Here is my take on Ots files....
They are simply repackaged MP3 files.
Packaged in a way that allow you to play VBR files properly, by calculating play time and other variables in the initial scan, just one time, instead of each time in a live environment. This in turn ruduces resource usage during playback.
Also, MP3 files are only capable of holding a single track stream, whereas an ots album can hold the data streams for an entire album or box set, making it more realistic. An album is truely an album.
MP3 tags tend to be very limited in the ability to store, and sort, multiple genres. Not a problem with Ots files. I search my library often by genre, release, tempo, BPM, lastplay, instrumental, soloist, group, male, female..... It's biggest downfall IMO, is that it will only allow 128 categories. There are more genres/Sub genres than that!
I complained about the Ots file myself in the very begining, but have no regrets from changing to it. If I ever wish to use an mp3 file, it's easy enough to export one to fill my needs.
Did you know you can make changes to the way Ots files sound without any distruction to the original audio data? Sure! I can change trim poins, reference points for triggering, and fade points, and it doesn't affect the original data at all! During the import process, the track is scanned and marked with a level indicator so that the dynamics processor will "normalize" the track on playback, therefore again, not deteriorating the original data, allowing for a true original.
Lastly, I can make several versions of the same song from a single data stream. For instance the bryan adams song, everything I do, I do for you. I can play the original full 6 minute version, or with a link to the original date, create a new audio control chunk that chops the song to a 3 minute radio version, and fades at the break. Now I have 2 song variations using the same audio data space on the HDD.
But hey! That's just me. I'm different! If you like MP3 files, then so be it. I don't plan to return to them personally. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif[/img]
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Jeff
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