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Apple Lossless data is stored within an ] ] with the ] '']''. This extension is also used by Apple for lossy AAC audio data in an MP4 container (same container, different audio encoding). However, Apple Lossless is not a variant of ] (which is a lossy format), but rather a distinct lossless format that uses ] similar to other lossless codecs. These other lossless codecs, such as ] and ], are not natively supported in Apple's iTunes software, either in desktop operating systems (Mac OS or Windows) or ], so users of iTunes software who want to use a lossless format which allows the addition of ] (unlike WAV/AIFF or other PCM-type formats, where ]) have to use ALAC.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.video.ffmpeg.devel/19686|title=Re: Apple Lossless Audio Codec: Issues surrounding the release of my code?|accessdate=November 5, 2006|first=David|last=Hammerton|date=March 1, 2005|publisher=Gmane}}</ref> All current ]s can play ALAC–encoded files. ALAC also does not use any ] scheme, but by the nature of the MP4 ], it is thought that DRM could be applied to ALAC much the same way it can with files in other QuickTime containers. Apple Lossless data is stored within an ] ] with the ] '']''. This extension is also used by Apple for lossy AAC audio data in an MP4 container (same container, different audio encoding). However, Apple Lossless is not a variant of ] (which is a lossy format), but rather a distinct lossless format that uses ] similar to other lossless codecs. These other lossless codecs, such as ] and ], are not natively supported in Apple's iTunes software, either in desktop operating systems (Mac OS or Windows) or ], so users of iTunes software who want to use a lossless format which allows the addition of ] (unlike WAV/AIFF or other PCM-type formats, where ]) have to use ALAC.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.video.ffmpeg.devel/19686|title=Re: Apple Lossless Audio Codec: Issues surrounding the release of my code?|accessdate=November 5, 2006|first=David|last=Hammerton|date=March 1, 2005|publisher=Gmane}}</ref> All current ]s can play ALAC–encoded files. ALAC also does not use any ] scheme, but by the nature of the MP4 ], it is thought that DRM could be applied to ALAC much the same way it can with files in other 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. Testers using a selection of music have found that compressed files are about 40% to 60% the size of the originals depending on the kind of music, similar to other lossless formats.<ref name=ALAC-space1>{{cite web|url=http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Lossless_comparison#Comparison_Table|title=Lossless comparison - HydrogenAudio Knowledgebase|publisher=HydrogenAudio|date=July 27, 2011|accessdate=June 27, 2012}}</ref><ref name=ALAC-space2>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcelhearn.com/2011/11/05/an-overview-of-apple-lossless-compression-results|title=An Overview of Apple Lossless Compression Results|publisher=Kirkville|first=Kirk|last=McElhearn|date=November 5, 2011|accessdate=June 27, 2012}}</ref> Apple claims that audio files compressed with its lossless codec will use up "about half the storage space" that the uncompressed data would require. Testers using a selection of music have found that compressed files are about 40% to 60% the size of the originals depending on the kind of music, similar to other lossless formats.<ref name=ALAC-space1>{{cite web|url=http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Lossless_comparison#Comparison_Table|title=Lossless comparison - HydrogenAudio Knowledgebase|publisher=HydrogenAudio|date=July 27, 2011|accessdate=June 27, 2012}}</ref><ref name=ALAC-space2>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcelhearn.com/2011/11/05/an-overview-of-apple-lossless-compression-results|title=An Overview of Apple Lossless Compression Results|publisher=Kirkville|first=Kirk|last=McElhearn|date=November 5, 2011|accessdate=June 27, 2012}}</ref> Furthermore, the speed at which it can be decoded makes it useful for limited-power devices such as ] devices.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}


==History== ==History==

Revision as of 07:46, 13 September 2012

Apple Lossless
Developer(s)Apple Inc.
Initial releaseApril 28, 2004; 20 years ago (2004-04-28)
Stable releaseOctober 28, 2011; 13 years ago (2011-10-28)
Repository
TypeAudio codec
LicenseApache License 2.0
Websitealac.macosforge.org
Apple Lossless
Filename extension .m4a
Developed byApple Inc.
Type of formatLossless data compression, audio file format
Contained byMPEG-4 Part 14

Apple Lossless, also known as Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC), or Apple Lossless Encoder (ALE), is an audio codec developed by Apple Inc. for lossless data compression of digital music. After initially being proprietary for many years, in late 2011 Apple open sourced and made royalty-free the Apple Lossless codec. Since its inception in 2004, Apple has traditionally referred to the codec as Apple Lossless, though more recently has begun to use the more commonly used outside of Apple abbreviated term ALAC when presenting or discussing the codec.

Codec

Apple Lossless data is stored within an MP4 container with the filename extension .m4a. This extension is also used by Apple for lossy AAC audio data in an MP4 container (same container, different audio encoding). However, Apple Lossless is not a variant of AAC (which is a lossy format), but rather a distinct lossless format that uses linear prediction similar to other lossless codecs. These other lossless codecs, such as FLAC and Shorten, are not natively supported in Apple's iTunes software, either in desktop operating systems (Mac OS or Windows) or iOS devices, so users of iTunes software who want to use a lossless format which allows the addition of metadata (unlike WAV/AIFF or other PCM-type formats, where metadata is usually ignored) have to use ALAC. All current iDevices can play ALAC–encoded files. ALAC also does not use any DRM scheme, but by the nature of the MP4 container, it is thought that DRM could be applied to ALAC much the same way it can with files in other 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. Testers using a selection of music have found that compressed files are about 40% to 60% the size of the originals depending on the kind of music, similar to other lossless formats. Furthermore, the speed at which it can be decoded makes it useful for limited-power devices such as iOS devices.

History

The Apple Lossless Encoder (the software for encoding into ALAC files) was introduced into the Mac OS X Core Audio framework on April 28, 2004 together with the QuickTime 6.5.1 update, and thus available in iTunes as of version 4.5 and above. The codec is also used in the AirPort and AirPlay implementation.

The Apple Lossless Encoder (and decoder) was released as open source software under the Apache License version 2.0 on October 27, 2011.

Other players

David Hammerton and Cody Brocious have analyzed and decoded this codec without any documents on the format. On March 5, 2005, Hammerton published a simple open source decoder in the programming language C on the basis of the reverse engineering work.

The open source library libavcodec incorporates both a decoder and an encoder for Apple Lossless format which means that media players based on that library, including VLC media player and MPlayer, are able to play Apple Lossless files, as well as many media centre applications for home theatre computers, such as Plex, XBMC, and Boxee. The library was subsequently optimized for ARM processors and included in Rockbox.

See also

References

  1. "iTunes Store: How to subscribe to iTunes Match". Apple Inc. January 16, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2012. Songs encoded in ALAC, WAV, or AIFF will be transcoded to a separate temporary AAC 256 kbps file locally, prior to uploading to iCloud. The original files will remain untouched.
  2. Hammerton, David (March 1, 2005). "Re: Apple Lossless Audio Codec: Issues surrounding the release of my code?". Gmane. Retrieved November 5, 2006.
  3. "Lossless comparison - HydrogenAudio Knowledgebase". HydrogenAudio. July 27, 2011. Retrieved June 27, 2012.
  4. McElhearn, Kirk (November 5, 2011). "An Overview of Apple Lossless Compression Results". Kirkville. Retrieved June 27, 2012.
  5. "Welcome to the Apple Lossless Audio Codec Project". Apple Lossless Audio Codec. MacOS Forge. October 27, 2011. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
  6. Foresman, Chris (October 28, 2011). "After seven years, Apple open sources its Apple Lossless Audio Codec". Ars Technica. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
  7. von Eitzen, Chris (October 28, 2011). "Apple open sources its ALAC lossless audio codec". The H. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
  8. "ALAC". Crazney.net. 2004. Retrieved June 27, 2012.

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