Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Xiph.Org Foundation
open-in-new
<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p><a href="/facts/Chris_Montgomery/Vo4kpM3C">Chris Montgomery</a>, creator of the <a href="/facts/Ogg/TBjabnot">Ogg</a> container format, founded the Xiphophorus company and later the Xiph.Org Foundation.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> The first work that became the Ogg media projects started in 1994.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> The name "Xiph" abbreviates the original organizational name, "Xiphophorus", named after the <a href="/facts/Green_swordtail/PyMrXI4S">common swordtail</a> fish, <i>Xiphophorus hellerii</i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> It was officially incorporated on 15 May 1996 as Xiphophorus, Inc.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> The name "Xiphophorus company" was used until 2002,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> when it was renamed to Xiph.Org Foundation.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> </p><p>In 1999, the Xiphophorus company defined itself on its website as <i>"a distributed group of Free and Open Source programmers working to protect the foundations of Internet multimedia from domination by self-serving corporate interests."</i><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> </p><p>In 2002, the Xiph.Org Foundation defined itself on its website as <i>"a non-profit corporation dedicated to protecting the foundations of Internet multimedia from control by private interests."</i><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> </p><p>In March 2003, the Xiph.Org Foundation was recognized by the <a href="/facts/Internal_Revenue_Service/GBdRoslU">IRS</a> as a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> which means that U.S. citizens can deduct donations made to Xiph.Org from their taxes. </p> <h2 id="xiphorg-foundation-projects">Xiph.Org Foundation projects</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Ogg/TBjabnot">Ogg</a> – a multimedia <a href="/facts/Digital_container_format/mSfwwdSA">container format</a>, a <a href="/facts/Reference_implementation/k9B97xel">reference implementation</a>, and the native file and stream format for the Xiph.org multimedia codecs <ul><li><a href="/facts/Vorbis/rqJDTF0T">Vorbis</a> – a lossy <a href="/facts/Audio_compression_(data)/gMFuY4FT">audio compression</a> format and codec</li> <li><a href="/facts/Theora/RnlKRQBb">Theora</a> – a lossy <a href="/facts/Video_coding_format/Dmzykxmn">video coding format</a> and codec</li> <li><a href="/facts/FLAC/TbqpHlWy">FLAC</a> – a lossless audio compression format and software</li> <li><a href="/facts/Speex/M7xqnPxN">Speex</a> – a lossy <a href="/facts/Speech_encoding/xs5gvMXq">speech encoding</a> format and software (deprecated)</li> <li><a href="/facts/CELT/52Wt9cbu">CELT</a> – an ultra-low delay lossy audio compression format that has been merged into Opus, and is now obsolete</li> <li><a href="/facts/Opus_(codec)/VP4KuGre">Opus</a> – a low delay lossy audio compression format originally intended for <a href="/facts/Voice_over_IP/5QGBbXYg">VoIP</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Tremor_(software)/787pbW2R">Tremor</a> – an integer-only implementation of the Vorbis audio decoder for embedded devices (software)</li> <li><a href="/facts/OggPCM/KF4j68N7">OggPCM</a> – an encapsulation of <a href="/facts/PCM_audio/5gdfjtH3">PCM audio</a> data inside the Ogg container format</li> <li>Skeleton – a structuring information for multi-track Ogg files (a logical bitstream within an Ogg stream)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Real-time_Transport_Protocol/YKQK1RK2">RTP</a> payloads – containers for Vorbis, Theora, Speex and Opus.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Continuous_Media_Markup_Language/Yqx9u1rx">CMML</a> – an XML-based markup language for time-continuous data (a timed text codec; deprecated)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Ogg_Squish/jwFAAQRM">Ogg Squish</a> – a lossless audio compression format and software (discontinued)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Ogg/TBjabnot">Tarkin</a> – an experimental lossy video coding format; no stable release (discontinued)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Daala/0oyPpRJP">Daala</a> – a <a href="/facts/Video_coding_format/Dmzykxmn">video coding format</a> and codec<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a></li> <li>Kate – an overlay codec that can carry animated text and images.</li></ul></li> <li>libao – an audio-output library that operates on different platforms<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Annodex/pFvVgKX4">Annodex</a> – an encapsulation format, which interleaves time-continuous data with CMML markup in a streamable manner</li> <li><a href="/facts/Icecast/GRpKc9Iz">Icecast</a> – an open source multi-platform streaming server (software)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Icecast/GRpKc9Iz">Ices</a> – a source client for broadcasting in Ogg Vorbis or MP3 format to an icecast2 server (software)</li> <li>IceShare – an unfinished peercasting system for Ogg multimedia (no longer maintained)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Cdparanoia/6yEbXQMy">cdparanoia</a> – an open source <a href="/facts/Red_Book_(CD_standard)/FDMqNLw5">CD Audio</a> extraction tool that aims to be bit-perfect (currently unmaintained)</li> <li><a href="/facts/XSPF/VBU90Xob">XSPF</a> – an XML Shareable Playlist Format</li></ul> <h3>OpenCodecs</h3> <p><i>OpenCodecs</i> is a software package for Windows adding DirectShow filters for the <a href="/facts/Theora/RnlKRQBb">Theora</a> and <a href="/facts/WebM/tP4xgYJc">WebM</a> codecs. It adds Theora and WebM support to <a href="/facts/Windows_Media_Player/k6xxSATq">Windows Media Player</a> and enables <a href="/facts/HTML_video/DKUclA1k">HTML video</a> in <a href="/facts/Internet_Explorer/uL8a4Y5l">Internet Explorer</a>. It consists of: </p> <ul><li><i>dshow</i>, Xiph's <a href="/facts/DirectShow/d7dPeQ5W">DirectShow</a> filters for their suite of <a href="/facts/Ogg/TBjabnot">Ogg</a> formats, including Theora and <a href="/facts/Vorbis/rqJDTF0T">Vorbis</a></li> <li><i>webmdshow</i>, the DirectShow filter for WebM maintained by the WebM project</li> <li>An <a href="/facts/ActiveX/xJb7t7Eh">ActiveX</a> plugin adding HTML video capability to Internet Explorer older than version 9</li></ul> <h3>QuickTime Components</h3> <p><i>Xiph QuickTime Components</i> are implementations of the <a href="/facts/Ogg/TBjabnot">Ogg</a> container along with the <a href="/facts/Speex/M7xqnPxN">Speex</a>, <a href="/facts/Theora/RnlKRQBb">Theora</a>, <a href="/facts/FLAC/TbqpHlWy">FLAC</a> and <a href="/facts/Vorbis/rqJDTF0T">Vorbis</a> <a href="/facts/Codec/C7b7Am8t">codecs</a> for <a href="/facts/QuickTime/rA3GQp2j">QuickTime</a>. It allows users to use Ogg files in any application that uses QuickTime for audio and video file support, such as <a href="/facts/ITunes/pdXPE33T">iTunes</a> and <a href="/facts/QuickTime_Player/rA3GQp2j">QuickTime Player</a>. </p><p>Since QuickTime Components do not function in <a href="/facts/MacOS_Sierra/jV5ocHbo">macOS Sierra</a> and above, the project was discontinued in 2016.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://xiph.org/">Official website</a> </li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"About". xiph.org. Retrieved March 5, 2011. <a href="http://xiph.org/about" target="_blank">http://xiph.org/about</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"High Priority Free Software Projects". Free Software Foundation. Retrieved August 25, 2008. <a href="http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/priority.html" target="_blank">http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/priority.html</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Xiph.org: Contact information". Xiph.org. Retrieved August 25, 2008. <a href="http://www.xiph.org/contact/" target="_blank">http://www.xiph.org/contact/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"A Challenger to MP3?". Tristan Louis. January 16, 2001. Archived from the original on June 17, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2008. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130617220110/http://tnl.net/who/bibliography/vorbis.php" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20130617220110/http://tnl.net/who/bibliography/vorbis.php</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"naming". Xiph.org. Archived from the original on February 2, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2008. <a href="http://xiph.org/xiphname" target="_blank">http://xiph.org/xiphname</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"XIPHOPHORUS, INC. :: Massachusetts (US)". OpenCorporates. Retrieved November 6, 2022. <a href="https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ma/000537262" target="_blank">https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ma/000537262</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Brian Zisk (April 19, 2000). "vorbis - Dvorak Interviews Monty". Retrieved September 4, 2008. <a href="http://lists.xiph.org/pipermail/vorbis/2000-April/012573.html" target="_blank">http://lists.xiph.org/pipermail/vorbis/2000-April/012573.html</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Advogado (April 4, 2000). "Interview: Christopher Montgomery of Xiphophorus". Advogado. Archived from the original on June 28, 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2009. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170628144125/http://www.advogato.org/article/56.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20170628144125/http://www.advogato.org/article/56.html</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Xiphophorus company (December 12, 2001). "Xiphophorus home". Archived from the original on December 12, 2001. Retrieved September 2, 2009. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20011212024227/http://www.xiph.org/index.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20011212024227/http://www.xiph.org/index.html</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Xiph.org Foundation (November 27, 2002). "Xiph.org home". Archived from the original on November 27, 2002. Retrieved September 2, 2009. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20021127233506/http://www.xiph.org/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20021127233506/http://www.xiph.org/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Xiphophorus company (November 28, 1999). "Xiphophorus home". Archived from the original on November 28, 1999. Retrieved September 2, 2009. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/19991128204405/http://xiph.org/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/19991128204405/http://xiph.org/</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Xiph.org Foundation (November 27, 2002). "Xiph.org home". Archived from the original on November 27, 2002. Retrieved September 2, 2009. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20021127233506/http://www.xiph.org/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20021127233506/http://www.xiph.org/</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Xiph.Org (2003-03-24) Speex reaches 1.0; Xiph.Org now a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization, Retrieved 2009-09-01 <a href="http://www.xiph.org/press/2003/nonprofitspeex1/" target="_blank">http://www.xiph.org/press/2003/nonprofitspeex1/</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>"Ogg Skeleton 4 - XiphWiki". wiki.xiph.org. Retrieved November 6, 2022. <a href="https://wiki.xiph.org/index.php/Ogg_Skeleton" target="_blank">https://wiki.xiph.org/index.php/Ogg_Skeleton</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Michael Smith (2005-08-29) Tarkin, vorbis-dev mailinglist, Retrieved 2009-09-06 <a href="http://lists.xiph.org/pipermail/vorbis-dev/2005-August/018213.html" target="_blank">http://lists.xiph.org/pipermail/vorbis-dev/2005-August/018213.html</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>"Xiph.org :: daala video". xiph.org. Retrieved November 6, 2022. <a href="https://xiph.org/daala/" target="_blank">https://xiph.org/daala/</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>"libao: a cross platform audio library". Xiph.Org. Retrieved June 29, 2009. Libao is a cross-platform audio library that allows programs to output audio using a simple API on a wide variety of platforms. <a href="http://www.xiph.org/ao/" target="_blank">http://www.xiph.org/ao/</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>"XiphQT discontinued". Xiph.org. June 13, 2016. <a href="https://www.xiph.org/quicktime/" target="_blank">https://www.xiph.org/quicktime/</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>