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OggWatch™
OggWatch™ is a project sponsored by Twisted Lincoln, Inc. that hopes to promote the use and integration of multimedia formats that are not encumbered by patents or licensing issues.
What is Ogg?
There is much confusion regarding so-called "Ogg files." Due to the rising success of Ogg Vorbis, many people have begun to use the term "Ogg" as a synonymn for the Vorbis audio compression. This is incorrect.
Ogg is a container format. Container formats themselves do not contain data, but instead define a framework in which data can be held. The container itself identifies and seperates the different types of data that it holds so that they can be manipulated and used.
The Ogg container format can hold a variety of different types of data. It supports audio and video, in both compressed and uncompressed formats. It also allows for subtitles and captions.
The Ogg container format is not restricted by software patents, and when combined with a Free Codec such as Vorbis, it can be used to create fully Free multimedia.
Some codecs that are commonly used in Ogg containers:
Vorbis -- compressed audio, designed for general audio and music
Speex -- compressed audio, optimized for voice data
FLAC -- uncompressed audio
Theora -- compressed video
What is Ogg Vorbis?
Ogg Vorbis is a highly efficient, patent-free way to store audio. It is similar to the MP3 format, but without all of the licensing and royalty issues that go along with it. It combines the Vorbis audio codec with the Ogg container format to create a single file that is freely used and manipulated.
Why would I want to use Ogg Vorbis?
Ogg Vorbis provides several benefits over competing proprietary formats:
*Superior compression: When compared to competing formats such as MP3, Ogg Vorbis provides either a smaller file size at the same quality level, or better quality at the same file size.
*Excellent cross platform support: computers running GNU/Linux, MacOS, or Windows can play Ogg Vorbis files when the proper codecs are installed.
*Perfect for commercial use: since Ogg Vorbis is free from patents and royalties, one can freely use Ogg Vorbis as part of a commercial product without the burden of extra fees.
*Supports freedom: The Ogg Vorbis format isn't just free of charge, it's also free as in freedom. You never have to worry about having to pay to encode, decode, or otherwise use the Ogg Vorbis format.
What is Ogg Theora?
Ogg Theora is a highly efficient, patent-free way to store video. It is similar to the XVid format, but without all of the licensing and royalty issues that go along with codecs that are based on an implementation of Mpeg4.
Combining the Theora video codec with Vorbis audio in an Ogg container format creates a single file that is freely used andmanipulated.
Why would I want to use Ogg Theora?
Ogg Theora provides several benefits over competing proprietary formats:
*Excellent cross platform support: computers running GNU/Linux, MacOS, or Windows can play Ogg Theora files when the proper codecs are installed.
*Perfect for commercial use: since Ogg Theora is free from patents and royalties, one can freely use it as part of a commercial product without the burden of extra fees.
*Supports freedom: The Ogg Theora format isn't just free of charge, it's also free as in freedom. You never have to worry about having to pay to encode, decode, or otherwise use files in the Ogg Theora format.
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