RealNetworks, Inc. has announced a collaboration with the
Xiph.Org Foundation to integrate the Ogg Vorbis format and audio
codec with the Helix DNA Client.
The Helix DNA Client is source code from RealNetworks that will
be contributed to the Helix Community within 90 days under a
community and open source license. Ogg Vorbis is a non-proprietary,
open, patent and royalty-free, audio format and codec for mid to
high-quality audio at fixed and variable bitrates for delivery over
the Internet.
As a result of this work, developers will be able to build media
players that use both the Ogg Vorbis codec and the media engine
that powers the RealOne Player.
Additionally, RealNetworks and the Xiph.Org Foundation will work
together to develop and make easily available Ogg Vorbis plug-ins
for the RealOne Player and the newly announced Helix Universal
Server.
“The combination of the Helix DNA client with the Ogg Vorbis
audio format is a huge step forward for the open source community
and the world at large,” said Emmett Plant, CEO, Xiph.org
Foundation. “With the release of Ogg Vorbis 1.0 last week, the
ability to use RealNetworks technology to get our format into the
hands of the masses presents a lot of potential. Even more
important, the fact that RealNetworks is making an investment in
Open Source outside of their corporate walls is a good sign for the
future of Helix.”
“With the launch of the Helix Community this week and our
intention to contribute core encoder, server and client source
code, we see a new frontier in media development for the open
source community,” said Brad Hefta-Gaub, vice president of
development, Media Systems, RealNetworks, Inc.
“Our work with Xiph.Org and Ogg Vorbis will not only benefit the
Helix community, but will also benefit anyone using Ogg Vorbis by
expanding the audience of enabled players to include the 285
million unique registered users of the RealOne Player and
RealPlayer.”
As part of the partnership, RealNetworks will sponsor the
development of the Ogg Vorbis support in Helix, and the Xiph.org
Foundation will begin immediate work on the Ogg Vorbis plug-ins.
When the plug-ins are completed and have been tested at
RealNetworks, they will be put on the RealNetworks AutoUpdate
server, enabling RealOne Player and RealPlayer users to listen to
Ogg Vorbis content.