Browse Definitions:
File Extension

MP3 File Format

MPEG Audio Layer 3 (AC3) file

MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3) is a standard technology and format for compressing a sound sequence into a very small file (about one-twelfth the size of the original file) while preserving the original level of sound quality when it is played.

MP3 provides near CD quality audio. It is one of the most common music file types. It is not an MPEG 3 but uses the audio compression found in layer III in MPEG 1 or 2 video files, the audio stream layer. The name MPEG is derived from the Moving Picture Experts Group and was created by the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany in 1991. Sound quality varies by such settings as bit rate (fixed or variable), sample rate, joint or normal stereo. Mp3 has a proposed replacement in MP3pro with better sound for a given file size.

MIME type: audio/mp3, audio/mpeg3, audio/mpg, audio/mpeg, audio/x-mpeg, audio/x-mpeg-3, audio/mp3, audio/x-mpegaudio, audio/x-mpg, audio/x-mp3, audio/mpeg3, video/mpeg, video/x-mpeg

 

Learn more about MP3 files:

Visit the MPEG webpage.

Search for answers to MP3-related questions at IT Knowledge Exchange.

This was last updated in July 2010
By Margaret Rouse
Browse File Extensions Alphabetically:

Ask a Question. Find an Answer.

Ask your peers a question about this file extension.

Ask a Question

Join the conversation

2 comments

Send me notifications when other members comment.

Register

By submitting you agree to receive email from TechTarget and its partners. If you reside outside of the United States, you consent to having your personal data transferred to and processed in the United States. Privacy

Please create a username to comment.

The MP3 term was found on acronym finder. This site provided a definition of what the letters represent. The objective was to ensure that a reliable basic understanding was obtained of the words. A link was provided to this site from Acronym Finder.
Cancel
Should I be able to download a MP3 file from iTunes and save it to my iPhone?
Cancel

-ADS BY GOOGLE

SearchCompliance

  • smart contract

    A smart contract, also known as a cryptocontract, is a computer program that directly controls the transfer of digital currencies...

  • risk map (risk heat map)

    A risk map, also known as a risk heat map, is a data visualization tool for communicating specific risks an organization faces. A...

  • internal audit (IA)

    An internal audit (IA) is an organizational initiative to monitor and analyze its own business operations in order to determine ...

SearchCloudProvider

SearchSecurity

  • evil maid attack

    An evil maid attack is a security exploit that targets a computing device that has been shut down and left unattended.  An evil ...

  • Common Body of Knowledge (CBK)

    In security, Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) is a comprehensive framework of all the relevant subjects a security professional ...

  • rootkit

    A rootkit is a program or, more often, a collection of software tools that gives a threat actor remote access to and control over...

SearchHealthIT

  • value-based healthcare

    Value-based healthcare, also known as value-based care, is a payment model that rewards healthcare providers for providing ...

  • health informatics

    Health informatics is the practice of acquiring, studying and managing health data and applying medical concepts in conjunction ...

  • clinical trial

    A clinical trial, also known as a clinical research study, is a protocol to evaluate the effects and efficacy of experimental ...

SearchDisasterRecovery

  • crisis communication

    Crisis communication is a method of corresponding with people and organizations during a disruptive event to provide them with ...

  • Zerto

    Zerto is a storage software vendor that specializes in enterprise-class business continuity and disaster recovery in virtual and ...

  • crisis management plan (CMP)

    A crisis management plan (CMP) is a document that outlines the processes an organization will use to respond to a critical ...

SearchStorage

  • SSD write cycle

    An SSD write cycle is the process of programming data to a NAND flash memory chip in a solid-state storage device.

  • data storage

    Data storage is the collective methods and technologies that capture and retain digital information on electromagnetic, optical ...

  • hard disk

    A hard disk is part of a unit -- often called a disk drive, hard drive or hard disk drive -- that stores and provides relatively ...

SearchSolidStateStorage

  • hybrid hard disk drive (HDD)

    A hybrid hard disk drive is an electromechanical spinning hard disk that contains some amount of NAND Flash memory.

SearchCloudStorage

Close