VQF FAQ

What is VQF?

VQF is a new recording format, like MP3, but better in a couple of ways. All of the things about it will be explained below, and if you still have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me.

1. File size:

VQF files are approximately 30-35% smaller than MP3 files, when comparing a 128kbps MP3 to a 96kbps VQF. For example, take a 5 minute song. The WAV file you would rip off the CD would be about 50MB, depending on the quality. If you were going to encode that as a MP3, @ 44khz and 128kbps, it would end up being about 4.5MB, and some sound quality loss. If you were going to take the same file and encode it as a 96kbps, 44khz VQF, it would only be about 3.5MB, and have better quality. Too good to be true? listen to each type of file for yourself and find out! An 80kbps VQF file is the same quality as a 128kbps MP3.

2. Sound quality:

As already said above, the sound quality is much, much better. Another example is take a WAV file and encode it as a 256kbps MP3 file, it would be about 9MB, but close to CD quality. But why would you do that when you could encode the same song as a 96kbps VQF and have the same quality and in a file 1/4 the size?

3. CPU usage:

Okay all you MP3 fans, this is the only bad part about VQF's, they use more of your processor power. Hey, it's not all bad, you have to sacrifice something for better quality. Why is this? Well, when the VQF format was introduced, Pentiums were everywhere, and they could handle it, unlike my 486/66. Now, Pentium II's are getting much cheaper, and are more popular, so they can use more of your processor, with plenty speed left for everything else. For example, a 128kbps MP3 on a Pentium 233MMX uses about 15-20% of your processor's power, while a VQF uses about 30%, it's not that bad. If you have a slow computer, use the files in my archives, they play fine on a 486/50 with 20MB RAM, just don't do anything else :)

 

Drawbacks:

1. Few Files

VQF's are new, very new, so there aren't as many files out there, as there are MP3's, only about 1500 VQF's total, compared to tens of thousands of MP3's, but if you want to help the VQF community grow, encode your CD's and upload them, or decode MP3's (can you???) and encode them into VQF's.

2. Slowwwwwww Encoding

This is probably because of two things, one, being the most likely, is it takes more time to put more stuff in less space. The other one ties in with VQF being new. Since it is brand new, there hasn't been much time to refine the encoding engines and speed up the process. Other than that, there is nothing slowing it down.

Want to know how fast it will be on your system? A Pentium 233MMX will encode a 50MB WAV file in 10-15 minutes, if the priority is set to high. With the newest encoder by Yamaha, you can encode many files at once, or encode your files in batches, or many files, one right after another. Great for over night.

 

System Requirements

  • Windows 95, 98 or NT 40.
  • For encoding:
    • 486 66 minimum, 200MMX recommended (don't use a 486 for encoding, it's not fun)
    • 16MB RAM minimum, 32 or more recommended
  • For quality playback:
    • Pentium 90 minimum (75 will run, however), 200MMX recommended (50MHz for my files)
    • 16MB RAM.

Just a hint, if your computer can play MP3's fine, you will probably play VQF's without any problems, but if it struggles with MP3's, don't even waste your time downloading the songs, unless they are from my archive ; )

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