Helix (multimedia project)
Helix is an open multi-format digital media framework. The code is released in binary and source code form (except for the extensions listed below) under various licenses, notably the commercial RealNetworks Community Source License and the open source RealNetworks Public Source License. Additionally, the Helix DNA Client and the Helix Player are licensed under the popular GNU General Public License (GPL) open source license. RealNetworks contributed the original source code to the Helix Community to help the industry standardize on a multi-format, multi-operating system, multi-processor digital media platform.
The Helix DNA Client is the media engine for playback and consumption of digital media.
Helix Player is the open source media player built on top of Helix DNA Client for Linux and other operating systems. The Helix Player serves as the foundation for the RealPlayer versions 10 and newer for Linux. The Windows and Macintosh players as well as embedded versions of the RealPlayer for mobile phones are also based on Helix. The Helix Player includes support for the following media formats:
- Audio formats: Ogg Vorbis, .au
- Video formats: Ogg Theora, AVI
- Description formats: SMIL, SDP
- Image formats: JPEG, GIF, PNG
- Protocols: RTSP, RTP, HTTP, Multicast, RDT
It should be noted that use of the RDT, the default proprietary Real data transport, and the RealVideo and RealAudio codecs requires binary components distributed under the Helix DNA Technology Binary Research Use License.
As of February 2006, Helix was included in over 65 mobile phones and was distributed more than 60 million times. Nokia and Motorola have both standardized and contribute to Helix. Additionally, Samsung and Sony Ericsson have licensed Helix for their mobile phones.