are found select files in a same location and
copy or cut and paste them to a desired folder.
Incidentally. You can do the same for *.avi movie files,
*.gif or *.jpg picture files etc.
File Management
-
As I am mainly using windows at the moment, and would like to
create separate texts for Linux on this website, I shall be
talking mainly in the case of a Microsoft Windows platform.
There is a certain skill that
develops in managing files on a computer.
Of course the basic method is with
windows explore.
When ACDSee came on the scene it
produced a series of excellent file manager versions which was
an evolution and an expansion on the basic facility of the
windows explore accessory.
But it has evolved into and seems to be
focused on photograph handling. It has become a very different
style of software to what it was only a few years ago. The new
program style is ideal for management of photos and pictures,
but my love affair with version 3223 which is more a file
manager and viewer, is a position I wish to hold onto. The only
program that compares slightly, that I am familiar with is
a rare old program called Commander.
The latest version of the
ACDSee program I have found to work best for me is version 3223.
It is
the fastest, smoothest most versatile picture and directory viewing
and file management program/tool I have discovered so far.
Versions after that: something seems to have gone all wrong and
it has gotten too complicated for me.... in fact the program is
now focused on photo handling and has moved away from what made
it great in the first place. For my photo handling, I have found
Ashampoo's Photo Commander
quite suitable.
The official website for ACDSee is
HERE, but
you will not find V3223 there now.
So as they do not sell or deal with it
any more, I would like to see what you think of it too. Download
3223 it by searching for the version
on Google.
Examine it and tell
me what you think.
I hope all this has been of help. If not.
Go
here.
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