Audio Codec; a Digital Electronic Device Used to Encode or Decode Analog Data

 

An audio codec, also known as a sound codec, is simply a device or software package capable of decoding or encoding a digital audio data stream that encodes or decodes audio into another digital data format. It is used extensively in music production and distribution, in home computers and multimedia devices, as well as in various online applications. In computer terminology, codec is sometimes referred to as coder. For example, Windows Media provides a framework that compiles a number of codecs into a functional audio converter/decoder.

There are several different ways in which an audio codec may be used. The most common way to encode audio files into a computer program is to decode the file into its digital representation, which is then converted back into an analog signal or compressed signal using an analog audio converter or decoder. A decoder is used to decode the file into a lossless format that can be freely used on non-licensed computer programs. Opus is an excellent example of a codec. Opus is a powerful, patented media audio codec that compresses both audio and speech information into very small data packets.

This makes Opus ideal for transmitting over the Internet. Although Opus itself is not licensed for unrestricted use, it can be combined with other audio codecs to produce a more powerful compression format. Some of the most common formats used as Opus compatible codecs are Vorbis and Speex. Vorbis is an adaptable audio codec used on a variety of media including CD-ROMs, DVDs, digital video disks, and Web video. Speex is a widely accepted standard format for digital television. Internet streaming services often make use of Speex as their primary streaming format. Other formats have also been developed for specific purposes.

Audio codecs are widely used in consumer applications or portable media devices, such as gaming systems, PCs, home theatre, automotive, tablets, and mobile phones. Thus, there is an increasing demand for audio codecs due to growing internet penetration and increasing number of smartphones worldwide. According to El Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), in Mexico, around 90% of Internet users own a smartphone, around 67% have completed online purchases recently. Moreover, in 2020, around 79% of the population in Japan used a smartphone, a rapid increase from about 50% in 2015.