[Speex-dev] Microsoft RTAudio

[Jean-Marc Valin]

> Just wondered what your thoughts are on Microsoft's RTAudio codec
> that they use in their Unified Communications stuff: 
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=5D79B584-79C9-42A8-90C4-4AB3F03D19C4&displaylang=en

The document is interesting... So it took them 6 years to come up with a
codec that has almost the same structure as Speex (sub-band CELP --
can't tell what codebooks they're using), almost 1/5 of the modes
supported and $35,000 more expensive. Looks like a great codec indeed
(OK, I haven't actually found any samples to tell the quality).

> They let people license it to use in their own products. I couldn't
> find any sample clips of RTAudio encoded speech. Apart from being
> $35000 less expensive, does anyone have any other reasons as to why
> Speex is better?

That's a tough one. Let me think...
- Because it's an open standard
- Because it's not from Microsoft
- Because you can do whatever you like with it
- Because it's not from a convicted monopolist
- Because it supports 8 rates in narrowband and 11 in wideband
- Because it's not from a company that is known for killing
compatibility every few years to force upgrade
- Because it's very flexible
- Because I wrote it, so it must be good :-)

Cheers,

	Jean-Marc