L3enc

Fraunhofer l3enc was the first public software able to encode <a href="/facts/Pulse-code_modulation/5gdfjtH3">pulse-code modulation</a> (PCM) <a href="/facts/.wav/ptUfKleW">.wav</a> files to the <a href="/facts/MP3/yrBpxUSD">MP3</a> format. The first public version was released on July 13, 1994. This <a href="/facts/Command-line_tool/R9JpGmXQ">command-line tool</a> was <a href="/facts/Shareware/TAhIvJXt">shareware</a> and limited to 112 kbit/s. l3enc fit on a single 3.5" floppy. It was available for <a href="/facts/MS-DOS/fVrrz1uN">MS-DOS</a>, <a href="/facts/Linux/9FvCKSTq">Linux</a>, <a href="/facts/Solaris_(operating_system)/KPfT98EJ">Solaris</a>, <a href="/facts/SunOS/oWMcGLqc">SunOS</a>, <a href="/facts/NeXTstep/eL0bymga">NeXTstep</a> and <a href="/facts/IRIX/vK9rSatM">IRIX</a>. A licence that allowed full use (encoding up to 320 kbit/s) cost 350 <a href="/facts/Deutsche_Mark/kCwqeMkt">Deutsche Mark</a>, or about $250 (US).
Fraunhofer l3dec was the first public software able to decode the <a href="/facts/MP3/yrBpxUSD">MP3</a> format.
Since the release in September 1995 of <a href="/facts/Fraunhofer_Society/JS0cK2Qo">Fraunhofer</a> <a href="/facts/WinPlay3/YDS4a7S1">WinPlay3</a>, the first <a href="/facts/Real-time_computing/p9HxgL4L">real-time</a> MP3 software player, people were able to store and play back MP3 files on PCs. WinPlay3 fit on a single 3.5" floppy. For full playback quality (stereo) one would have needed to meet the minimum requirements of a <a href="/facts/Intel_DX4/qUHJHcf7">486DX4/100</a> processor.
By the end of 1997 l3enc stopped being developed in favour of its successor MP3enc. Development of MP3enc stopped in late 1998 to favour development of a parallel <a href="/facts/Branch_(software)/1m0qK9tv">branch</a> FhG had been developing for some time, called Fastenc. None of these programs are still marketed.

L3enc open-in-new

L3enc