MP2 (format)
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MP2, also known as Musicam, is a short form of MPEG Audio Layer II, and it is also used as a file extension for files containing audio data of this type. While it has largely been superseded by MP3 for PC and Internet applications, it remains a dominant standard for audio broadcasting as part of the DAB digital radio and DVB digital television standards. It is also used internally within the radio industry, for example in NPR's PRSS (http://www.prss.org/) Content Depot (http://www.prss.org/contentdepot/) programming distribution system.
For details and a short historic introduction to MP2, see MP3.
Use in DVD-Video
All DVD-Video players in PAL countries contain stereo MP2 decoders, making MP2 a possible competitor to Dolby Digital in these markets. While some DVD recorders record in MP2 and many consumer-authored DVDs use the format, as of 2005 mass produced discs with MP2 soundtracks are very rare.
Naming confusion
The term and file extension MP2 usually refer to data in the MPEG-1 Audio Layer II format, but can also refer to MPEG-2 BC Audio Layer II, a backwards compatible extension which adds support for multi-channel sound and lower sampling rates. MP2 should not be confused with MPEG-2 video or MPEG-2 AAC audio formats.
External links
- MPEG Audio FAQ (http://www.tnt.uni-hannover.de/project/mpeg/audio/faq/)
- MPEG Audio Resources and Software (http://www.mpeg.org/MPEG/audio.html)de:MP2