Musepack SV8 beta is out

Seed · 23 September 2007, 09:59 pm

The Musepack SV8 beta is out. The new stream version solves all of the format's issues and opens a vast range of possibilties. We have set a goal to make Musepack an optimal choice for any kind of application which demands high quality audio. SV8 offers many improvements and benefits to anyone from users to content providers to application developers.

Musepack audio can now be used in video, online radio, voice communications and more. It's optimal for projects which demand high quality, fast-decoded, truly gapless audio streams and instant, sample-accurate seeking such as video games, interactive or static demonstrations and various specialized applications.

This is a beta of the format's stream version itself and not just the codec's accompanying applications. SV8 is complete, but it needs to be finalized. There is a chance that some bugs have gone unnoticed. The purpose of this beta release is to allow wide-scale testing before the new stream version is finalized. Your participation is essential.

We don't recommend that you start mass-encoding or converting SV7 files to SV8 just yet. If changes to the bitstream will have to be made, they may break compatibility with files created by the beta version. After the public beta testing period is finished (the period of time depends on the findings) and the final version is released, you could safely encode and convert.

Users: if you encounter any trouble with either mpcenc, mpcdec, mpcgain, mpccut, or mpc2sv8, feel free to report it.
Developers: if you have any question to ask, problem to report or patch to submit, feel free to do so.

Package contents:

mpcenc - Musepack SV8 encoder
mpcdec - Musepack SV8 decoder sample application based on the latest decoder library
mpcgain - Musepack SV8 ReplayGain utility based on our new ReplayGain library
mpccut - Musepack SV8 stream cutter
mpc2sv8 - Musepack SV7 to SV8 lossless converter

Changes:

- Packetized stream allowing muxing into audio and video containers (e.g. MKA, MKV, NUT)
- Streamable
- Sample-accurate, fast seeking independent of file length
- Sample-accurate cutting
- No internal clipping. --noxlevel flag removed, not needed anymore
- Bitstream compressed by highly optimized canonical huffman tables - 2% smaller files and faster decoding
- Cleaned up and rearranged code - libmpcdec, libmpcenc, libmpcpsy
- Removed input from audio card (OSS)

SV8 stream options:

--no_ei - do not write encoder information packet (default: off)
--no_st - do not write the seek table (default: off)
--num_frames x x = 0..7 - number of frames in packet = 4^x (default: 3)
--seek_distance x x = 0..15 - keep a seek table entry every 2^x audio packet (default: 1)

SV8 specification

Download:

Windows package
Source code

To test SV8 files, you can use the newly released foobar2000 beta.

Naturally, while SV8 is capable of being used in a new range of applications, support for it has to be implemented in them first. Applications which already support SV7 will have to be updated to allow use of SV8 files.

Antonski · 24 September 2007, 08:45 am

Thank you!!!
I'm going to start testing tonight

\m/

blaggo · 24 September 2007, 09:31 am

I've always liked the format since several years ago, but I never 'adopted it' - this may change in the very near future.... because of the development which seems to have been taken up again.

I see Musepack now, and since maybe the last 7 years(?) as in a similar position to OGG Vorbis, but OGG Vorbis kind of fizzled out - not ruling out a resurgence there too of course. But anyway, I'm just pleased and grateful to see this kind of development - thanks very very much to all involved.

Muse · 28 September 2007, 03:54 pm

I have always been loyal to musepack and I'm very happy about this news.

Congratulations and chapeau for the developers!!!

Muse

Rabbit · 01 October 2007, 10:08 pm

Thanks.

I'm expecting the final version (or, at least, the final stream version).

galova · 06 October 2007, 03:40 pm

great news!

burning shadow · 06 October 2007, 11:31 pm

This is FANTASTIC!

You guys are wonderful! Thank you very much! I'll start testing soon too.

Dhry · 14 October 2007, 05:07 pm

Congrats on the new SV8! ETA for a WinAMP plugin?

Seed · 15 October 2007, 12:53 pm

There is one. With permission from the author we'll release it.

Lost Angel · 16 October 2007, 08:31 pm

sounds great in foobar right now... though I've a feeling bass is reduced... might be wrong as I don't remember the original (should've compared better)...

But I've a request to make - some simple frontend to convert older mpc files, please.

xmixahlx · 17 October 2007, 04:55 pm

dude...

you can't just flippantly say "bass is reduced" without being cyber-bitchslapped around here. you need to figure that shit out before posting it.

Shy · 18 October 2007, 11:48 am

It's not possible, as any changes that could affect that are simply non-existent. Cyber-bitchslapping isn't really needed

, but it's true that writing something as serious as that, requires that you actually check things first.

A simple sv7-to-sv8 converter frontend might be available later after the final version.

mll · 02 November 2007, 12:20 pm

About wider adoption by the industry (videogames etc.): they are scared about the legal (non-)status of Musepack. Is it truly, 100% free (as in speech) ? If so, sketch up a page that clearly answers all the lingerings arguments about this, one by one.

Shy · 02 November 2007, 04:20 pm

I don't know of anyone being "scared" in the industry. There is no argument which shows that what we've already clearly stated is false. We've learned from the Vorbis legality debate fiasco in the past to avoid referring to baseless FUD. It's up to companies to conduct their own research if they're concerned.
The decoder is under a BSD-like license, the encoder is under an LGPL license, and the format is patent-free.

Lost Angel · 11 November 2007, 06:40 pm

take it easy, guys, I told you, I've not compared, just had that subjective impression

Dhry · 02 December 2007, 04:14 pm

For those, like me, who were following this thread and waiting for the WinAMP plugin to be released 'with the author's permission', it's been released.

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/...howtopic=59303

Seed · 03 December 2007, 01:56 pm

The latest version is here

Keep in mind that the encoder binary is not as optimized as in the official beta package. This archive has an updated mpcdec which I advise to use instead of the older one.

Dirkvl · 31 December 2007, 07:58 pm

I've scripted an encoding plugin for dBpowerAmp 12 and placed it at
http://dirkvl.dommel.be/MPC_SV8.exe

-Dirk-

Seed · 01 January 2008, 02:26 am

Cool. We'll check it out.

Happy new year to everyone (who celebrates it)

Sina · 13 January 2008, 07:23 am

Really, when will you release the final version?

23 September 2007, 09:59 pm	#1
Seed Musepack Nanny Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 168	Musepack SV8 beta is out The Musepack SV8 beta is out. The new stream version solves all of the format's issues and opens a vast range of possibilties. We have set a goal to make Musepack an optimal choice for any kind of application which demands high quality audio. SV8 offers many improvements and benefits to anyone from users to content providers to application developers. Musepack audio can now be used in video, online radio, voice communications and more. It's optimal for projects which demand high quality, fast-decoded, truly gapless audio streams and instant, sample-accurate seeking such as video games, interactive or static demonstrations and various specialized applications. This is a beta of the format's stream version itself and not just the codec's accompanying applications. SV8 is complete, but it needs to be finalized. There is a chance that some bugs have gone unnoticed. The purpose of this beta release is to allow wide-scale testing before the new stream version is finalized. Your participation is essential. We don't recommend that you start mass-encoding or converting SV7 files to SV8 just yet. If changes to the bitstream will have to be made, they may break compatibility with files created by the beta version. After the public beta testing period is finished (the period of time depends on the findings) and the final version is released, you could safely encode and convert. Users: if you encounter any trouble with either mpcenc, mpcdec, mpcgain, mpccut, or mpc2sv8, feel free to report it. Developers: if you have any question to ask, problem to report or patch to submit, feel free to do so. Package contents: mpcenc - Musepack SV8 encoder mpcdec - Musepack SV8 decoder sample application based on the latest decoder library mpcgain - Musepack SV8 ReplayGain utility based on our new ReplayGain library mpccut - Musepack SV8 stream cutter mpc2sv8 - Musepack SV7 to SV8 lossless converter Changes: - Packetized stream allowing muxing into audio and video containers (e.g. MKA, MKV, NUT) - Streamable - Sample-accurate, fast seeking independent of file length - Sample-accurate cutting - No internal clipping. --noxlevel flag removed, not needed anymore - Bitstream compressed by highly optimized canonical huffman tables - 2% smaller files and faster decoding - Cleaned up and rearranged code - libmpcdec, libmpcenc, libmpcpsy - Removed input from audio card (OSS) SV8 stream options: --no_ei - do not write encoder information packet (default: off) --no_st - do not write the seek table (default: off) --num_frames x x = 0..7 - number of frames in packet = 4^x (default: 3) --seek_distance x x = 0..15 - keep a seek table entry every 2^x audio packet (default: 1) SV8 specification Download: Windows package Source code To test SV8 files, you can use the newly released foobar2000 beta. Naturally, while SV8 is capable of being used in a new range of applications, support for it has to be implemented in them first. Applications which already support SV7 will have to be updated to allow use of SV8 files.

24 September 2007, 09:31 am	#3
blaggo Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1	Thanks for the ongoing Musepack development I've always liked the format since several years ago, but I never 'adopted it' - this may change in the very near future.... because of the development which seems to have been taken up again. I see Musepack now, and since maybe the last 7 years(?) as in a similar position to OGG Vorbis, but OGG Vorbis kind of fizzled out - not ruling out a resurgence there too of course. But anyway, I'm just pleased and grateful to see this kind of development - thanks very very much to all involved. __________________ "You take it all, You take it all the way!"

16 October 2007, 08:31 pm	#10
Lost Angel Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bremen, Deutschland Posts: 11	sounds great in foobar right now... though I've a feeling bass is reduced... might be wrong as I don't remember the original (should've compared better)... But I've a request to make - some simple frontend to convert older mpc files, please. __________________ Rain... Night... Musique...

17 October 2007, 04:55 pm	#11
xmixahlx Musepack developer Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: seattle, washington usa Posts: 111	dude... you can't just flippantly say "bass is reduced" without being cyber-bitchslapped around here. you need to figure that shit out before posting it. __________________ -xmixahlx, the one they call "mike" http://xmixahlx.com -\|- http://rarewares.org

02 November 2007, 12:20 pm	#13
mll Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 24	Good news indeed. :) About wider adoption by the industry (videogames etc.): they are scared about the legal (non-)status of Musepack. Is it truly, 100% free (as in speech) ? If so, sketch up a page that clearly answers all the lingerings arguments about this, one by one.

24 September 2007, 08:45 am	#2
Antonski Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bulgaria Posts: 102	Thank you!!! I'm going to start testing tonight \m/

28 September 2007, 03:54 pm	#4
Muse Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Germany Posts: 7	I have always been loyal to musepack and I'm very happy about this news. Congratulations and chapeau for the developers!!! Muse

01 October 2007, 10:08 pm	#5
Rabbit Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bucharest Posts: 5	Thanks. I'm expecting the final version (or, at least, the final stream version).

06 October 2007, 03:40 pm	#6
galova Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1	great news!

06 October 2007, 11:31 pm	#7
burning shadow Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: St.Petersburg, Russia Posts: 4	This is FANTASTIC! You guys are wonderful! Thank you very much! I'll start testing soon too.

14 October 2007, 05:07 pm	#8
Dhry Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2	Congrats on the new SV8! ETA for a WinAMP plugin?

15 October 2007, 12:53 pm	#9
Seed Musepack Nanny Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 168	There is one. With permission from the author we'll release it.

18 October 2007, 11:48 am	#12
Shy Admin Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 370	It's not possible, as any changes that could affect that are simply non-existent. Cyber-bitchslapping isn't really needed , but it's true that writing something as serious as that, requires that you actually check things first. A simple sv7-to-sv8 converter frontend might be available later after the final version.

02 November 2007, 04:20 pm	#14
Shy Admin Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 370	I don't know of anyone being "scared" in the industry. There is no argument which shows that what we've already clearly stated is false. We've learned from the Vorbis legality debate fiasco in the past to avoid referring to baseless FUD. It's up to companies to conduct their own research if they're concerned. The decoder is under a BSD-like license, the encoder is under an LGPL license, and the format is patent-free.

11 November 2007, 06:40 pm	#15
Lost Angel Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bremen, Deutschland Posts: 11	take it easy, guys, I told you, I've not compared, just had that subjective impression __________________ Rain... Night... Musique...

02 December 2007, 04:14 pm	#16
Dhry Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2	For those, like me, who were following this thread and waiting for the WinAMP plugin to be released 'with the author's permission', it's been released. http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/...howtopic=59303

03 December 2007, 01:56 pm	#17
Seed Musepack Nanny Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 168	The latest version is here Keep in mind that the encoder binary is not as optimized as in the official beta package. This archive has an updated mpcdec which I advise to use instead of the older one.

31 December 2007, 07:58 pm	#18
Dirkvl Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 7	dBpowerAmp plugin I've scripted an encoding plugin for dBpowerAmp 12 and placed it at http://dirkvl.dommel.be/MPC_SV8.exe -Dirk-

01 January 2008, 02:26 am	#19
Seed Musepack Nanny Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 168	Cool. We'll check it out. Happy new year to everyone (who celebrates it)

13 January 2008, 07:23 am	#20
Sina Unregistered Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 34	... Really, when will you release the final version?

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