MPEG Industry Forum

The year 2003 has started with much MPEG-4 news and it keeps coming. We see more and ever-cooler devices, and some evidence of the more advanced MPEG-4 tools finding their way into commercial technology (see the Siemens announcement below). Also we see the Advanced Video Codec (AVC), a.k.a. H..264, gaining support after it was technically frozen in December, and in anticipation of its release coming March. As expected, MPEG LA extended the initial patent submission deadline to shortly after this March release. I hope that the licensing terms will be forthcoming significantly faster than it has take for the terms of MPEG-4 Visual and Systems to be released.

Meantime, we are continuing to improve the website. The menu structure will be overhauled shortly, giving better access to much of the the information. Members Press Releases now stand out among the rest of the releases. A special page with Current Offers for members, just opened but still under development will list all the discounts and special deals for members, including books, conferences and trade shows. After the menu overhaul, we will start upgrading the Products section and make it more dynamic and useful.

Kind Regards,

Rob Koenen

MPEG-4 News

DivX v5.03 released [AfterDawn, 25 Jan 03] - Support for MPEG-4 File Format lacks but that is for the right reason - DivxNetworks wants to make sure it is standards-compliant and will hopefully add it soon.
Former outsider Linux goes mainstream [EE Times, 24 Jan 03] - "IBM demonstrated the reference platform at LinuxWorld with common office productivity tools downloadable through an Opera Web browser and with MPEG-4 movies played back on the PDA screen."
Real's open-source code lacks MPEG-4 [CNET News.com, 22 Jan 03] - "If they ever want to get that train to leave the station, they need to issue the systems license," said Real. Yes, that would be about time, some 4 year after approving the standard in the MPEG committee.
Siemens creates 3D world for Internet shops [Times News Network, 22 Jan 03] - Advanced MPEG-4 tools to ease online shopping
Sharp unveils well-connected home server [IDG News Service, 21 Jan 03] - Records in MPEG-2 and can transcode to MPEG-4, so you can view it from your PDA - from Sharp or for instance the Sony that turns heads in the next link
Sony wants turn heads with multimedia handheld [Mercury News, 20 Jan 03] - The new NZ90 Clié's "2-megapixel digital camera is good enough to reliably turn out 5 x 7 color prints, or high-quality MPEG-4 video."
Philips’ multimedia solution enables Wind’s new VideoMMS service for 2.5G and 3G networks [3G Newsroom, 17 Jan 03] - Philips' Platform4 Micro Edition support MPEG-4 for wireless apps.
Programmable digital media processor [dialinfolinkelectronics, 17 Jan 03] - "Thanks to TI's extensive third party network, many algorithms are also available including MPEG 4, H.26L, H.263, AC-3, AAC, MP-3 and more [...]" for TI's TMS320DM642
Leonardo Chiariglione to Keynote NAB2003 Broadcast Engineering Conference [EETimes, 16 Jan 03] - On 7 April in Las Vegas, "Chiariglione will address the current struggle between content creators, distributors and users, and how that conflict is holding back the full exploitation of the business opportunities offered by digital technologies"
Dilithium Networks, TI To Enable More Cost Effective Transcoding Solutions [TMCnet, 15 Jan 03] - including to/from MPEG-4
Macworld Expo reflections on tonight's Your Mac Life [MacCentral, 15 Jan 03] - The Mac Lifes are broadcast in MPEG-4
Atsana Launches 1.3 Megapixel Video Camera Accessory Module Ref Design for Mobile ... [Canada IT, 15 Jan 03] - which includes "High-quality MPEG4 & H.263 video, QCIF at 30+ frames per second (fps)"
Sand Video to sample H.264 decoder in Q4 [EE Times, 14 Jan 03] - Also known as MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding, this new codec is gaining popularity.
Software takes center stage to meet vital SoC goals [EETimes, 13 Jan 03] - Uses MPEG-4 as a good example on how SW is gaining importance in making ASICs run
Mix & match the old [The Straits Times, 13 Jan 03]
Forum to select next-generation DVD codec by March [EETimes, 13 Jan 03] - "The DVD Forum appears to be considering several codecs as candidates. These include H.264, the technical specification of which is scheduled to be frozen in March; MPEG-4 Advanced Simple Profile; MPEG-2 with a so-called 'enhancement layer;' and Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Media 9."

MPEG-4 Press Releases

MPEG LA Extends Call for Initial Submission of Essential H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Patents [MPEG LA, 24 Jan 03]
Coding Technologies to join the Internet Streaming Media Alliance [Europemedia, 23 Jan 03]
Internet Streaming Media Alliance (ISMA) Welcomes Four New Members [ISMA, 21 Jan 03]
Sequent Technologies Unveils First Broadcast Video System to Enhance ... [Sequent, 21 Jan 03]
Toshiba Launches SoCMosaic Custom Chip Platform [Toshiba, 20 Jan 03]
Atsana launches 1.3 Megapixel Video Camera Accessory Module Ref. Design for Mobile ... [Atsana, 15 Jan 03]
Sorenson Squeeze 3 Compression Suite Wins Best of Show at Macworld Expo & Conference 2003 [Sorenson, 14 Jan 03]
ESS Technology Signs On as Newest DivXNetworks Embedded Software Partner [DivXNetworks, 13 Jan 03]
DivXNetworks Adds Fedtec as Newest Certified Partner [DivXNetworks, 13 Jan 03]
ATI Technologies and DivXNetworks Form Strategic Relationship [DivXNetworks, 13 Jan 03]
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Joins EEMBC as Board Member [EEMBC, 13 Jan 03]

Events

27-31 Jan 03 MPEG-4 Seminar Series by KNK Seminars

31 Jan 03
AVC (MPEG-4/H.264) strategies by KNK

30 Jan-01 Feb 03 NY Digital Video Show - with MPEG-4 session including showcase. 20% discount for M4IF members.

11-14 Feb 03
Graphite 2003, Melbourne

5-10 Apr 03 NAB 2003, Las Vegas with an M4IF booth and MPEG SuperSession.

7 April, 1 - 5 pm MPEG SuperSession at NAB, organized by SMPTE and M4IF. The SuperSession focuses on MPEG-4, including talks on then newly approved Advanced Video Coding and High Efficiency AAC, and a bit on MPEG-7 and MPEG-21

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