Editing Advanced Audio Coding (section)

== Encoders and decoders ==

=== Tools ===

==== Apple AAC ====
[[Apple Inc.|Apple]]'s AAC encoder was first part of the [[QuickTime]] media framework but is now at Audio Toolbox.

====FAAC and FAAD2====
{{Main|FAAC}}

FAAC and FAAD2 stand for Freeware Advanced Audio Coder and Decoder 2 respectively. FAAC supports audio object types LC, Main and LTP.<ref>{{cite web |title=FAAC |url=http://www.audiocoding.com/faac.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091211205237/http://www.audiocoding.com/faac.html |archive-date=2009-12-11 |access-date=2009-11-03 |website=AudioCoding.com}}</ref> FAAD2 supports audio object types LC, Main, LTP, SBR and PS.<ref>{{cite web |title=FAAD2 |url=http://www.audiocoding.com/faad2.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091211215311/http://www.audiocoding.com/faad2.html |archive-date=2009-12-11 |access-date=2009-11-03 |website=AudioCoding.com}}</ref> Although FAAD2 is [[free software]], FAAC is not free software.

====Fraunhofer FDK AAC====
{{Main|Fraunhofer FDK AAC}}

A [[Fraunhofer IIS|Fraunhofer]]-authored open-source encoder/decoder included in [[Android (operating system)|Android]] has been ported to other platforms. FFmpeg's native AAC encoder does not support HE-AAC and HE-AACv2, but GPL 2.0+ of ffmpeg is not compatible with FDK AAC, hence ffmpeg with libfdk-aac is not redistributable. The QAAC encoder that is using Apple's Core Media Audio is still higher quality than FDK.

====FFmpeg and Libav====
{{See also|FAAC#Alternatives for AAC encoding in Unix-like operating systems}}

The native AAC encoder created in [[FFmpeg]]'s [[libavcodec]], and forked with [[Libav]], was considered experimental and poor. A significant amount of work was done for the 3.0 release of FFmpeg (February 2016) to make its version usable and competitive with the rest of the AAC encoders.<ref>{{cite web |title=December 5th, 2015, The native FFmpeg AAC encoder is now stable! |url=https://ffmpeg.org/index.html#aac_encoder_stable |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716124052/http://ffmpeg.org/index.html#aac_encoder_stable |archive-date=16 July 2016 |access-date=26 June 2016 |website=ffmpeg.org}}</ref> Libav has not merged this work and continues to use the older version of the AAC encoder. These encoders are [[LGPL]]-licensed open-source and can be built for any platform that the FFmpeg or Libav frameworks can be built.

Both FFmpeg and Libav can use the [[Fraunhofer FDK AAC]] library via libfdk-aac, and while the FFmpeg native encoder has become stable and good enough for common use, FDK is still considered the highest quality encoder available for use with FFmpeg.<ref name="ffmpegdoc">{{cite web |title=FFmpeg AAC Encoding Guide |url=https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Encode/AAC#fdk_aac |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417000546/http://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Encode/AAC#fdk_aac |archive-date=17 April 2016 |access-date=11 April 2016 |quote=Which encoder provides the best quality? ... the likely answer is: libfdk_aac}}</ref> Libav also recommends using FDK AAC if it is available.<ref>{{cite web |title=Libav Wiki - Encoding AAC |url=https://wiki.libav.org/Encoding/aac |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420213129/https://wiki.libav.org/Encoding/aac |archive-date=2016-04-20 |access-date=11 April 2016}}</ref> FFmpeg 4.4 and above can also use the Apple audiotoolbox encoder.<ref name="ffmpegdoc" />

Although the native AAC encoder only produces AAC-LC, ffmpeg's native decoder is able to deal with a wide range of input formats.

====Nero Digital Audio====
In May 2006, [[Nero AG]] released an AAC encoding tool free of charge, ''Nero Digital Audio'' (the AAC codec portion has become [[Nero AAC Codec]]),<ref>{{cite web |title=Nero Platinum 2018 Suite - Award-winning all-rounder |url=http://www.nero.com/eng/downloads-nerodigital-nero-aac-codec.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214011559/http://www.nero.com/eng/downloads-nerodigital-nero-aac-codec.php |archive-date=14 December 2012 |access-date=8 May 2018 |website=Nero AG}}</ref> which is capable of encoding LC-AAC, HE-AAC and HE-AAC v2 streams. The tool is a command-line interface tool only. A separate utility is also included to decode to PCM [[WAV]].

Various tools including the [[foobar2000]] audio player and [[MediaCoder]] can provide a [[GUI]] for this encoder.

=== Media players ===
{{More citations needed section|date=September 2017}}
Almost all current computer media players include built-in decoders for AAC, or can utilize a [[Library (computer science)|library]] to decode it. On [[Microsoft Windows]], [[DirectShow]] can be used this way with the corresponding filters to enable AAC playback in any [[DirectShow]] based player. [[Mac OS X]] supports AAC via the [[QuickTime]] libraries. [[Adobe Flash Player]], since version 9 update 3, can also play back AAC streams.<ref>{{cite web |title=Statistics - Adobe Flash runtimes |url=https://www.adobe.com/products/player_census/flashplayer/version_penetration.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002084030/http://www.adobe.com/products/player_census/flashplayer/version_penetration.html |archive-date=2 October 2011 |access-date=8 May 2018 |website=www.adobe.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2007-12-04 |title=Adobe Delivers Flash Player 9 with H.264 Video Support |url=https://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressreleases/200712/120407adobemoviestar.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821183435/http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressreleases/200712/120407adobemoviestar.html |archive-date=2014-08-21 |access-date=2014-08-20 |website=Adobe press release}}</ref> Since Flash Player is also a browser plugin, it can play AAC files through a browser as well.

The [[Rockbox]] [[Open-source software|open source]] [[firmware]] (available for multiple portable players) also offers support for AAC to varying degrees, depending on the model of player and the AAC profile.

Optional iPod support (playback of unprotected AAC files) for the [[Xbox 360]] is available as a free download from [[Xbox Live]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Xbox.com &#124; System Use - Use an Apple iPod with Xbox 360<!-- Bot generated title --> |url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/systemuse/xbox360/digitalmedia/ipod.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070408201732/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/systemuse/xbox360/digitalmedia/ipod.htm |archive-date=April 8, 2007}}</ref>

The following is a non-comprehensive list of other software player applications:
*[[3ivx|3ivx MPEG-4]]: a suite of DirectShow and QuickTime plugins which support AAC encoding or AAC/ HE-AAC decoding in any DirectShow application
*[[CorePlayer]]: also supports LC and HE AAC
*[[ffdshow]]: a free [[Open-source software|open source]] [[DirectShow]] filter for [[Microsoft Windows]] that uses FAAD2 to support AAC decoding
*[[foobar2000]]: a [[freeware]] [[audio player (software)|audio player]] for [[Windows]] that supports LC and HE AAC
*[[KMPlayer]]
*[[MediaMonkey]]
*[[AIMP]]
*[[Media Player Classic#Forks|Media Player Classic Home Cinema]]
* [[mp3tag]]
*[[MPlayer]] or [[xine]]: often used as AAC decoders on [[Linux]] or [[Macintosh]]
*[[MusicBee]]: an advanced music manager and player that also supports encoding and ripping through a plugin
*[[RealPlayer]]: includes [[RealNetworks]]' RealAudio 10 AAC encoder
*[[Songbird (software)|Songbird]]: supports AAC on Windows, Linux and [[Mac OS X]], including the DRM rights management encoding used for purchased music from the iTunes Store, with a plug-in
*[[Sonicstage|Sony SonicStage]]
*[[VLC media player]]: supports playback and encoding of MP4 and raw AAC files
*[[Winamp]] for Windows: includes an AAC encoder that supports LC and HE AAC
*[[Windows Media Player 12]]: released with [[Windows 7]], supports playback of AAC files natively
*Another Real: [[Rhapsody (online music service)|Rhapsody]] supports the RealAudio AAC codec, in addition to offering subscription tracks encoded with AAC
*[[XBMC]]: supports AAC (both LC and HE).
*[[XMMS]]: supports MP4 playback using a plugin provided by the faad2 library
Some of these players (e.g., foobar2000, Winamp, and VLC) also support the decoding of ADTS (Audio Data Transport Stream) using the [[SHOUTcast]] protocol. Plug-ins for Winamp and foobar2000 enable the creation of such streams.

===Use in HDTV broadcasting===

====Japanese ISDB-T====
In December 2003, Japan started broadcasting terrestrial DTV [[ISDB-T]] standard that implements MPEG-2 video and MPEG-2 AAC audio.
In April 2006 Japan started broadcasting the ISDB-T mobile sub-program, called 1seg, that was the first implementation of video H.264/AVC with audio HE-AAC in Terrestrial HDTV broadcasting service on the planet.

====International ISDB-Tb====
In December 2007, Brazil started broadcasting terrestrial DTV standard called International [[ISDB-Tb]] that implements video coding H.264/AVC with audio AAC-LC on main program (single or multi) and video H.264/AVC with audio HE-AACv2 in the 1seg mobile sub-program.

====DVB====
The [[ETSI]], the standards governing body for the [[Digital Video Broadcasting|DVB suite]], supports AAC, HE-AAC and HE-AAC v2 audio coding in DVB applications since at least 2004.<ref>ETSI TS 101 154 v1.5.1: Specification for the use of Video and Audio Coding in Broadcasting Applications based on the [[MPEG transport stream]]</ref> DVB broadcasts which use the [[H.264]] compression for video normally use HE-AAC for audio.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}

===Hardware===
{{Update section|date=April 2025}}

====iTunes and iPod====
In April 2003, [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] brought mainstream attention to AAC by announcing that its [[iTunes]] and [[iPod]] products would support songs in MPEG-4 AAC format (via a [[firmware]] update for older iPods). Customers could download music in a closed-source [[digital rights management]] (DRM)-restricted form of 128&nbsp;kbit/s AAC (see [[FairPlay]]) via the [[iTunes Store]] or create files without DRM from their own CDs using iTunes. In later years, Apple began offering music videos and movies, which also use AAC for audio encoding.

On May 29, 2007, Apple began selling songs and music videos from participating record labels at higher bitrate (256&nbsp;kbit/s cVBR) and free of DRM, a format dubbed "iTunes Plus" . These files mostly adhere to the AAC standard and are playable on many non-Apple products but they do include custom iTunes information such as [[album artwork]] and a purchase receipt, so as to identify the customer in case the file is leaked out onto [[peer-to-peer]] networks. It is possible, however, to remove these custom tags to restore interoperability with players that conform strictly to the AAC specification. As of January 6, 2009, nearly all music on the USA regioned iTunes Store became DRM-free, with the remainder becoming DRM-free by the end of March 2009.<ref>
{{cite web
| url=http://www.macworld.com/article/137946/2009/01/itunestore.html
| title=iTunes Store goes DRM-free
| access-date=2009-02-10
| last=Cohen
| first=Peter
| date=2010-05-27
| work=Macworld
| publisher=Mac Publishing
| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090218092311/http://www.macworld.com/article/137946/2009/01/itunestore.html| archive-date= 18 February 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref>

iTunes offers a "Variable Bit Rate" encoding option which encodes AAC tracks in the [[Average bitrate|Constrained Variable Bitrate]] scheme (a less strict variant of ABR encoding); the underlying QuickTime API does offer a true VBR encoding profile however.<ref>{{cite web
| url=https://wiki.hydrogenaud.io/index.php?title=Apple_AAC#afconvert
| title=Apple AAC
| access-date=2021-11-22
| publisher=[[Hydrogenaudio]]
| url-status= live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211123040120/https://wiki.hydrogenaud.io/index.php?title=Apple_AAC#afconvert|archive-date=2021-11-23}}</ref>

As of September 2009, Apple has added support for [[HE-AAC]] (which is fully part of the MP4 standard) only for radio streams, not file playback, and iTunes still lacks support for true VBR encoding.

==== Other portable players ====
*[[Archos]]
*[[Cowon]] (unofficially supported on some models)
*[[Creative Zen]] Portable
*[[Fiio]] (all current models)
*[[Nintendo 3DS]]
*[[Nintendo DSi]]
*[[Philips GoGear]] Muse
*[[PlayStation Portable]] (PSP) with firmware 2.0 or greater
*[[Samsung YEPP]]
*[[SanDisk Sansa]] (some models)
*[[Walkman]]
*[[Zune]]
*Any portable player that fully supports the [[Rockbox]] third party firmware

====Mobile phones====
For a number of years, many mobile phones from manufacturers such as [[Nokia]], [[Motorola]], [[Samsung]], [[Sony Ericsson]], [[BenQ-Siemens]] and [[Philips]] have supported AAC playback. The first such phone was the [[Nokia 5510]] released in 2002 which also plays MP3s. However, this phone was a commercial failure{{citation needed|date=September 2014}} and such phones with integrated music players did not gain mainstream popularity until 2005 when the trend of having AAC as well as MP3 support continued. Most new smartphones and music-themed phones support playback of these formats.
* '''[[Sony Ericsson]]''' phones support various AAC formats in MP4 container. AAC-LC is supported in all phones beginning with [[Sony Ericsson K700|K700]], phones beginning with [[W550]] have support of HE-AAC. The latest devices such as the [[P990]], [[K610]], [[W890i]] and later support HE-AAC v2.
* '''[[Nokia XpressMusic]]''' and other new generation Nokia multimedia phones like N- and E-Series also support AAC format in LC, HE, M4A and HEv2 profiles. These also supports playing LTP-encoded AAC audio.
* '''[[BlackBerry]]''' phones running the [[BlackBerry 10]] operating system support AAC playback natively. Select previous generation [[BlackBerry OS]] devices also support AAC.
* '''[[bada OS]]'''
* '''[[Apple Inc.|Apple]]'s [[iPhone]]''' supports AAC and FairPlay protected AAC files formerly used as the default encoding format in the iTunes Store until the [[FairPlay#Announcement of FairPlay restrictions removal|removal of DRM restrictions in March 2009]].
* '''[[Android (operating system)|Android]]''' 2.3<ref>{{cite web|url=http://developer.android.com/about/versions/android-2.3-highlights.html|title=Gingerbread - Android Developers|website=Android Developers|access-date=8 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229061610/https://developer.android.com/about/versions/android-2.3-highlights.html|archive-date=29 December 2017}}</ref> and later supports AAC-LC, HE-AAC and HE-AAC v2 in MP4 or M4A containers along with several other audio formats. Android 3.1 and later supports raw ADTS files. Android 4.1 can encode AAC.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://developer.android.com/guide/appendix/media-formats.html|title=Supported media formats - Android Developers|website=Android Developers|access-date=8 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311121312/http://developer.android.com/guide/appendix/media-formats.html|archive-date=11 March 2012}}</ref>
* '''[[WebOS]]''' by HP/Palm supports AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, and .m4a containers in its native music player as well as several third-party players. However, it does not support Apple's FairPlay DRM files downloaded from iTunes.<ref>{{cite web|website=Palm USA|title=Palm Pre Phone / Features, Details|url=http://www.palm.com/us/products/phones/pre/#techspecs|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524144931/http://www.palm.com/us/products/phones/pre/#techspecs|archive-date=2011-05-24 }}</ref>
* '''[[Windows Phone]]'''<nowiki/>'s [[Silverlight]] runtime supports AAC-LC, HE-AAC and HE-AAC v2 decoding.

====Other devices====
*'''[[Apple Inc.|Apple]]'s [[iPad]]''': Supports AAC and FairPlay protected AAC files used as the default encoding format in the iTunes Store
*'''[[Palm OS]] [[Personal digital assistant|PDAs]]''': Many Palm OS based PDAs and smartphones can play AAC and HE-AAC with the 3rd party software [[Pocket Tunes]]. Version 4.0, released in December 2006, added support for native AAC and HE-AAC files. The AAC codec for [[TCPMP]], a popular video player, was withdrawn after version 0.66 due to patent issues, but can still be downloaded from sites other than corecodec.org. CorePlayer, the commercial follow-on to TCPMP, includes AAC support. Other Palm OS programs supporting AAC include Kinoma Player and AeroPlayer.
*'''[[Windows Mobile]]''': Supports AAC either by the native [[Windows Media Player]] or by third-party products (TCPMP, CorePlayer){{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}
*'''[[Epson]]''': Supports AAC playback in the [[Epson P-2000|P-2000]] and [[Epson P-4000|P-4000]] Multimedia/Photo Storage Viewers
*'''[[Sony Reader]]''': plays M4A files containing AAC, and displays metadata created by iTunes. Other Sony products, including the A and E series Network Walkmans, support AAC with firmware updates (released May 2006) while the S series supports it out of the box.
*'''[[Sonos]] Digital Media Player''': supports playback of AAC files
*'''Barnes & Noble [[Nook Color]]''': supports playback of AAC encoded files
*'''Roku [[SoundBridge]]''': a network audio player, supports playback of AAC encoded files
*'''[[Squeezebox (network music player)|Squeezebox]]''': network audio player (made by [[Slim Devices]], a [[Logitech]] company) that supports playback of AAC files
*'''[[PlayStation 3]]''': supports encoding and decoding of AAC files
*'''[[Xbox 360]]''': supports streaming of AAC through the Zune software, and of supported iPods connected through the USB port
*'''[[Wii]]''': supports AAC files through version 1.1 of the [[Photo Channel]] as of December 11, 2007. All AAC profiles and bitrates are supported as long as it is in the .m4a file extension. The 1.1 update removed MP3 compatibility, but according to Nintendo, users who have installed this may freely downgrade to the old version if they wish.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/wii/en_na/channelsPhoto.jsp#photo1.1|title=Nintendo - Customer Service - Wii - Photo Channel<!-- Bot generated title -->|website=nintendo.com|access-date=8 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505150346/https://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/wii/en_na/channelsPhoto.jsp#photo1.1|archive-date=5 May 2017}}</ref>
*'''[[Livescribe]] Pulse and Echo Smartpens''': record and store audio in AAC format. The audio files can be replayed using the pen's integrated speaker, attached headphones, or on a computer using the Livescribe Desktop software. The AAC files are stored in the user's "My Documents" folder of the Windows OS and can be distributed and played without specialized hardware or software from Livescribe.
*'''Google [[Chromecast]]''': supports playback of LC-AAC and HE-AAC audio<ref>{{cite web |url=https://developers.google.com/cast/docs/media |title=Supported Media for Google Cast |access-date=2015-09-22 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923004649/https://developers.google.com/cast/docs/media |archive-date=2015-09-23 }} | Supported Media for Google Cast</ref>