Audio recompression from higher rates for karaoke, video games, and

Abstract

Sampled sound data is compressed with a vector quantizing technique and then transmitted via a communication line. Received sound data is decoded, compressed with an ADPCM technique, and then stored into a memory. In response to a request for reproduction, the ADPCM sound data is read out, decoded, and then sounded. As another example, in a karaoke device, sample sound data is supplied after being compressed with the vector quantizing technique, in addition to MIDI-form music performance data. A music sound is reproduced on the basis of the MIDI-form music performance data, and at the same time a sound is reproduced by decoding the vector-quantized sound data. As another example, in a karaoke device, data obtained by compressing sampled sound data with the vector quantizing technique is mixed with data obtained by compressing sampled data with the ADPCM technique, and in reproduction, a predetermined decoding process is executed after identifying with which of technique is compressed data to be reproduced. As still another example, in a game device, sampled sound data, of human voice, effect sound, etc. are prestored after being compressed with the vector quantizing technique, so that in accordance with progression of a game, the data are read out and decoded for reproductive sounding.