[OutOfTimer]

For the highest quality Chatterbox, please visit this thread.

I'm considering getting the mobile version of GTA III if the sound quality is enhanced in this release. The original Chatterbox has a low quality sound and I was hoping for it to be better in this release. An MP3 half the size of the original WAV would have a dramatically improved sound quality. Does anyone know what the sound quality of the new release is? Original PC version Chatterbox is a 257 kbps file at 107 size lasting for 58 minutes. It's terrible encoding quality.

This post has been edited by OutOfTimer on Thursday, Dec 22 2011, 14:56

[BenDeR_]

96 kbps, 32 kHz (MP3)

[OutOfTimer]

QUOTE (BenDeR_ @ Wednesday, Dec 21 2011, 07:37)

96 kbps, 32 kHz (MP3)

Thanks for the info. I only wonder if it's re-encoded from the source or from the already released WAV. In any case, I wish they tried a little harder. Does it sound better than the original?

[Ash_735]

QUOTE (OutOfTimer @ Wednesday, Dec 21 2011, 08:33)

QUOTE (BenDeR_ @ Wednesday, Dec 21 2011, 07:37) 96 kbps, 32 kHz (MP3) Thanks for the info. I only wonder if it's re-encoded from the source or from the already released WAV. In any case, I wish they tried a little harder. Does it sound better than the original?

The Mobile Versions are actually the PC Digital Versions (Steam, GamersGate, etc) encoded to MP3.

The PC Digital Versions had all the Radio Stations at 32Khz 4bit LPCM, including Chatterbox (which was originally 16Khz 4bit LPCM on Disc). Looking at the stats for the new files, they haven't been converted from a Master Source, they literally have just took the LPCM Wave files from the Steam version and just converted them to CBR 96kbps MP3 (Encoded via LAME 3.98 to be specific). So quality wise, they could have done better, that means the Xbox Versions are still, Frequency wise, the best available since they were 44.1Khz 16bit, but only 128kbps WMA8.

[_____]

Lossy formats don't have a bit depth:

QUOTE (Wikipedia)

Technically speaking, bit depth is only meaningful when applied to pure PCM devices. Non-PCM formats such as lossy compression systems like MP3, have bit depths that are not defined in the same sense as PCM. In lossy audio compression, where bits are allocated to other types of information, the bits actually allocated to individual samples are allowed to fluctuate within the constraints imposed by the allocation algorithm.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_bit_depth#Digital_audio

I can share the Xbox files, but if I remember correctly they were encoded with a special Xbox codec but I can't remember for sure.

[buzbegone]

There's an Xbox2PC onversion mod for GTA III around here somewhere and there are links in that topic to the updated Xbox stations in .wav format.

Edit:
http://www.gtaforums.com/index.php?showtopic=399016&hl=

This post has been edited by buzbegone on Wednesday, Dec 21 2011, 16:10

[Ash_735]

QUOTE (_____ @ Wednesday, Dec 21 2011, 15:52)

Lossy formats don't have a bit depth: QUOTE (Wikipedia) Technically speaking, bit depth is only meaningful when applied to pure PCM devices. Non-PCM formats such as lossy compression systems like MP3, have bit depths that are not defined in the same sense as PCM. In lossy audio compression, where bits are allocated to other types of information, the bits actually allocated to individual samples are allowed to fluctuate within the constraints imposed by the allocation algorithm. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_bit_depth#Digital_audio I can share the Xbox files, but if I remember correctly they were encoded with a special Xbox codec but I can't remember for sure.

Take it as bit depth of the source it was converted from, which in the case of GTA III Mobile MP3's they came from the PC 32Khz 4bit Waves. Which still stands that the Xbox ones were sourced from 44.1Khz/16bit.

[_____]

How do you know that?

[Filip454]

It is simple. This is port from PC. If we check files on android, it shows you PC quality

[_____]

No, it's not. They could have converted the audio files from the original master recordings, how would you know the difference? The other files such as models and textures are easy to tell if they were converted\transferred from the PC version.

[OutOfTimer]

QUOTE (Ash_735 @ Wednesday, Dec 21 2011, 11:20)

The PC Digital Versions had all the Radio Stations at 32Khz 4bit LPCM, including Chatterbox (which was originally 16Khz 4bit LPCM on Disc). Looking at the stats for the new files, they haven't been converted from a Master Source, they literally have just took the LPCM Wave files from the Steam version and just converted them to CBR 96kbps MP3 (Encoded via LAME 3.98 to be specific). So quality wise, they could have done better, that means the Xbox Versions are still, Frequency wise, the best available since they were 44.1Khz 16bit, but only 128kbps WMA8.

QUOTE (buzbegone @ Wednesday, Dec 21 2011, 16:05)

There's an Xbox2PC onversion mod for GTA III around here somewhere and there are links in that topic to the updated Xbox stations in .wav format.

Thanks so much for your help, guys. I honestly didn't know that the XBox version has higher quality files, so I listened to the low quality PC version all these years. But not any more! I simply assumed the PC version would have the best quality and never checked it. The sound quality in the XBox version is vastly improved. It's almost perfect. Thanks again.

[Ash_735]

QUOTE (_____ @ Thursday, Dec 22 2011, 08:14)

No, it's not. They could have converted the audio files from the original master recordings, how would you know the difference? The other files such as models and textures are easy to tell if they were converted\transferred from the PC version.

If they converted from Master (which they haven't) they wouldn't have any need at all to reduce the frequency range to 32Khz, it would make more sense to use the Codec to keep the range as 44.1Khz since the bitrate is already reduced (as they did with the Xbox Version) as that way it would preserve more quality of the master.

The only reason 32Khz was used was to save space, PC version because it had to fit on two discs (that's why Chatterbox was reduced even more!) and to help with streaming on the PS2 as it was easier to keep 256kbps/1024kbps stream locked down whilst still streaming the rest of the game without problems.

Lowering the Frequency AND compressing makes no sense unless the people who did this only had the PC versions to work with and not the masters, they've made it clear back in 2004 that Masters for the Stations exists in Higher Quality because that's what they converted the Xbox versions from.

The reason I can confirm they ARE the PC versions is because the stats match, not only that, these were done LAZY, check the ID-TAG, these were done from AUDACITY 1.3 (BETA), they forgot to clear the damn tag, all they've done is imported the PC versions into a Project, Exported them as MP3 and set the details to CBR 96kbps / (frequency as source).

[OutOfTimer]

QUOTE (Ash_735 @ Thursday, Dec 22 2011, 18:02)

The reason I can confirm they ARE the PC versions is because the stats match, not only that, these were done LAZY, check the ID-TAG, these were done from AUDACITY 1.3 (BETA), they forgot to clear the damn tag, all they've done is imported the PC versions into a Project, Exported them as MP3 and set the details to CBR 96kbps / (frequency as source).

OMFG It's like they don't even care. Unbelievable. At first I thought they didn't understand audio production, but they clearly don't give a damn even if they do. It's not like they don't have Sony Sound Forge or whatever to work with in a major studio. LOL Thanks for this info, Ash. I have a lot of interest in audio production myself and love music/sound, so it's really interesting for me to hear how lazy one can be despite all the available resources... for a god damn 10 year anniversary. LOL

I consider Chatterbox (along with WCTR and Integrity 2.0) some of the best audio I've ever heard, so having it in improved quality, like I do now, means a lot to me. I'm really happy that I made this thread, because I would probably never think of checking out the XBox version. I own all the games (including Stories), even though I only play GTA IV, and the radio stations are the very reason.

[Ash_735]

QUOTE (OutOfTimer @ Friday, Dec 23 2011, 14:23)

I have a lot of interest in audio production myself and love music/sound, so it's really interesting for me to hear how lazy one can be despite all the available resources... for a god damn 10 year anniversary. LOL

It did disappoint me to! I guess the Out Sourced Studio who did the Mobile versions didn't have access to the masters! So all they've done, near enough, is what most people on here do with Total Conversions! Granted most people here forget about the Frequency and always force 44.1Khz (Naughty people, don't force lower to higher!), but I was hoping with this release we'd finally get the GTA3 Radio Stations as MP3's from Masters instead, preferably High Bitrate ones, but alas we didn't, with how they've done this, I will actually say I've done a better job handling the audio on the VCS PC Mod!

[Eddie Ormiston]

Naughty people, don't force lower to higher!), but I was hoping with this release we'd finally get the GTA3 Radio Stations as MP3's from Masters instead, preferably High Bitrate ones, but alas we didn't, with how they've done this, I will actually say I've done a better job handling the audio on the VCS PC Mod!





This post has been edited by Girish on Tuesday, Feb 7 2012, 17:18