Adding and removing specific encodings

Some Releases are made available in different encodings. A record company may for example, provide lossless encodings (e.g. using FLAC) as well as lossy encodings (e.g. using MP3 or AAC) or stereo mixes as well as multi-channel mixes side by side.

Usually, a record company will communicate all metadata as well as all resource files for all encodings in the initial NewReleaseMessage. Subsequent updates will then no longer need to provide further details on these encodings.

Adding encodings

If a record company, who has provided an ERN message containing only a stereo MP3 and a multi-channel AAC encoding in a previous NewReleaseMessage, wishes to also provide a lossless FLAC encoding, it needs to 

  • Provide all descriptive metadata for all Resources and Releases;

  • Provide all active Deals;

  • Provide TechnicalSoundRecordingDetails (in ERN-3) or TechnicalDetails (in ERN-4) for all previously communicated encodings (MP3 and AAC in the above example) as well as for all new encodings (FLAC); and

  • Provide all primary resource files for all old and new encodings.

Removing encodings

To signal that a set of encodings – e.g. the MP3 ones in the above example – should be removed, the ERN needs to:

  • Provide all descriptive metadata for all Resources and Releases;

  • Provide all active Deals;

  • Provide TechnicalSoundRecordingDetails (in ERN-3) or TechnicalDetails (in ERN-4) for the retained encoding (i.e. AAC and FLAC); and

  • Provide all primary resource files for all retained encodings. The encodings that are withdrawn should no longer be referenced.

 

For a receiving DSP the absence of a formerly communicated set of TechnicalSoundRecordingDetails (in ERN-3) or TechnicalDetails (in ERN-4) indicates that those encodings shall be removed from the start date of the relevant Deals).

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