Speex Goes 1.0, Xiph Goes 501(c)3 128
Emmettfish writes "Hey, folks! We've posted an announcement this morning; Speex (the free and open voice compression codec by Jean-Marc Valin) has gone 1.0, and the Xiph.Org Foundation is now officially recognized as a charitable non-profit organization by the IRS. Donate to help us write more Free Software and get a tax break. Thanks!"
Speex Goes 1.0... (Score:5, Funny)
hmmm (Score:2, Troll)
certainly ogg to me is a file format/stream protocol that is treading on corporate egg shells
Re:hmmm (Score:5, Informative)
From the speex website:
Strangely I got a 404 on their website, but got the above info through the google cache [216.239.33.100].Re:hmmm (Score:1)
oh wait...
fuck it i am a troll
Re:hmmm (Score:3, Informative)
patents expired (Score:2)
What's the difference between Speex and OGG? (Score:2, Interesting)
Any comparison on that?
Will it benefit game developers in delivering voiceover game speeches?
Re:What's the difference between Speex and OGG? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:What's the difference between Speex and OGG? (Score:5, Informative)
Ogg is a container format, you can put speex data inside an ogg file.
You probably mean Vorbis, which is an general purpose audio codec much like mp3. Most of the time vorbis data is also put into ogg files.
Jeroen
Re:What's the difference between Speex and OGG? (Score:3, Insightful)
So, you're saying that Ogg is "a container format" and "Vorbis" and "Speex" are codecs.... To make this easier for me to understand, could you give an example of an equivalent of that. (like, is Microsoft's "doc" format a container, but you can actually save different versions of text documents to that container? or would that just simply be using the sae file extension for diffe
Re:What's the difference between Speex and OGG? (Score:5, Informative)
AVI is a container format (it standard for Audio Video Interleave, or something similar). Within reason, you can put data encoded with many different audio or video codecs into an AVI file -- the most common choice these days being an MPEG-4 variant (i.e. DivX) for the video, and MP3 for the audio.
A similar situation holds for Apple's container format, which often has the suffix
Back to Xiph's products: Ogg is the overall container format. It's quite simple, and is currently being submitted to the IETF as an internet recommendation. Inside this container, you can place whatever you like. Until very recently, almost every Ogg file would contain Vorbis audio, which leads to the confusion a lot of people have between the things Ogg and Vorbis stand for. This is slowly changing. Quite a few people in the movie ripping world are using Ogg as an alternative to AVI, as the Ogg container format is a lot happier with containing variable bitrate codecs (such as Vorbis) than AVI is (even variable bitrate MP3 can only be inserted into an AVI container by a fairly dodgy procedure).
Xiph's codecs include Vorbis, which is for medium bitrate music, Speex, which is for low bitrate speech, FLAC, which is for high bitrate lossless audio, and in development is Theora, a video codec which is a reworking of the previously closed VP3 codec by On2.
Re:What's the difference between Speex and OGG? (Score:2, Insightful)
Whatever happened to (ogg) tarkin?
Re:What's the difference between Speex and OGG? (Score:2, Informative)
It's all experimental, expect it about 2010.
Re:What's the difference between Speex and OGG? (Score:2)
Do you remember how long it took for Vorbis to happen? Would you like to wait that long for a patent-free video codec to happen? The guys from Xiph obviously don't, so they are working with On2 to build upon VP3. Tarkin is an experimental project at the earliest of early stages. Once Theora is finished, Tarkin will get more attention, and might eventually end up as a very good codec.
A few examples.. (Score:4, Informative)
TIFF: Do you know TIFF? Well there's uncompressed TIFF and compressed TIFF (I think 4-5 different compression algorigthms) that are all called
DOC: Yep it's a container format. A
Kjella
Re:What's the difference between Speex and OGG? (Score:2)
Example 2: AVI is a container for audio/video streams encoded with several codecs. Your typical DivX ;-) 4/5 file is an MPEG4 video
stream + MP3 audio stream packed together inside an AVI file, where
DivX ;-) is the video codec, MPEG4 is the video format, lame/whatever
is the audio codec, MPEG2 layer 3 is the audio format and AVI is
Re:What's the difference between Speex and OGG? (Score:2)
Why is it so popular to ridicule those who just call it ogg? I believe it was monty that went off on a rant on how it was _meant_ to be called OGG, and what a good noun OGG makes...
So please, just say OGG!
Re:What's the difference between Speex and OGG? (Score:1)
This is good (Score:5, Interesting)
On a related note: if there are any other active projects for a netmeeting-type application (I'm aware of Gnomemeeting, but I'd like to avoid the whole directory/ILS business, and just do simple person-to-person calls, with possible encryption if desired), please post a link.
Re:This is good (Score:5, Informative)
Also available for Unix [fourmilab.ch].
CLI based, but some front-ends are available too.
Re:This is good (Score:1)
Mmm, discouraging...
Re:This is good (Score:1)
Re:This is good (Score:1)
It's a wonderful program and it would be terrible for it to be let go too long. Wasn't there some talk of porting it to WxWindows, so the Mac people could play too? (the UNIX cli/tcl versions might work, but aren't as nice as the Windows version)
Again, it's really great software.
replying to myself again.. (Score:1)
Yes! and there's even a new version out. Go GPL you good thing.
Wasn't there some talk of porting it to WxWindows
Oh, a trip to the Windows speakfreely site shows what happened to that apparently..... oh well, can't blame the guy for wanting to earn a living.
Re:This is good (Score:4, Informative)
You *are* familiar with Speak Freely [speakfreely.org], right?
Re:This is good (Score:1)
Re:This is good (Score:5, Interesting)
done and make a protocol that can handle NAT.
With the shortage of ipv4 addresses (or the silly
admins that NAT anyhow) today, you can't use any simple
net-audio no more. People seem to be able to do
most anything, including GameVoice and stuff, but
all the standardised, "serious" software is designed
by people on univerisities or other places that never
heard of NAT so they constantly design the protocols
to send your ip inside the protocol.
Of course, some 2-bit hack kernel module for
ip--filtering for linux appears
in 6 months, but everyone doesn't want to modify
kernels with random modules and unproven code just
because netaudio folks seems to think NAT doesn't
exist.
I'd love for NAT to go away and die, but unfortunately
it wont, so please, if you make an audio app, make
it able to survive a simple port forwarding so I
can 'call' through my $100 cheap-o-matic SOHO-firewall
box.
Re:This is good (Score:2)
it wont, so please, if you make an audio app, make
it able to survive a simple port forwarding so I
can 'call' through my $100 cheap-o-matic SOHO-firewall
box.
$100???? Mine cost me $5.25:
Old AMD K6/2 motherboard and CPU sitting in closet: $0
Old 16X CD-ROM drive sitting in closet: $0
Beatup ATX case sitting in closet: $0
Devil Linux [slashdot.org]: $0
Two 3COM 905B 100-Base-TX "Boomerang" ethernet cards sitting in closet: $0
Old floppy drive sitting in closet: $0
New fan f
Re:This is good (Score:1, Insightful)
NAT is a reality now because a lot of people with DSL or Cable broadband connections are using NAT-enabled routers...and these are the very same people most likely to use audio or videoconferencing...or anything else interesting.
SpeakFreely 7.6 does NAT! (Score:3, Informative)
Don't forget to try the Tcl/Tk v0.8.1 interface!
The windows version looks like it has been orphaned, so you'll have to patch it yourself if you want NA
Re:This is good (Score:1)
> done and make a protocol that can handle NAT.
If you want to use H323 with NAT, I assume all you have to do is install a H323 Gatekeeper on a server with a real IP and a private IP (e.g. the network gateway).
> make it able to survive a simple port forwarding so I can 'call' through my $100 cheap-o-matic SOHO-firewall box.
OK, well, that might actually be difficult...
Re:This is good (Score:1)
NAT is the wrong solution to an artificial problem and has to go away, because it breaks point-to-point connectivity, which is a necessity if you want to use the Internet the way it was intended. Instead of using NAT you should bug your ISP to give you more addresses.
While you're at it you should ask them for an IPv6 address block as well. They will never start rolling it out unless they know there is customer demand.
Re:This is good (Score:1)
I'm not sure if you can support NAT without some server interaction, though.
Re:This is good (Score:2)
OpenH323 Re:This is good (Score:1)
It works pretty good (I've tried the windows version), but be aware that H323 needs open UDP ports.
Re:This is good (Score:2)
Re:This is good (Score:2)
Codec progress is great, but we need content (Score:4, Interesting)
The main problem I see now is getting some media available exclusivley in these formats. I have to confess it's an awfully big incentive to use proprietary format players when the alternative is not to listen/watch at all.
Re:Codec progress is great, but we need content (Score:1, Informative)
But you didn't hear me say it!
http://www.vorbis.com/~bkenoah/
How did they manage? (Score:2, Interesting)
The article doesn't mention what they claimed in all those million pages of documentation and those billion phonecalls....
Public Software Fund (Score:5, Informative)
But if all you want to do is have your public software project receive tax-free donations, just register with Pubsoft [pubsoft.org] and add your project to the list [pubsoft.org]?
Re:Public Software Fund (Score:2, Insightful)
How is this possible with GPL'd (and perhaps other OSS licensed) code? I thought that anyone could repackage and sell it. With specifications such as the OGG Vorbis specification, they clearly state that it can be utilized to make commercial applications.
These seem to include private benefits of publicly funded works.
Re:Public Software Fund (Score:2)
First of all, it's less than 100% clear that "private benefit" prevents an organization from getting 501(c)(3) status. The traditional test as to this, and the only one (on this issue) that's in the code, is not "private benefit" by "inurement" to a private shareholder, which sounds like a considerably narrower concept. In particular, "inurement" was traditionally understood not to include much beyond direct financial benefit.
Several years ago, t
Re:Public Software Fund (Score:2)
-russ
This is a royal pain (Score:2)
Secondly, the fact that you need these organizations like pubsoft.org and thousands of dollars in lawyers to get tax deductions shows just how much the tax structure slams free software while promoting commerc
Re:This is a royal pain (Score:2)
Actually, pubsoft [pubsoft.org] is project-based. Once you finish the project, you get paid, and that's it. If you choose to get paid part-way through the project, then sure, you can expect to have to show progress.
-russ
Re:How did they manage? (Score:1)
What i'm curious to know is (Score:5, Interesting)
of course, i could be completely offbase, because i was a bad slashdotter today and didn't read all of the material, just enough to think about. On a monday morning, thinking is limited... *sigh* right. In the words of they might be giants: "More coffee for me, dear, 'cause i'm not as messes up as i'd like to be...."
Re:What i'm curious to know is (Score:2)
What they need is free, open-source (read: adaptable) voiceware, so that people who are already on disability don't have to pay for it...
Speex is a speech compression codec, not dictation or recognition software. CMU has a few speech projects [cmu.edu] that include a speech recognizer and text to speech engine. It isn't part of Xiph's mission to even touch speech regonition.
thanks- told you i was (Score:2)
questions (Score:4, Interesting)
how does this translate into RL applications? i would *love* to be able to caal a friend over the internet. but:
do you need hardware (other than pc)?
can you connect to windows computers?
this could seriously reduce my phonecosts, i'd be quite pleased to use it and donate some money if i could get this working with my (not able to run linux because of company policy and low geekness factor) friends abroad.
can someone point me to some good links for info?
tnx
Re:questions (Score:1)
Re:questions (Score:2)
Sourceforge next? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Sourceforge next? (Score:1)
long answer, the charitable contributions are based on your cost for what you contribute.
It is not based on the value of your time. If you drove to the salvation army and dropped off clothes you can deduct(if you itemize) the mileage cost and the fair market value of the clothes if you purchased them at retail.
If you drive to a non-profit and code for 24 hours you can only deduct the mileage.
MOD PARENT UP (Score:1)
Re:Sourceforge next? (Score:1, Informative)
Sourceforge is a giant advertisement for the comemrcial sourceforge product.
However, savannah.gnu.org is based on an earlier, FREE, version of sourceforge, and is run by FSF (so it's already 501(c)3), and hosts gnu and non-gnu software.
Donate to the FSF, or EFF.
Re:Sourceforge next? (Score:5, Informative)
So if you're looking to itemize deductions this year, give money to Xiph et al.
Disclaimer: IANALTP (I am not a licensed tax preparer)
Re:Sourceforge next? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Sourceforge next? (Score:2)
The money they pay you will be income to you. The money you pay back will be deductible -- but only as an itemized deduction, and subject to various limits.
Bottom line: doing this might make you owe more in taxes and might have no effect but cannot possibly lower your tax bill.
Yes, IAAL. No, you're not my client.
Re: deductions off charitable work (Score:1, Informative)
As an avid (amateur) hacker of the tax code, let me just say right here that schedule C is your friend. If what you're doing is a separate business from your work, declare it as such and treat it as such. The tax benefits are sizeable and it is nice to have that added rationa
Re:Sourceforge next? (Score:1)
Re:Sourceforge next? (Score:1)
YES! (sort-of) (Score:2)
-russ
Tax Breaks (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Tax Breaks (Score:1)
Re:Tax Breaks (Score:2)
-russ
Taxes on code (Score:1)
Do you get taxed for writing code?
Yes. Writing code requires a computer, which is subject to a sales tax.
Yes. Code is typically stored on magnetic media. Some governments tax the sale of blank magnetic media, purportedly to compensate campaign contributors for violations of their copyrights.
What sort of speed processor do we need? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:What sort of speed processor do we need? (Score:2)
Most definitly. You could probably manage a few streams at the same time on that box.
Re:What sort of speed processor do we need? (Score:3, Informative)
Easily. The minimum requirement for real-time encoding with Speex is around a Pentium 100, so you'll have no problem.
Re:What sort of speed processor do we need? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:What sort of speed processor do we need? (Score:4, Informative)
Fixed point? (Score:1)
while decoding requires 1 mflops.
I want to use Speex to provide narration of a program on a handheld device whose CPU can't do Mflops but can do Mfixops. Should I give money to Xiph.org, earmarking it for development of a Speex decoder that uses fixed-point arithmetic?
tax deductible (Score:4, Interesting)
Call to the arms /. people! (Score:2, Funny)
This rocks I love speex (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:This rocks I love speex (Score:1)
I am using an old Toshiba laptop with Win98 and Cool Edit 2000 to record the sermon. I then take it home, and do the post processing there (snip extra bits of the start & end, run noise reduction, etc). People who request a cd of it get a copy created. I also convert the file into a Speex file (a 45 minute sermon is about 225Mb in size in .WAV, about 12Mb in Speex). A copy is available on the church's website [rosslandridge.ca]. At the end of
Re:This rocks I love speex (Score:1)
Re:This rocks I love speex (Score:1)
I did some testing, and VBR provided the smallest file size at a given quality - YMMV. Having a high complexity also made the file slightly smaller.
I use windows to record, process, and the compress the files. From the Speex website [speex.org] I am using the Windows binaries.
I
Is this really a charity? (Score:2, Insightful)
Charity for me is something that you don't expect anything in return from, but this is certainly not the case with OSS-charities.
With these OSS-charities you get a product in return, and it might even be something you base your business on.
If you are a consultancy-agency developing systems using Xing-codecs for profit, it would seem strange if giving money to Xing is counted as a charity. Can you actua
Re:Is this really a charity? (Score:2)
Perhaps, traditionally, but we are here to revolutionarize everything, no?
But seriously, donating usually means to improve the society by helping someone do things you wanted, but never had all the resources for. Like, you can feed your neighbor, but who can feed *the* hungry?
Look, this is really a fairly abstract way of improving society, but it can, by enhancing communication, archiving speeches, obscure languages, etc. Sur
Re:Is this really a charity? (Score:1)
Whenever I donate anything on charities, I sure expect something in return. If I a coin or six to Red Cross, I expect that someone out in the cold cruel world gets a little bit of help. It may not help me, right now, but it helps someone out there. And if I ever end up bruised and mangled in a traffic accident or something (it is pretty unlikely with today's safe transportation methods, but it can happen), I sure hope there's some
Re:Is this really a charity? (Score:3, Insightful)
If you give money to a cancer-cure-research organization, it doesn't suddenly become a non-charity if you happen to have cancer.
When it comes to codecs, we all have cancer and we all want the cure. While you do get something in return for your donation, you are not specifically the entity that gets something; everyone gets something for your donation, including your competitors.
Re:Is this really a charity? (Score:2)
Yeah, that's about what it has felt like from the first day I was involved with multimedia.
Re:Is this really a charity? (Score:2, Informative)
Write free software - pay the taxes (Score:2)
We're at a serious disadvantage in that commercial software developers make the same product as free software developers but free software developers have to pay income tax on everything they use in developing that product while commerc
Re:Write free software - pay the taxes (Score:1)
Public Software Fund (Score:2)
-russ
Re:Free? (Score:2)
Discussion closed.