ALAC: Difference between revisions
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'''Apple Lossless''' (also known as ''Apple Lossless Encoder'', ''ALE'', or ''Apple Lossless Audio Codec'', ''ALAC'') is a [[ | '''Apple Lossless''' (also known as ''Apple Lossless Encoder'', ''ALE'', or ''Apple Lossless Audio Codec'', ''ALAC'') is a [[lossless]] audio [[codec]] developed by Apple Computer. | ||
== Description == | |||
Apple Lossless data is stored within an [[MP4]] or [[MOV]] container with the filename extensions .m4a or .mov. It is not a variant of AAC, but a totally new codec. [[Apple iPod]]s with a dock connector and recent firmware can play Apple Lossless encoded files. It does not utilize any DRM scheme, but by the nature of the container, it is thought that DRM can be applied to ALAC much the same way it can with other files in QuickTime containers. | Apple Lossless data is stored within an [[MP4]] or [[MOV]] container with the filename extensions .m4a or .mov. It is not a variant of AAC, but a totally new codec. [[Apple iPod]]s with a dock connector and recent firmware can play Apple Lossless encoded files. It does not utilize any DRM scheme, but by the nature of the container, it is thought that DRM can be applied to ALAC much the same way it can with other files in QuickTime containers. | ||
Apple claims that audio files compressed with its lossless codec will use up ''"about half the storage space"'' that the uncompressed data would require. | Apple claims that audio files compressed with its lossless codec will use up ''"about half the storage space"'' that the uncompressed data would require. | ||
The Apple Lossless Encoder was introduced as a component of [[QuickTime]] 6.5.1 on April 28 2004 and thus as a feature of Apple iTunes 4.5. The codec is also used in the AirPort Express's AirTunes implementation. | The Apple Lossless Encoder was introduced as a component of [[QuickTime]] 6.5.1 on April 28, 2004, and thus as a feature of Apple iTunes 4.5. The codec is also used in the AirPort Express's AirTunes implementation. | ||
David Hammerton and Cody Brocious have analyzed and reverse-engineered this codec without any documents on the format. On March 5 2005 Hammerton published a simple open source decoder in the C programming language on the basis of their work. | David Hammerton and Cody Brocious have analyzed and reverse-engineered this codec without any documents on the format. On March 5, 2005, Hammerton published a simple open source decoder in the C programming language on the basis of their work. | ||
== Player support == | |||
=== Hardware === | |||
* [[Apple iPod]] | * [[Apple iPod]] | ||
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* FiiO X1/X3/X5 | * FiiO X1/X3/X5 | ||
=== Software === | |||
* [[iTunes]] | * [[iTunes]] | ||
* [[QuickTime]] | * [[QuickTime]] | ||
* [[ | * [[dBpoweramp]] | ||
* [[foobar2000]] | * [[foobar2000]] | ||
* [[XMplay]] | * [[XMplay]] | ||
* [[ | * [[CUETools]] | ||
== See also == | |||
* [[Lossless_comparison|Lossless codec comparison]] by Rjamorim | |||
* [ | == External links == | ||
*[https://support.apple.com/kb/PH20502 iTunes for Windows: Choose import settings] | |||
* [http://craz.net/programs/itunes/alac.html Open Source Decoder] | * [http://craz.net/programs/itunes/alac.html Open Source Decoder] | ||
[[Category:Codecs]] | [[Category:Codecs]] | ||
[[Category:Lossless]] | [[Category:Lossless]] | ||
Revision as of 21:36, 30 September 2018
Apple Lossless (also known as Apple Lossless Encoder, ALE, or Apple Lossless Audio Codec, ALAC) is a lossless audio codec developed by Apple Computer.
Description
Apple Lossless data is stored within an MP4 or MOV container with the filename extensions .m4a or .mov. It is not a variant of AAC, but a totally new codec. Apple iPods with a dock connector and recent firmware can play Apple Lossless encoded files. It does not utilize any DRM scheme, but by the nature of the container, it is thought that DRM can be applied to ALAC much the same way it can with other files in QuickTime containers.
Apple claims that audio files compressed with its lossless codec will use up "about half the storage space" that the uncompressed data would require.
The Apple Lossless Encoder was introduced as a component of QuickTime 6.5.1 on April 28, 2004, and thus as a feature of Apple iTunes 4.5. The codec is also used in the AirPort Express's AirTunes implementation.
David Hammerton and Cody Brocious have analyzed and reverse-engineered this codec without any documents on the format. On March 5, 2005, Hammerton published a simple open source decoder in the C programming language on the basis of their work.
Player support
Hardware
- Apple iPod
- iRiver iHP-120/iHP-140 with the open source Rockbox firmware
- FiiO X1/X3/X5
Software
See also
- Lossless codec comparison by Rjamorim