[G4] AIFF, MP3, Quality Issue

[Alex]

On May 15, 2005, at 10:36, James Asherman wrote:

> how can there be no files on the disc?

Easy. An audio CD (as opposed to a data CD) is not a computer disc, and 
it wasn't designed to be used on a computer. (Remember that, when the 
audio CD specs where being worked out, the Mac didn't even exist, and 
"personal computer" usually meant an Apple II or the original IBM PC.)

> If I make a disc consisting of Aiff's and it plays, then what are they 
> really.?

If you put AIFF files on a data CD, you get a data CD with AIFF files 
on it. It will play in a computer with the suitable software. It won't 
play in a CD player.

If you create an audio CD from AIFF files, you create an audio CD, 
which has no files of any kind on it. The software you use converts the 
AIFF and other data (pauses, CD-TEXT if any) into the dual data stream 
(audio + subcode) which is written to the audio CD.

Note that DVD is another ballgame. A DVD-V or DVD-A disc is a computer 
disc, with files and a filesystem on it.


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