g729 codecs

[daserraf]

Hi there,

Can anyone tell me where i can purchase g729 licenses.

Thanks for the help

Frank

 

[mh348]

You have to purchase and install a G729 codec yourself. You can purchase it direct for $10 per channel from www.digium.com or if you want you can take a look at http://asterisk.hosting.lv/ for some sample/test codecs they will work but ideally in production you want the official Digium codec.

Have a look at this thread http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/313911-Elastix-FreePBX-Configuration

 

[daserraf]

thank you very much!

 

[InfinityMVS]

Have a look at this thread http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/313911-Elastix-FreePBX-Configuration

i have tried the free codecs and for me they work great, you just need to install the correct one for your cpu and check the translation time, yes granted it is alot easier with the paid version as digium provides a bench marking tool which takes all the guess work out of selecting the right codec

 

[morkhans]

For those of you using G729 in production environments please take note regarding some of the legal details regarding the unlicensed G729 codec from http://asterisk.hosting.lv/. They use the Intel IPP reference libraries and the information below is extracted from the IPP FAQ.

From the FAQ on the Intel IPP: http://software.intel.com/sites/products/collateral/hpc/ipp/ipp_faq.pdf

Does this mean that, if I buy Intel® IPP, I don’t have to pay license fees to patent holders related to the functions of Intel IPP?
The Intel IPP software library contains a variety of functions that may be used by developers as they implement products, including products that support various industry standards Implementations of products in accordance with such standards, or the standard-enabled platforms, may require licenses from various entities, including Intel Corporation. Such licensing is not provided by Intel IPP

What are the license terms and/or license fees for using Intel® IPP samples?
Intel IPP samples are provided to show how to use Intel IPP functionality Some of these samples illustrate the use of Intel IPP in implementing functionality defined by industry standards These samples are not product-feature-complete codec solutions When products are built in accordance to industry standards, there is often intellectual-property licensing involved Such industry standards are international standards promoted by various standards bodies, such as ISO, ITU-T, and other organizations When companies produce products in accordance with industry standards, they must ensure that they secure the appropriate technology and intellectual property licensing from the standards bodies and other third parties Intel IPP material provides pointers to the standards bodies Industry-standard licensing is not provided as part of Intel IPP, nor is it provided with these example illustrations.

Thus even if you pay Intel for the use of the IPP it does not cover the royalties you need to pay the patent holders of the G729 codec. Buying G729 from Digium is the only legal way of obtaining it for Asterisk.

Additional Reading
http://www.voip-info.org/wiki/view/Asterisk+G.729+Licensing and specifically: http://lists.digium.com/pipermail/asterisk-users/2004-September/057110.html and related posts.

 

[warwickw]

Agreed once your Asterisk box goes into production, only use the official Digium codecs, they are ridiculously cheap.

 

[mo_to]

I fully back the advices to go with original Digium Codecs. I have also found that the call quality is far superior with Digium Codecs rather than free ones.

 

[Superspeed]

I used the free CODEC from http://asterisk.hosting.lv/ for a long time and haven't had a problem. I'll switch over to the paid for version soon but its not bothering me.

 

[cb22]

Agreed once your Asterisk box goes into production, only use the official Digium codecs, they are ridiculously cheap.

Software patents aren't valid in South Africa - are they? So why would there be any reason in this country to buy the G729 codecs?

 

[Superspeed]

Software patents aren't valid in South Africa - are they? So why would there be any reason in this country to buy the G729 codecs?

Lol I'm sure they are. My issue with getting the license from Digium is that its a schlepp - especially the fax license. So many CLI commands and testing. It takes close to 30 minutes to install - thats the same amount of time it takes to install the entire PBX.

I do use purchased licenses on the bigger systems but for a small PBX setup with less than 5 users I don't bother.

 

[cb22]

Lol I'm sure they are.

No, they are not. Straight from the patent act.

25. Patentable inventions

(1) A patent may, subject to the provisions of this section, be granted for any new invention which involves an inventive step and which is capable of being used or applied in trade and industry or agriculture.

(2) Anything which consists of:

(a) a discovery;
(b) a scientific theory;
(c) a mathematical method;
(d) a scheme, rule or method for performing a mental act, playing a game or doing business;
(f) a program for a computer; or
(g) the presentation of information, shall not be an invention for the purposes of this Act.

(3) The provisions of subsection (2) shall prevent, only to the extent to which a patent or an application for a patent relates to that thing as such, anything from being treated as an invention for the purposes of this Act.

There was even an article here a while back about it. In a nutshell, the SA patent office doesn't actually reject them, but it's believed the patents would not stand up to a court challenge.