XA (CD-ROM Voice Data): Difference between revisions
| Revision as of 02:22, 23 October 2026 RemmyLee (Hardware and system software pages from the Sony manuals) | Revision as of 02:27, 23 October 2026 RemmyLee (File format pages from the Sony File Formats manual) | ||
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| + | --- | ||
| + | title: XA (CD-ROM Voice Data) | ||
| + | type: format | ||
| + | summary: ADPCM audio data in the CD-ROM XA format. | ||
| + | category: File formats | ||
| + | info: Extension = .XA | ||
| + | info: Created by = RAW2XA | ||
| + | --- | ||
| + | |||
| + | ## Overview | ||
| + | |||
| + | XA is the PlayStation CD-ROM XA voice data format. The typical extension in DOS is ".XA".[^ff131] | ||
| + | |||
| + | The XA format is based on the CD-ROM XA System Description of May 1991. The XA file output by RAW2XA has a sub-header.[^ff131] | ||
| + | |||
| + | The PlayStation plays back ADPCM audio data as specified in the CD-ROM XA (eXtended Audio) standard. Sony calls this XA-ADPCM audio.[^ff16] | ||
| + | |||
| + | ## Audio Types | ||
| + | |||
| + | The PlayStation supports four types of XA-ADPCM audio:[^ff16] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Table: XA-ADPCM audio data types supported by PlayStation | ||
| + | |||
| + | | Sampling frequency | Stereo/monaural | | ||
| + | | --- | --- | | ||
| + | | 37.8 kHz | Stereo | | ||
| + | | 37.8 kHz | Monaural | | ||
| + | | 18.9 kHz | Stereo | | ||
| + | | 18.9 kHz | Monaural | | ||
| + | |||
| + | XA-ADPCM audio goes from the CD-ROM decoder to the SPU without using main memory.[^ff16] | ||
| + | |||
| + | ## Interleave | ||
| + | |||
| + | XA-ADPCM audio sectors are interleaved with gap sectors on the CD-ROM.[^ff16] | ||
| + | |||
| + | The ratio of data to gap depends on the audio type and the playback speed.[^ff17] | ||
| + | |||
| + | The ratios are as follows: | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | Table: Data/gap ratios | ||
| + | |||
| + | | CD-ROM playback speed | Type | Data/gap ratio | | ||
| + | | --- | --- | --- | | ||
| + | | Double speed | 37.8 kHz, stereo | 1 sector/7 sectors | | ||
| + | | Double speed | 37.8 kHz, monaural | 1 sector/15 sectors | | ||
| + | | Double speed | 18.9 kHz, stereo | 1 sector/15 sectors | | ||
| + | | Double speed | 18.9 kHz, monaural | 1 sector/31 sectors | | ||
| + | | Standard speed | 37.8 kHz, stereo | 1 sector/3 sectors | | ||
| + | | Standard speed | 37.8 kHz, monaural | 1 sector/7 sectors | | ||
| + | | Standard speed | 18.9 kHz, stereo | 1 sector/7 sectors | | ||
| + | | Standard speed | 18.9 kHz, monaural | 1 sector/15 sectors | | ||
| + | |||
| + | [STR](/formats/str/) streaming data with audio places movie data in the gap sectors.[^ff17] | ||
| + | |||
| + | ## References | ||
| + | |||
| + | [^ff16]: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. File Formats. November 1998. Page 1-6, Table 1-1. | ||
| + | [^ff17]: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. File Formats. November 1998. Page 1-7, Table 1-2. | ||
| + | [^ff131]: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. File Formats. November 1998. Page 1-31. | ||