Filed under: Audio, Internet, VoIP
Skype to let competitors license speech codec for free
That's because typically telephones only transfers audio signals in a limited frequency range (from around 400Hz to 3.4kHz.. Skype, on the other hand, uses technology that can transmit audio up to 12kHz, which is higher than most of the frequencies in the human voice. In other words, if you're using decent audio equipment you'll sound like you're in the same room.
The problem is it takes internet bandwidth to deliver that kind of voice quality. Skype uses a codec in Skype 4 for Windows called SILK to deliver high quality audio even over low bandwidth internet connections. And now Skype is making that codec available for other companies to use, with no royalties.
According to the company, SILK users 50% less bandwidth than other codecs. It can be scaled in real-time to adjust to network conditions. So what's in it for Skype? The company wants its codec to be adopted as a standard that could be used in applications, electronic devices, and even phones.
So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do.
Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game.
The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Evenio said 7:08AM on 3-04-2009
In future news, Skype 4 for OS X is beaten to the punch by at least a year by a third-party client using the SILK codec. Rumours of an official 4.0 OS X release are met with yawns shortly after the release of the 6.7.3.180 update for the Windows client. Three months later, the Skype group finalizes their withdrawal from the Mac platform altogether, citing weak interest. Janus Friis is quoted as saying, "What? No, we aren't Microsoft, what are you talking about? Friggin' fanboys."
:P
Reply