Audio streaming

[dannyjoseph]

If I have an MP3 file (sized 20MB), and upload it onto my website in a way to be streamed as a Real Audio file, would the entire data transferred in Real Audio be equal to the 20MB (ie is listening to a file in read audio downloading the same amount of data as if the same file was downloaded in MP3?)?

Thanks in advance.

[OBonio]

Firstly Real Audio and MP3 are entirely different formats with different intended goals. Real Uadio was designed to be streamed over the internet. MP3 was designed to be as close to be CD quality as possible with good compression. It turns out, MP3s original design goals make it ideal for streaming on the internet too (http://www.shoutcast.com).

Generally, Real Audio isn't as good a quality as MP3 due to it being a streamed technology hence I'd hazard a guess and say less data than the original 20Mb would be streamed in RA format.

[OBonio]

That should be http://www.shoutcast.com