video codecs
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Intel bolsters video patent portfolio with purchase from RealNetworks
Silicon juggernaut Intel has inked a multi-million dollar deal with RealNetworks, agreeing to purchase scores of video-related patents and annex an entire software team. Specifics of the accord have Intel shelling out $120 million in exchange for 190 patents, 170 patent applications and a video codec development squad. In addition, the two companies have signed a "memorandum of understanding," agreeing to collaborate on future development of the licensed software. RealNetworks states that the sale "will [not] have any material impact on its businesses" and it will retain "certain rights" to the sold technologies. Intel says the sale will improve its ability to "offer richer experiences and innovative solutions [...] across a wide spectrum of devices." The full PR is queued up for you after the break.
Skype 5.5 uses VP8 for video chats, keeps the WebM love aflame
Despite forming a coalition with a bevy of companies, Google's radical WebM video libertarianism has yet to take the world by storm -- unless you're talking El Goog's browser or YouTube. Well, Mountain View can breathe a sigh of relief, as Skype -- even after being bought by Microsoft -- has carried through with its earlier support of the open-source standard, bundling it within last week's Windows-only update. One-to-one and group video calls between version 5.5 clients now use WebM's VP8 codec, succeeding its ancestor, On2's VP7. Hey Redmond, who's speaking Esperanto now?
VLC 1.1 released, adds hardware acceleration and new codec support
VLC 1.1 was just released, adding hardware acceleration on Windows Vista, 7, and Linux (no mention of the Mac just yet), along with a general 40 percent speed boost from a massive code cleanup. A new add-on and script framework now enables extensions, which should lead to some interesting additions, and the VP8 and MEPG-4 lossless codecs have been added, along with container support for MKV HD and Google's open-source WebM format. We just gave it a quick try and things certainly do seem to perform as advertised -- hit the source link for the download.
