Approximate around 25 DVDs, it's a compressed fileformat which reduce the datasize to 50%. Installing the DVDs on your harddrive will expand the datasize back to the original size.
Some of our dealers sell pre installed systems to their clients.
I know that Music-Store (a partner company of bestservice) offer this service for example.

best
Herb

@herb said:

Approximate around 25 DVDs, it's a compressed fileformat which reduce the datasize to 50%. Installing the DVDs on your harddrive will expand the datasize back to the original size.
Some of our dealers sell pre installed systems to their clients.
I know that Music-Store (a partner company of bestservice) offer this service for example.

best
Herb

Herb,

I believe you said that the complete library though 550 GB takes up 400GB on a hard disc as it uses a form of compression. If the samples are already compressed (all be it with no loss of quality - like apples lossless compression format?) How is it possible to further reduce data rates for the DVDs without any quality loss.

As with Apple's lossless compression can you only go so far before you have to start using algorithms that interpolate rather than store every byte?

Interested to know

Thanks

Julian

All our datas are stored in a compressed format on our DVDs (except First Edition). The only difference to our previous releases is, that the installer now automatically decompress and install the content of the Vienna Instruments. No need for UnrarX and co any more.

best
Herb

Julian I think they are encountering the same phenomenon that is known from other monolithic files (like GS files) or even single wave files. Those can be further compressed by usual lossless compression methods like .zip or .rar format are using. It would be not much of use to have this for the samples itself tho, because it needs quite a lot processing power (almost 100% to be exact) to extract it. So if the data was stored compressed for use, you'd have to extract it every time you access it. That would be not acceptable for performance.

All the best,
PolarBear

I was asking the question from a technical standpoint. I post completed mixes (via ftp) all the time. Currently these are sent uncompressed. For example a 550GB 24bit file goes at 550. Apple's lossless compression might get this down to half that I believe. However using the VSL compression techniques of both the file itself and the compression for the DVD's they are indicating that 550GB of data is sent out at about 200GB (Library compressed to 400GB DVD's further compressed to 200GB)

I am wondering how this is actually achieved without any loss of data as not every byte can be used?

Julian.

The DVD compression is not a fixed compression value.
For example long sounding harp plugs which do have 100 MB uncompressed, go down to 20 MB.
Generally long fading wavs compress best, and wavs with full level sounds do have less compression. Maybe only 70%.

The 50% compression on our DVDs is therefor an average number.

best
Herb

CocoaMonkey is quite good for lossless audio compression and decompression, I use i all the time for work over ftp

Intelligent algorithms are able to do that, just as they can compress e.g. the OS files for the installation discs without loosing a single byte.

There are two types that you could use - either rar or zip the wav/aiff file, but then the client has to do the same which is timeconsuming for a big file. Both rar and zip are spreaded widely so chances are high all clients can read it. The other way is to use one of the many lossless audio compression programs, but that will need the client to have the same program or a codec for it installed on the computer. The advantage here is also good compression (up to half the file size) and with most a low-latency playback (i.e. no destuffing/unraring needed), just play the file in Winamp like a normal mp3 or wav.

PolarBear

@PolarBear said:

Intelligent algorithms are able to do that, just as they can compress e.g. the OS files for the installation discs without loosing a single byte.

There are two types that you could use - either rar or zip the wav/aiff file, but then the client has to do the same which is timeconsuming for a big file.
PolarBear

I do zip the files but with most of my files only notice say a saving of between 2-10% hence my interest in the large amounts of data that VSL are saving when they compress. Could it be that my files tend to be completed mixes using the full bit depth for a lot of the time whereas the VSL samples will be having a lot of decay tails where there might be some saving?

Julian

You have to use RAR compression, and you have to enable "force audio compression"
Zip files don't give reasonable results.

best
Herb

useful to know

Thanks

Julian

I thought I might add this link as it might fit here:

http://www.firstpr.com.au/audiocomp/lossless/

There are some real-live situations and algorithms tested. Be warned though, it seems a bit old now, and it may well be there are better options today (I haven't researched this field deeply yet).

PolarBear