Skype Open Up New SILK Codec
Written by martyndavies on Mar 04, 2009 - 05:49 PM
Skype have announced that they will be opening up access to their new SILK wideband codec. At eComm 2009 yesterday Skype GM Jonathan Christensen showed data comparing the perceived quality (MOS) data for SILK versus other available wideband codecs such as SPEEX and AMR Wideband (AMR-WB). The figures suggested that SILK was better than AMR-WB and significantly better than SPEEX.
Christensen said that the reasons for developing a new codec rather than using an exisiting technology were various, but included both quality and licensing problems. Skype's proposal is that developers should use the new Skype open source code (in ANSI C), and that integrators would be free to use the code in both Skype-related and other projects.
As Skype exists today, it would be impossible to inter-operate with Skype, since the client uses closed protocols for NAT traversal, encryption and signalling. However, we can speculate that developers creating Skype gateways (such as the Skype-Digium/Asterisk partnership) will allow a wider range of standards-based clients to interface with Skype. In an environment like this, using the wideband codec becomes meaningful and attractive. This does represent a significant new attitude within Skype, to be open to the wider VoIP community.
Link: Skype Developer Site
Christensen said that the reasons for developing a new codec rather than using an exisiting technology were various, but included both quality and licensing problems. Skype's proposal is that developers should use the new Skype open source code (in ANSI C), and that integrators would be free to use the code in both Skype-related and other projects.
As Skype exists today, it would be impossible to inter-operate with Skype, since the client uses closed protocols for NAT traversal, encryption and signalling. However, we can speculate that developers creating Skype gateways (such as the Skype-Digium/Asterisk partnership) will allow a wider range of standards-based clients to interface with Skype. In an environment like this, using the wideband codec becomes meaningful and attractive. This does represent a significant new attitude within Skype, to be open to the wider VoIP community.
Link: Skype Developer Site
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