With most modern formats reaching transparency, or getting close to it, at 128kbps as my Multiformat at 128kbps listening test demonstrated, the real arena where codecs are competing, and most development is going, is at low bitrates. There are important reasons for that: dial-up streaming, storage savings, bandwidth savings for the streaming station... such low bitrates can also be useful for 1 CD DVD rips.
This test's purpose is simulating a dial-up streaming feed. For that reason, bitrates are kept at 32kbps CBR, and VBR isn't being used.
The encoders and parameters tested are:
Anyone interested in audio quality at very low bitrates. Or people that have no interest but would like to help making this test better.
Download ABC/HR + the readme file from one of the following locations:
Instructions on how to participate are available in the readme.txt/readme.htm file inside the abc-hr_bin.zip package.
If you use BitTorrent, you can download .torrents for the sample packages here: http://www.rarewares.org/torrents/
If you can't use BitTorrent, you can find standard HTTP links inside the readme file
Yes! Thanks to schnofler, any person using an Operating System with Java can participate. Instructions are available inside the ABC/HR package (Readme.txt and unix-instructions.txt).
The test is scheduled to end on July 11th
If you have any other question, please get in touch.
Thank-you very much,