What is a MP2 file
An MP2 file is the file extension for an MPEG Layer II Compressed Audio File. This type of file is still relatively standard in the realms of digital radio and television broadcasts. However, for many individuals, MP3 files are used with much more frequency. An MP2 file is compatible with many (but not all) portable audio players. However, some MP2 files may need to be converted to MP3’s to play on some devices. Note: The MP2 file type is not the same thing as an MPEG-2 video file. An MPEG-2 video file typically uses MPG as the file extension. MP2 files are also sometimes called “musicam”, but this is not accurate.
The various versions of MP files begin in the 1980’s when a group called ISO’s Moving Picture Experts Group (known as MPEG) worked to standardize the digital encoding of both audio and video files. The 3 separate layers of the audio file were part of the initial release of the MP1 file type. In the mid 1990’s, MP2 was developed and is still frequently utilized for television digital broadcasting and digital radio. The popular MP3 component utilizes the lossy compression algorithm. The development of the MP3 file type was to further compress the file, but keep a top of the line reproduction of the sound from the original file.
Here's a small, but not exhaustive list of programs that can open MP2 documents:
- Apple iTunes (Windows, Mac)
- Microsoft Windows Media Player (Windows)
- RealNetworks RealPlayer Cloud (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- VideoLAN VLC Media Player (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- PeonySoft MP2 Converter (Windows)
- Adobe Audition (Windows, Mac)
