Xing: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 22:28, 31 March 2024

The Xing (pronounced "zing") MP3 encoder was one of the fastest MP3 encoders. Of course that comes with a price, and quality wasn't on par with encoders tuned for quality instead of speed, like FhG Slowenc (Audioactive) and LAME. Yet despite its reputation for poor quality, Xing's ~128 kbps VBR mode compared favorably in an early 2004 listening test.

Features

Encodes .wav to MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 layer 3 audio
Encodes bitrates ranging from 28 to 320 kbps
Variable Bitrate (VBR) encoding support
High Frequency Encoding support (up to 20 kHz)
Low data rate support
Several times faster than most popular encoders
Automated batch processing
MP3 playback capabilities
GUI based and command-line encoder front ends

Versions

XingMP3 standalone encoder

Xing Mp3 Encoder (v1.5 GUI, main window)

The last standalone version of the Xing encoder was XingMP3 1.5, released in March 1999. It included a command-line interface (x3enc.exe), and also a GUI (mp3enc.exe) which was restricted to using a limited set of of the command-line encoder's options. Real Networks acquired Xing Technology, a.k.a. XingTech, in 1999, and after XingMP3 1.5, the encoder was only distributed as part of the RealPlayer bundle. Apparently it was further developed over the years.

The Helix MP3 Encoder

In 2005, RealNetworks decided to release the encoder under an open source license as a code library with command-line interface (no GUI), under the new name Helix mp3enc. The encoder was part of the Helix datatype project, a collection of code libraries intended to support the now defunct Helix multimedia project.

In November 2022 HydrogenAudio user maikmerten updated the encoder to include a lametag to provide sample accurate encoding/decoding for VBR and CBR, plus a bug fix to the original code.

A separate Wiki article on the Helix MP3 Encoder documents the state of the encoder including this recent development.

External links

Helix MP3 encoder command-line executable for Windows, at RareWares
Helix MP3 encoder API docs (via archive.org)
~~Helix MP3 encoder source code (CVS)~~
Related discussion (2005-2016) on hydrogenaudio
Resurrecting/Preserving the Helix MP3 encoder (Nov 2022+) on hydrogenaudio

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 ===XingMP3 standalone encoder===
 [[Image:xingmp3encoder.png|frame|right|Xing Mp3 Encoder (v1.5 GUI, main window)]]
+The last standalone version of the Xing encoder was XingMP3 1.5, released in March 1999.  It included a command-line interface (x3enc.exe), and also a GUI (mp3enc.exe) which was restricted to using a limited set of of the command-line encoder's options.
+Real Networks acquired  [[wikipedia:Xing Technology|Xing Technology]], a.k.a. XingTech, in 1999, and after XingMP3 1.5, the encoder was only distributed as part of the [[wikipedia:RealPlayer|RealPlayer]] bundle. <!--details, anyone? I'm not putting RealPlayer 10 on my system just to find out what interface they gave the MP3 encoder--> Apparently it was further developed over the years.
-The last standalone version of the Xing encoder was XingMP3 1.5, released in March 1999. It included a command-line interface (x3enc.exe), and a GUI (mp3enc.exe). The GUI was restricted to using a limited set of encoding profiles, whereas the command-line encoder had more options.
+===The Helix MP3 Encoder===
+In 2005, RealNetworks decided to release the encoder under an [[open source]] license as a code library with command-line interface (no GUI), under the new name '''Helix mp3enc'''.  The encoder was part of the Helix datatype project, a collection of code libraries intended to support the now defunct [[wikipedia:Helix (multimedia project)|Helix multimedia project]].
-After that release, the encoder continued to be improved, but it was only distributed as part of the [[wikipedia:RealPlayer|RealPlayer]] bundle.<!--details, anyone? I'm not putting RealPlayer 10 on my system just to find out what interface they gave the MP3 encoder-->
+In November 2022 HydrogenAudio user [https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php?action=profile;u=1312 maikmerten] updated the encoder to include a [[LAME#VBR_header_and_LAME_tag|lametag]] to provide sample accurate encoding/decoding for VBR and CBR, plus a bug fix to the original code.
-===Helix MP3 Encoder===
+[[Helix MP3 Encoder|A separate Wiki article on the Helix MP3 Encoder]] documents the state of the encoder including this recent development.
-In 2005, RealNetworks — owners of the Xing assets after acquiring [[wikipedia:Xing Technology|Xing Technology]], a.k.a. XingTech — decided to release the encoder under an [[open source]] license, with the new name '''Helix mp3enc'''. The new version of the encoder is a code library which also has a command-line interface, but there is no GUI.
-The Helix MP3 encoder is part of the Helix datatype project, a collection of code libraries intended to support the [[wikipedia:Helix (multimedia project)|Helix multimedia project]].
-In November 2022 HydrogenAudio user [https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php?action=profile;u=1312 maikmerten] updated the encoder to include a [[LAME#VBR_header_and_LAME_tag|lametag]] to provide sample accurate encoding/decoding for VBR and CBR, plus a bug fix to the original code.
 ==External links==
@@ Line 31: / Line 29: @@
 * [https://web.archive.org/web/20160105123337/https://datatype.helixcommunity.org/files/2005/mp3enc.doc Helix MP3 encoder API docs (via archive.org)]
 * <s>[https://helixcommunity.org/viewcvs/datatype/mp3/codec/encoder/ Helix MP3 encoder source code (CVS)]</s>
-* [https://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=35531 Related discussion in HydrogenAudio forum]
+* {{ha|https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php/topic,35531.0.html|Related discussion (2005-2016)}}
-* [https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php/topic=35531 Resurrecting/Preserving the Helix MP3 encoder (Nov 2022)]
+* {{ha|https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php/topic,123331.0.html|Resurrecting/Preserving the Helix MP3 encoder (Nov 2022+)}}
 [[Category:Encoder/Decoder]]
 [[Category:MP3]]