Latest Fraunhofer IIS MPEG-4 Audio / Video Evaluation Software Available for Download

Business Wire, Sept 8, 2004

ERLANGEN, Germany -- Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS announces its latest MPEG-4 AV solutions - now available as free evaluation software. At IBC 2004, Fraunhofer IIS will present "DSL-TV", a combination of MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding and the most advanced low bit-rate multi-channel audio coding scheme.

To introduce recent developments within the open multimedia standard MPEG-4 to the public, Fraunhofer IS offers a public download of an MPEG-4 AV evaluation software suite today. The download will prove the efficiency of the Fraunhofer implementation comprising encoder, streaming server and player. The software uses Advanced Video Coding AVC and High Efficiency Advanced Audio Coding HE-AAC, the two most efficient multimedia codecs within MPEG-4. This combination enables digital video in high quality at data rates far below those used for example on video DVDs. It complies with the upcoming specification ISMA 2.0 of the Internet Streaming Media Alliance.

Available until January 1st, 2005, the use of the evaluation MPEG-4 encoder and streaming server is limited to 30 days after installation. The MPEG-4 player will keep all its functions. The Fraunhofer IIS MPEG-4 software suite is only intended for personal, non-commercial purposes. Both Fraunhofer MPEG-4 player as well as MPEG-4 encoder and streaming server are software-only solutions that do not need special hardware. Thus a standard PC with at least a 1.3 GHz processor is able to create, stream and play back ".mp4" files using the Fraunhofer MPEG-4 software.

At IBC 2004 in Amsterdam, Fraunhofer IIS will present an extended version of the software featuring HE-AAC Surround. This very efficient multi-channel extension of HE-AAC bases on recent research in the area of perceptual spatial audio coding. That way "DSL-TV" with surround sound at data rates of less than 1 Mb/s becomes reality. Fraunhofer IIS is a sustaining member of the MPEG Industry Forum (MPEGIF) and the Internet Streaming Media Alliance (ISMA).

About Fraunhofer IIS

The audio and multimedia departments of the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS conduct research in the field of high quality audio and video coding at low bit-rates. Fraunhofer IIS is the main developer of advanced audio coding methods like MPEG Layer-3 (MP3) and MPEG-2/4 AAC (Advanced Audio Coding). Fraunhofer IIS plays a prominent role in the standardization of MPEG-4 audio and contributes to further standards such as 3GPP, AES, DVB, DVD, ISMA, ITU-R WP6A, and ITU-R WP6Q. Founded in 1985 the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS in Erlangen, today with 450 staff members, ranks first among the otherFraunhofer Institutes. It provides research services on contract basis and technology licensing. Research topics are: Audio and video source coding, digital radio broadcasting systems, analog and digital integrated circuits, tools for design automation, high-speed camera systems, industrial and medical vision systems, wireless, wired and optical networks, navigation, nanofocus X-ray technology, and communications technology in transport and logistics. The budget of 50 million Euro is mainly financed by projects from both the industry and the public sector. Less than 20 % of the budget is subsidized by federal and state funds.

Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS

Am Wolfsmantel 33

91058 Erlangen

Germany

Director

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Heinz Gerhaeuser