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Windows Evaluation Decoder

This Win95/98/NT/2000/XP/Vista/Win7/Win8 32-bit Windows application can be used to decode or scale Scala bitstreams and evaluate the coding efficiency of Scala's scalable technology. The software includes a bit error simulator in order to evaluate error resilience when decoding corrupt bitstreams.

Both single-channel and stereo bitstreams are now supported across a range of sample rates. Details regarding program operation are contained in the help.txt file included within the .zip archive.

download winsac 1.2 (winsac.zip, 165 kb, updated 2 November 2005)

Coding Quality Demonstration

The following sound files demonstrate the coding quality of Scala's error-resilient scalable audio codec, relative to two fixed-bitrate and two scalable reference codecs:

• MPEG-1 Layer 3 (MP3) - FhG mp3 codec - fixed bitrate

• MPEG-4 AAC Low Complexity Profile (AAC) - Apple Quicktime Pro 6.5 - fixed bitrate

• MPEG-4 Bit Sliced Arithmetic Coding (BSAC) - scalable

• Microsoft Embedded Audio Coder (EAC) - scalable

All files are approximately 6 seconds in length with 44.1 kHz sample rate. Samples are presented both as compressed bitstreams and uncompressed (decoded) .wav files.

Note that the Scala .sab bitstreams can be scaled or decoded at bitrates lower than the nominal encoded bitstream rates using the demonstration decoder software.

Contact Scala to request .sab bitstreams for alternative source material.

 

Mono 64 kbit/s
 

Signal	Original file (uncoded)		MP3	AAC	BSAC	EAC	SCALA
harpsichord	harp.wav	bitstream	harp64.mp3	harp64.aac	harp64.mp4	harp64.eac	harp64.sab
		decoded wav	harp64_mp3.wav	harp64_aac.wav	harp64_bsac.wav	harp64_eac.wav	harp64_sac.wav
female voice	voice.wav	bitstream	voice64.mp3	voice64.aac	voice64.mp4	voice64.eac	voice64.sab
		decoded wav	voice64_mp3.wav	voice64_aac.wav	voice64_bsac.wav	voice64_eac.wav	voice64_sac.wav
castanets	cast.wav	bitstream	cast64.mp3	cast64.aac	cast64.mp4	cast64.eac	cast64.sab
		decoded wav	cast64_mp3.wav	cast64_aac.wav	cast64_bsac.wav	cast64_eac.wav	cast64_sac.wav
Scalable bitstreams ?			no	no	yes	yes	yes

 

Stereo 96 kbit/s
 

Signal	Original file (uncoded)		MP3	AAC	SCALA
harpsichord	harps.wav	bitstream	harps96.mp3	harps96.aac	harps96.sab
		decoded wav	harps96_mp3.wav	harps96_aac.wav	harps96_sac.wav
vocal quartet	quartet.wav	bitstream	quartet96.mp3	quartet96.aac	quartet96.sab
		decoded wav	quartet96_mp3.wav	quartet96_aac.wav	quartet96_sac.wav
castanets	casts.wav	bitstream	casts96.mp3	casts96.aac	casts96.sab
		decoded wav	casts96_mp3.wav	casts96_aac.wav	casts96_sac.wav
Scalable bitstreams ?			no	no	yes