Technology Bitrate Question

[THEV1LL4N]

Wondering if anyone knows why this problem occurs?

The other day i was listening to music and the majority of the songs were in 320kbps and 256kbps. The album was approx 86MB.

When the song finishes and +1 to play count, the bitrate in Windows Media Player and Windows Explorer decreases to approx 199kbps, 218kbps, 194kbps etc... but the size of the file remains the same.

why does this happen?

is it possibly because it is variable bitrate and it becomes fixed when transferred to another device?

the format is mp3.

 

[Cooper]

Windows struggles with VBR. It doesn't display the correct rate.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

is that what it may have been? because i just took the files as they were expect i renamed the file names and tags to inclued the relevant info.

did not re-bitrate it like i do with other mp3s.

 

[masta247]

yeah Variable bitrate means that there's different bitrate on different parts of your songs. For example when there's silence the bitrate might go down to really low while with more demanding sounds it goes way higher.
Some players read only the bitrate they see at the beginning or from a random or fixed moment of your tracks so it's almost never accurate, especially since most VBR algorithms go either low or high, rarely in the middle. Same with ABR - actually there's almost no difference between these two. in VBR you set a scale (for example from 64kbps to 320kbps) and it uses what it thinks is right. In ABR you set one bitrate (for example 192kbps) and it might go as low and as high as it thinks is right/depending on the algorithm - it's average bitrate will always be around the value you set though.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

thanks masta. already knew that about the variable bitrate - i was thinking of using it for my mp3's but thought i would just keep a standard for all songs, unless i dont like some much and will put them down to 80kbps or 64kbps.

 

[Cooper]

Space is cheap, just rip them all at 320