MPEG-FAQ 4.1:
MetaSound
MetaSound
A partial software MPEG-1 decoder
with effective cost and high quality
MetaSound is a cost-effective and high-quality MPEG-1 decoder,
provided by Meta Media Inc. MetaSound is a partial software decoder,
designed to work with hardware video decoders. This solution can
reduce the hardware cost due to no hardware audio decoder required.
In another aspect, MetaSound can support high-quality decoding with
the help of hardware video decoder sharing the computation load.
Currently, MetaSound has been successfully incorporated to work with
three hardware video decoders.
Important features of MetaSound:
* High performance:
For 486 DX4-100 machines or above, MetaSound can deliver FM quality
(22 KHz) sound. For Pentium-90 or above machines, MetaSound requires only
40% CPU bandwidth to deliver CD quality (44.1 KHz) sound.
* High Fidelity CD quality sound.
MetaSound produces near CD quality sound. Under the lab test, the
sound quality is better than several good hardware audio decoders.
* Compatibility with MS Windows/3.1 and Windows/95.
* Portability to other platforms.
According to experiences, it takes less than one month to port to new
hardware video decoders.
* CD standard supports including Video CD 1.0, Video CD 2.0, and CDI.
* Friendly user interface with full set of functions.
Volume control, stop, pause, forward, backward, mute,
resume, select the previous/next program track (Video CD 2.0),
randomly select a program track (Video CD 2.0).
* Error Recovery.
MetaSound can automatically skip error bitstreams.
About Meta Media Inc.
---------------------
Meta Media Inc. is a multimedia software company providing with
solutions of system integration and value-adding multimedia software
for hardware companies. The company has several professional
members, supporting R&D, including experienced PhDs and Masters. The
company also has strong technical supports from universities. In
addition to MetaSound, the company is also developing several other
MPEG-related products.
Meta Media, Inc.
F8, #10-1, Ho-Ping East Rd. Sec. 1
Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Phone: 011-886-2-369-3330
FAX: 011-886-2-369-3331
email: mmedia@ms4.hinet.net.tw