Mr Frankie Tan (right, with members of the MP4SLS management team): I am immensely proud of this technology because it restores the sonic integrity of music to mobile devices without sacrificing the details and nuances that are essential elements of the listening experience.

MP4SLS, a Singapore-based spin-off from the Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R), a research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), has launched a new digital audio format that powers high-resolution streaming audio via smartphones and tablets, without any delays due to buffering and other anomalies associated with limited bandwidth.

Called OraStream, MP4SLS aims to reshape digital audio entertainment through the adoption of Digital Long Play (DLP) apps which have a very small digital footprint of 300 KB to 1 MB, and deliver high-fidelity audio streams that adapt streaming rates based on observed network conditions. The result is that the streamed music track will be on the highest bit-rate and audio quality possible for the available bandwdith.

Mr Elliot Mazer, an American record producer, technologist and advisor to MP4SLS, described the DLP app as a critical breakthrough that comes at a time when the market for physical media continues to cede popularity to streaming audio services. “With this shift, we are finding that companies that stream music need to play catch-up when it comes to improving the sonics of their current offerings, which often sound as bad as background music in a shopping mall. OraStream solves the problem by making it easy and practical to offer high-resolution audio streams without having to force consumers to store excessively large files on their devices. It’s a breakthrough that is long overdue,” said Mr Mazer.

The scalable, hi-fidelity audio streaming format was developed at I2R and licensed through Exploit Technologies, A*STAR’s commercialisation arm.

MP4SLS Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder Mr Frankie Tan said the idea for OraStream came from a personal desire to enjoy full-range audio on a variety of devices without the disruption caused by buffering large files. “I am immensely proud of this technology because it restores the sonic integrity of music to mobile devices without sacrificing the details and nuances that are essential elements of the listening experience,” he said.

To demonstrate to audio providers and music fans the myriad benefits of OraStream, MP4SLS is offering a free collection of music from the Concord Music Group, featuring a mix of Jazz, Rock, Pop, R&B and more. During the free trial, which runs through to 31 December 2012, music fans can download the OraStream Demo DLP from the iTunes and Android app stores. Mac users can download the Demo DLP for Mac OS by visiting www.OraStream.com/downloads.