I got this from another list.
Steve
XP Add-ons to Become Available Monday
October 20th, 2001, 4:33 PM ET
By: David Worthington, BetaNews
Story URL: http://www.betanews.com/article.php3?sid=1003610007
On Monday, Microsoft along side Cyberlink and InterVideo will announce
the availability of the Windows XP MP3 Creation Pack and DVD Decoder
Pack. As previously reported by BetaNews, Microsoft unveiled the packs
to demonstrate the plug-in capabilities of its media player and the
opportunities that they presented to third party developers. Redmond was
under scrutiny for allegedly favoring its own proprietary format over
competing technologies.
According to an early press release obtained by BetaNews, CyberLink's
MP3 Creation Pack for Windows XP has been dubbed MP3 PowerEncoder for
Windows XP. It will be immediately available for download Monday in the
form of a plug-in for Windows Media Player, and will cost $9.95 USD when
purchased separately.
Customers will be able to generate ID3 tags to pair album information
with each files generated by WMP. The maximum encoding rate allowed by
Cyberlink is 256 Kbps in contrast to InterVideo's plug-in which allows a
range of up to 320 Kbps.
InterVideo's MP3 XPack is priced identically to Cyberlink's offering.
Although initially only complete in an English language version, there
are plans to extend support for up to 10 additional languages later this
year. The plug-in will be available for download from InterVideo's Web
site.
"CyberLink and InterVideo are helping to make Windows XP the best and
most complete digital media experience on the PC," said Dave Fester,
general manager of the Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft.
"Customers of Windows XP now have an expanded choice for both the
leading digital music formats and technology vendors, all for a price
under $10."
Throughout development it was speculated that Microsoft included only
rudimentary support for MP3 ripping in favor of its own WMA format.
Initially, the quality of MP3 encoded audio in XP would be the
equivalent to that of an AM radio broadcast. In contrast, Microsoft's
own audio format provided high quality playback. The MP3 creation packs
will allow audio to be recorded at bit rates as high as 320 Kbps, which
is thought to be full CD quality.
In July, Microsoft maintained that it will continue support for
Fraunhofer's MP3 codec, pointing out that it has licensed the technology
in Windows Media Player versions 6.4, 7.0, and 7.1. Monday's
announcement will re-emphasize the company's support for MP3.
The second pack offered by each company allows for software-based DVD
playback on systems that do not have actual DVD decoders. Other benefits
include Dolby Digital Audio, full screen playback controls,
easy-to-navigate DVD chapter listings, and integrated support for All
Media Guide's DVD metadata information. AMG's listings provide customers
with ancillary content to supplement their DVD collection such as cover
art, chapter listings, and actor and director credits.
Cyberlink's DVD Decoder Pack is called SE for Windows XP, and
InterVideo's DVD Decoder Pack will go by the moniker DVD XPack. The
former is based upon PowerDVD and the latter is built upon the same core
technology as WinDVD. Pricing does not vary between the two packs.
CyberLink's PowerPacks for Windows XP:
$9.95 USD for the MP3 PowerEncoder
$14.95 USD for PowerDVD SE
$19.95 USD for both PowerPacks
InterVideo's XPacks for Windows XP:
$9.95 USD for the MP3 XPack
$14.95 USD for DVD XPack
$19.95 USD for both XPacks
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