# Glossary

CBR

Constant Bitrate is a type of encoding method used when an MP3 file is created. Constant Bitrate Encoding is a method that ensures a consistent bitrate throughout an encoded file at the expense of audio quality and/or encoder efficiency. The encoder allocates the same number of bits to difficult and easy sections. As a result, difficult sections may suffer quality degradation while easy sections may include unused bits. See also VBR.

FAT

The FreeAmp Themes create the design and appearance of the player, including the interface color, fonts, buttons, layout, menus, and size. The_Player comes with a default Theme, however you can create a custom Theme.

Icecast

Icecast http://www.icecast.org is an open source MP3 streaming server. See also SHOUTcast.

Ogg Vorbis

Ogg/Vorbis http://www.vorbis.com is an opensource audio codec, similar to MP3. Unlike MP3, OggVorbis is free and requires no royalties.

M3U

M3u files are the MP3 standard for playlist names and are recognized by most MP3 players. M3u files are actually text files that contain lists with the name and directory of MP3 files on your computer. When the FreeAmp My Music feature searches for playlists on your computer, it looks for files that end in .m3u or .pls. When you open a playlist, FreeAmp locates the MP3 files in the playlist and begins playback in the order you specified in the My Music window. See also PLS.

MP3

MP3 is the standard for downloadable music on the Internet. MP3 is a type of MPEG digital compression technology that takes a large audio file and then compresses it into a significantly smaller size that can be easily downloaded to your computer. Even though MP3 files are significantly smaller than the original file, the audio quality of the MP3 file sounds virtually the same as the original file. The name MP3 actually comes from the layer 3 section of the MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 specification.

MPEG

MPEG is an acronym for Moving Pictures Experts Group. MPEG is an international subcommittee that develops standards for digital audio and video compression.

MPEG-1 and MPEG-2

MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 are MPEG compression specifications. Each specification includes a set of rules to follow for file compression. When an MPEG-compliant MP3 file is created (encoded), the compression program checks the properties of the file and then follows the MPEG specification to create the MP3 file.

Obsequieum

Obsequeium is a networked MP3 Jukebox for Linux designed and maintained by Open Source, sponsored by EMusic.com, where you can find and listen to live MP3 streams using FreeAmp. Detailed information on the Obesequiem server is available on the Obesquiem Web site at http://obs.freeamp.org. To learn more about Open Source, visit their Web site at http://www.opensource.org/.

PLS

Pls files are a type of playlist file. They are similar to .m3u files, but may contain more information, such as a stream file or title and duration. When the My Music feature searches for playlists on your computer, it looks for files that end in .m3u or .pls. When you open a playlist, FreeAmp locates the MP3 files in the playlist and begins playback in the order you specified in the My Music window. See also M3u.

Playlist

A playlist is a list of music tracks that you organize and name.

When you save a playlist, FreeAmp gives the playlist a file name of .m3u. M3u files are actually small text files that contain only the name and directory to locate the MP3 files on your computer that are in that playlist. Pls files are similar to .m3u files, but may contain more information, such as a stream file or title and duration.

When you open a playlist, FreeAmp locates the files in the list and begins playback in the order you specified.

When the My Music feature searches for playlists on your computer, it looks for .m3u or .pls files and then adds them to your My Music Collection in the My Playlist folder.

RMP

RMP (Real Music Package) is the download format used by RealJukebox. The FreeAmp Download Manager downloads files from Web sites that use the RMP download format.

RTP

RTP (Real-Time Protocol) is the standard Internet protocol for transporting real-time data, such as MP3 audio streams.

SHOUTcast

SHOUTcast http://www.SHOUTcast.com is a Web site designed and maintained by Nullsoft, where you can find and listen to live MP3 streams using FreeAmp. See also Icecast.

Streaming

Streaming is a way of playing audio as it is being received from a streaming server without transferring the file to your computer.

VBR

Variable Bitrate is a type of encoding method used when an MP3 file is created. Variable Bitrate encoding ensures consistently high audio quality throughout an encoded file by making intelligent bit-allocation decisions during the encoding process. VBR-encoded files are typically smaller than files encoded using the CBR encoding method because the encoder puts bits where they are most needed. See also CBR.