Date   : Sat, 16 Jul 2005 11:10:06 +0100
From   : Tim Fardell <tim.fardell@...>
Subject: Re: floppy discs

Pete Turnbull wrote:
> On Jul 15 2005, 18:35, Tim Fardell wrote:
 >>
>>Having said that, I still wouldn't choose it - I'd go for a
>>low-sample-rate PCM WAV and PKZIP it.
> 
> That's a bad idea for several reasons.
> 
> If you stick to basic forms like
> the original WAV format (which was essentially a byte-swapped version
> of the existing AIFF standard) all the standard tools can use it.

Precisely. Completely agree.

>  Then, if you want compression, use AIFC or one of the standard
> compression schemes built into WAV, not an external type.  

Well, the idea behind going for PCM WAV is that it's a very very common format 
that almost anything can deal with. Compressed WAV is not nearly so widely 
supported. Though I do take your point about using an external compressor - on 
reflection, this probably isn't a brilliant idea.

> Lastly, it's not what people are already doing.

Maybe, but just because everyone does something, does that mean it's the best 
way to do it?

My other "platform of interest" is the ZX Spectrum, and for that, nobody 
bothers to store the original audio - we use .TAP and .TZX format files.

http://www.worldofspectrum.org/TZXformat.html

I don't know if there is a similar format for Beeb tapes?

Tim.