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Mar 1, 2000 12:00 PM, Roger Maycock

           
 

QDESIGN MVP 1.0 (Mac/Win) As big as the MP3 phenomenon has become, you would think that cross-platform tools would now be common. However, most MP3 encoding and playback tools run on either the Mac OS or Windows, but not both. Fortunately, the audio-compression experts at QDesign have stepped in with MVP ($19.95), an inexpensive Mac and Windows utility for creating, playing, and managing MP3 and other digital content.

The software supports variable bit-rate playback, rips and encodes in a single pass (with up to 60:1 compression when using the QDesign Music Codec), supports custom playlists, offers customizable playback meters, and provides links to various music-related sites. Thanks to its use of Apple's QuickTime 4, MVP can play back at least 20 types of digital media files, including AIFF, WAV, CD Audio, MIDI, AVI, and QuickTime Movies. Conversion between audio formats is promised for a future update.

Playback is smooth and uninterrupted through most common computer operations. Unfortunately, MVP has no EQ, leaving you at the timbral mercy of your playback system. Similarly, the software does not support loading files into portable playback devices such as the Diamond Rio MP3 player.

Getting Started MVP is available for download from QDesign's Web site. A simple installation gives you access to all of MVP's features. However, the encoder times out after 30 days, at which point you can upgrade to the unlimited version of the program for $19.95.

Minimum system requirements are modest: for Mac users, a Power PC 601/100 MHz running Mac OS 7.5.3 will do the job, while PC users need at least a Pentium 100 or better running Windows 95/98/NT. (I used an iMac G3/333 MHz with Mac OS 8.6.) You also need a CD-ROM drive, an Internet connection, and QuickTime 4.

Getting Ripped Upon launching MVP, I was greeted with a stylish, blueberry-and-white-striped main window accompanied by CD player-like transport and eject buttons. At the base of the display are four additional controls for normal playback, Intro (10-second playback), Shuffle (random), and repeat playback. On the far right of the main screen are four additional function keys: Playlist, CD, Web, and Options.

The buttons function exactly as one would expect, with one exception. With an individual file loaded, the Go to Start and Go to End buttons access the beginning and end of the file, but with a playlist of songs loaded, these two buttons take you to the previous or next song, not to the start or end of the list.

MVP's default configuration launches your dial-up connection and automatically logs into the CD Database (www.cddb.com). Because every CD has a unique ID code, the program can obtain titles, track length, and so on by querying the database. This is fine if you plan on ripping and encoding some music, but it's annoying if you simply want to play existing files. Fortunately, you can turn off automatic dialing so that the program only connects to the Internet when you want it to.

Latest and Greatest Shortly after I completed my research, QDesign released MVP 1.1. One interesting improvement in the update is support for Streamlink files. These tiny (as small as 1 KB) files provide a direct link to streamed online content, such as a piece of music or a Web radio station. To promote your latest masterpiece, you can create a Streamlink file that links to your sound or video file, then e-mail the Streamlink file to your fans. They can enjoy your music simply by double-clicking on the file. MVP users can also save the Streamlink file to an MVP playlist, creating a way to access favorite videos and music regardless of whether the content is stored locally or online.

In addition to on-demand streaming, the new version of MVP has more versatile MP3 encoding-including speed and quality parameters-and displays ID3 tags, which are used to display album artwork and artist information. Finally, the upgrade allows you to format and submit music to the Artist Uplink section of IUMA (Internet Underground Music Archive; www.iuma.com), the self-styled "granddaddy of all music Web sites."

Most Valuable Player? QDesign's MVP has an intuitive interface and encodes to MP3 very well. Creating playlists is a breeze, and you can work on other projects without interrupting playback. Tech support is handled via e-mail, and my several inquiries were answered promptly.

My only real gripe is the lack of EQ. Most similar programs provide this, and MVP should as well. QDesign promises that a future upgrade will support portable playback devices, but its current absence is a minor issue because portable players are bundled with software.

MVP is a solid utility. Not only does it get the job done well, it gets the job done using the latest technology and with the same interface for Mac and Windows. By adding Streamlinks in version 1.1, QDesign has clearly shown that it intends to continue making cyberspace better for musicians.

Overall EM Rating (1 through 5): 4