OGG Files.
One of the things Richard Stallman asked of me before coming on the show was to make my podcast available in OGG format. As some of you may know, MP3 technology is patented whereas OGG technology is not. As things like iTunes and podcasts become more and more prevalent, the MP3 dudes are becoming more serious about enforcing their patent. I agree with RMS that free software is better and therefore am going to support the OGG format from this point on.
Since I am a member of The Podcast Network, I can’t make radical decisions like ONLY providing OGG format files out of the blue. I realize that the podcasting and online music industry revolves around MP3’s and even with MP3 fees looming on the horizon, I don’t see that changing.
So, in order to try and make the commercial world and my new budding enlightened world work together, I will provide both MP3 and OGG formatted files of my podcasts from this point on.
Starting with this week’s show (Show #11), you will be able to get OGG formatted shows on Ourmedia, here.
TPN has agreed to host OGG files alongside the MP3s on this server. Therefore, each show from Show 11 onwards will have an MP3 and an OGG link. Stay tuned for an OGG RSS feed in the near future as well!
In case anyone is interested, The Podcast Network is pondering my OGG request as we speak so perhaps in the future I can host them alongside the MP3’s on TPN’s servers.
August 12th, 2005 at 11:56 pm
I don’t the guys at TPN will go with this! They have sold out and are in Bill’s back pocket. They will probably be moving to Windows Media Format ;-) (joking of course).
But seriously I should check it out as I think my iRiver supports it.
Molly
PS. Loved the new show format with KPG on the whole show (no offense, hehe). She adds something to the show but I think every second show is probably the right move for most people.
PS. PS. Was going to start a save the KPG wikipedia entry Campaign but not sure it would have done anything.
August 13th, 2005 at 12:34 am
Heya!
I know, Cam and Mick are MS drones! Help me get the message out! :)
I’ve heard that there are a few portable players that support OGG, and certainly all GNU/Linux distros support it.
I’d like to fast forward 5 years and see what teh state of the nation is with MP3. Seems to me it will die. I mean - why would people continue to use something that costs money when there’s a perfectly viable alternative? Seems like a no-brainer to me, but it takes more than me.
Glad you like the new format. Those shows with KPG the entire time will be switched off between the longer shows that are staying in the old format (ie - me showing some application off and then KPG coming in to give her thoughts on it). In a weird quirk of timing though, we’re about to go on vacation so the next few shows will be interviews (see blog entry below for details on that).
Wikipedia - man, I laughed over that one. I agree with you, I think it was doomed but man it was funny :)
Take care
J
August 13th, 2005 at 12:29 pm
I agree with you Jon. I don’t know why more people aren’t using OGG. It’s Open Source, so anyone can use it (you won’t have to buy commercial software). It has better sound quality at lower bitrates (I have a joke about this, I’ll mention that later). It is smaller. Why aren’t people using it? The only Windows program (that I know) that supports it out of the box without any plugins is Winamp (way to go!). When I came across my first OGG file about a six months ago, that’s what I used to play it (and I was really surprised with it’s sound quality). It is so good that Atari decided to use it in Unreal Tournament 2004 (even in Windows).
And about that funny story - I was helping someone with his Linux podcast a few months ago (It’s dead now). He couldn’t upload it to the server himself because they were on opposite ends of the world, so I gave him a Gmail account. He split it up into three parts and sent them to me. I put them together with Audacity and exported them to MP3 and OGG. The MP3 was 64 KB/s and was decent for voice. It was also 20 MB. The OGG was 42 KB/s. It sounded just as good as the MP3 (if not better) and was about 16 MB. It’s not a lot smaller, but for those with slower connections, 4 MB can be a lot.
August 13th, 2005 at 12:37 pm
I like it because it’s free and unencumbered by patents, period. It’s a total bonus that the sound quality rocks and compression is good as well.
Weirdly, I’m looking at two podcasts I’ve made in MP3 and OGG format. The OGG files are MUCH bigger than the MP3s. Both the MP3’s are 19MB and the OGGs are 31 and 36 respectively.
Odd how your’s are smaller.
August 14th, 2005 at 4:24 am
yay!!! Long Live OGG vorbis. I think that at least the open source podcasts should do it im OGG. Most of them do, like Linux Link Tech show, LUGRadio and LQ Radio.
Great stuff… I hope this is not the only ogg I heard from you guys. Audacity can encode to ogg with no problem.
August 14th, 2005 at 10:24 am
Hi Jza,
I noticed Audacity’s ability to encode OGG. You’ll be seeing an OGG version of the show available from Show #11 onwards. :)
August 16th, 2005 at 6:39 pm
Silly point, and you are probably already on holidays but are you going to have an OGG file RSS Feed? That will probably give Mick some headaches.
Molly
August 16th, 2005 at 11:52 pm
Hey Molly,
Not on vacation yet…alllllmoooost!
I quote myself:
“TPN has agreed to host OGG files alongside the MP3s on this server. Therefore, each show from Show 11 onwards will have an MP3 and an OGG link. Stay tuned for an OGG RSS feed in the near future as well!”
So…umm…yeah. I think Mick’s making one :)
August 17th, 2005 at 4:05 pm
Sorry, Being lazy in my reading!
Happy holidays, ay (sorry couldn’t resist! (the “ay” I mean)).
Molly