SolidAudio is a new network audio system launched by the SolidAudio Project*.
Its advantages include high compression technology, making high sound quality with small file size possible, and complete copyright protection technology. Using this technology, safe and secure music delivery and contents distribution is possible.

*SolidAudio Project: NTT and Kobe Steel, as the core partners, launched this joint project in July, 1998. Its purpose was to spread the use of next generation network audio and to develop related services, further promoting multimedia information distribution.

For more details regarding SolidAudio's distribution system, please contact NTT East at solidaudio@solidaudio.ne.jp

SolidAudio provides the perfect solution for people involved in planning and production in the music delivery business and features the following merits.

1. High sound quality compression is perfect for delivery.

   The player uses TwinVQ, high sound quality music compression technology, reproducing CD-quality sound at 1:18 compression ratio. It is perfect for audio distribution in a narrow bandwidth communications infrastructure. TwinVQ is selected as ISO MPEG 4/Audio.

2. Prevents illegal reproduction of contents, providing copyright protection

   InfoBind provides copyright protection of network audio distribution using an unrenewable ID of SmaertMedia and contents encryption. The copyright protection ensures that contents cannot be played when they are copied to the other media.

3. Flexible system is applicable to all delivery models

   SolidAudio can be used, not only with the Internet and KIOSK terminals, but various delivery models because the encrypted contents and their decryption keys bound with MediaID are deliverd separately. Encrypted contents are made available through CD-ROM or satellite. When the end user wishes to use the contents, they obtain the keys at which time billing will be carried out.

1. SolidAudio Server

   SolidAudio system server for delivery of music files. Secure contents distribution is made possible by the separate delivery of encrypted contents and the keys to decrypt those contents. It is possible to separate the contents delivery server and key delivery server, in response to the needs of the delivery model.

2. SolidAudio Encoder

   SolidAudio system encoder allows individuals to compress and save music files while providing copyright protection. Encoder software is bundled with the SolidAudio Player, which was launched on July 30, 1999.

3. SolidAudio Downloader

   Downloads music files from the SolidAudio Server and writes them onto media. Can be used with PCs, specialized equipment, etc., for personal and business use.

4. PC

   Specialized software for downloading music files from the SolidAudio Server to a PC. Also, by using the encoder software bundled with SolidAudio Player, music CD and music wave files can be encoded for personal use while maintaining copyright protection.

5. Media

   Encryption using media-specific ID provides copyright protection and prevention of illegal copying, making secure contents distribution a reality.

6. SolidAudio Player

   SolidAudio system audio player. Launched by Hagiwara Sys-Com Co., Ltd. on July 30, 1999 as the world's first SolidAudio Player. Scheduled to be released for sale by various manufacturers in future.

Music and contents can be delivered through various networks, such as the Internet and dedicated lines

1. High sound quality/high compression ratio

   SolidAudio incorporates TwinVQ technology that, unlike conventional technology that converts individual data directly into codes, combines data and converts it into patterns. The patterns are then compared to prepared standardized patterns, and the one most closely resembling is chosen. That code becomes the signal compression. As a result, high sound quality is maintained even while achieving a high compression ratio. With a compression ratio of over 1:18, compressed files are approximately half the size of MP3 files (MPEG 1, Audio Layer 3: ISO-standard MPEG Audio system).

   In addition, compared to a music CD which has a maximum recording time of 74 minutes, with TwinVQ compression, over 20 hours of music can be recorded onto a single CD-R/RW disk.

   System	TwinVQ	MP3
   Encoding Condition	44kHz sampling, stereo, 16bit
   Music Source size (1min.)	Approx. 10MB
   File Size (1min.)	Approx. 550KB（40kbps/ch）	Approx. 910KB（128kbps）

   
   

2. Technology perfect for music delivery

   SolidAudio incorporates TwinVQ technology which has high resistance to code errors from fixed-length frame systems. Unlike conventional technology which used compression ratios, changing the compression signals and number of bits based on the amount of information, TwinVQ is resistant to transmission-induced code errors. Listening quality will not deteriorate even if circuit conditions on networks, such as the Internet, or radio wave based circuits, such as PHS, are poor.

3. Total copyright protection technology

   SolidAudio utilizes copyright protection technology called InfoBind, which was jointly developed by Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (or NTT) and Kobe Steel, Ltd. This technology is for contents distribution and encryption based on an unrewritable media ID. From the network to recording media, the system offers complete security and copyright protection in the contents distribution.