Recording of the complete silence - filesize

Software & Apps
#1

Hi!

I’m posting this question I knew the answer years ago. It’s a bet … My friend says that if you record 1 minute of silence, the filesize (let’s say we encode it to MP3 at 192 kbps, to make it more interesting) will be 0. I said that the filesize depends on the lenght of the track, wheter there’s a waveform or not. That’s why 1 minute of silence will be taking app. 1440 KB. True?

If the second statement is correct, tell me if the filesize only depends on the lenght of the track (and small part for header)?

Thanks!

#2

If you’re making a CBR MP3 (a typical MP3), then no matter whether you’re recording music or silence, the filesize will be the same.

If you make a VBR MP3 (variable bitrate MP3), then silence ought to take up significantly less space than music, but it will still not be zero.

#3

Never 0 in fact… need to write a header and frames in lowest bitrate for ur sample rate at best for VBR… dats usually like 32kbps minimum rate + header +ID3 tag

#4

Perfect digital silence would also ZIP very nicely, unlike most other audio files, but still not zero

#5

Agree with lui_gough.

#6

I actually tried it, 1 min of perfecte silence in mp3 format:

@ 192kpbs cbr =1,409 KB [5KB zipped with rar max compression, solid]
@ 192kpbs Vbr =236 KB [1KB zipped with rar max compression, solid]

#7

seems like rar is prettyy good … this is perfect digital silence … but if you are recording keep in mind that there will not be a perfect silence and sizes will be larger! (original post mentions recording silence - not generating perfect digital silence)