[NTLUG:Discuss] MP3 Encoder

[mike]

I searched for a MP3 encoder a couple months ago.  I found that Thompson 
electronics patented mp3 encoding, and Beginning in 2001(?) they want to 
charge you to include mp3 encode functionality in your programs.  I've seen 
some MP3 encoders on foreign websites (sites hosted in countries not 
supporting US IP patents)  However, those sites warn you to not download if 
its illegal, with specific mention that it IS illegal for US residents. 

Bottom line is: In the US, MP3 encoders are illegal without a license from 
one of (microsoft's, RIAA's) little brothers, so don't expect it to be 
readily available as free software for quite a while.

If you are still interested in reading more about this (i.e. going to ignore 
legal warnings,) Try searching info bases of non-US linux distro's  for "MP3 
encoder."  

	http://www.suse.co.uk/index_uk.html
	
Or googlesearch ".rpm MP3 bladeenc download"

(or substitute your packaging extension (.zip, .dbm, etc) and (lame, notlame, 
other encoder that your frontend supports)

The open source community's answer to Thompson electronic's belated licensing 
move is to create a 'patent-free' spec for compressed music (as well as other 
multimedia types in the future.)  

	http://www.xiph.org/ogg/

OGG vorbis is the 'open' answer to  mp3 (altho I haven't found a working 
encoder binary for OGG yet.) OGG and MP3 are not mixable (??as best I can 
determine--anyone know for sure??) All the MP3 players you can buy at Fryes 
will not play OGG's.(?)  However, KDE's kmedia player has .ogg play 
capability, and XMMS has .ogg play. The one or 2 .oggs I've downloaded sound 
similar to .mp3's of the same size/length ratio (through my 1 inch PC 
speakers anyway.) 

I'm more closely watching the OGG Tarkin project (still in the cloud 
stage--a.k.a vaporware.) which will a video compression spec that is patent 
free.  My plans to take over the world with a video recorder are based on 
this technology (heh)


On Monday 08 July 2002 02:31 pm, you wrote:
> At a NTLUG monthly meeting a couple months back, there was talk about the
> lack of MP3 encoding software available. Has anyone been able to find an
> encoder for MP3 format? I'm still searching.
>
> Thanks!