Method and apparatus for compression rate selection

A method for recording a media signal comprising:

• generating one or more data items wherein said data items are associated with said media signal;
• determining a maximum compression rate from said data items wherein recording said media signal compressed at said maximum compression rate does not result in an unacceptable loss of quality of said media signal;
• compressing said media signal at said maximum rate into a compressed media signal;
• and
• storing said compressed media signal, wherein said step of determining is performed at a server in a client/server architecture.

A recorder comprising:

• a generator configured to generate one or more data items wherein said data items are associated with a media signal;
• a determiner configured to determine a maximum compression rate from said data items wherein recording said media signal compressed at said maximum compression rate does not result in an unacceptable loss of quality of said media signal;
• a signal compressor configured to compress said media signal at said maximum rate into a compressed media signal;
• and
• a storage unit configured to store said compressed media signal, wherein said determiner is part of a client in a client/server architecture.

A recorder comprising:

• a generator configured to generate one or more data items wherein said data items are associated with a media signal;
• a determiner configured to determine a maximum compression rate from said data items wherein recording said media signal compressed at said maximum compression rate does not result in an unacceptable loss of quality of said media signal;
• a signal compressor configured to compress said media signal at said maximum rate into a compressed media signal;
• and
• a storage unit configured to store said compressed media signal, wherein said determiner is part of a server in a client/server architecture.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured for recording a media signal, comprising:
• computer readable code configured to cause a computer to generate one or more data items wherein said data items are associated with said media signal;
• computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine a maximum compression rate from said data items wherein recording said media signal compressed at said maximum compression rate does not result in an unacceptable loss of quality of said media signal;
• computer readable code configured to cause a computer to compress said media signal at said maximum rate into a compressed media signal;
• and
• computer readable code configured to cause a computer to store said compressed media signal, wherein said computer readable code configured to cause a computer to generate comprises:
• computer readable code configured to cause a computer to compress said media signal at a first compression rate;
• and
• computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine whether said first compression rate results in said unacceptable loss.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured for recording a media signal, comprising:
• computer readable code configured to cause a computer to generate one or more data items wherein said data items are associated with said media signal;
• computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine a maximum compression rate from said data items wherein recording said media signal compressed at said maximum compression rate does not result in an unacceptable loss of quality of said media signal;
• computer readable code configured to cause a computer to compress said media signal at said maximum rate into a compressed media signal;
• and
• computer readable code configured to cause a computer to store said compressed media signal, wherein said computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine is part of a client in a client/server architecture.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured for recording a media signal, comprising:
• computer readable code configured to cause a computer to generate one or more data items wherein said data items are associated with said media signal;
• computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine a maximum compression rate from said data items wherein recording said media signal compressed at said maximum compression rate does not result in an unacceptable loss of quality of said media signal;
• computer readable code configured to cause a computer to compress said media signal at said maximum rate into a compressed media signal;
• and
• computer readable code configured to cause a computer to store said compressed media signal, wherein said computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine is part of a server in a client/server architecture.