View source for Helix (multimedia project)

{{Distinguish|Helix (database)}}
{{multiple|
{{advert|date=November 2017}}
{{Primary sources|date=September 2010}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2023}}
}}
{{short description|Multimedia project}}
'''Helix DNA''' was a project to produce [[computer software]] that can play audio and video media in various formats and aid in creating such media. It was intended as a largely [[free and open-source]] [[multimedia framework|digital media framework]] compatible with numerous [[operating system]]s and processors (including mobile phones) and it was started by [[RealNetworks]], which contributed much of the code.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://news.zdnet.co.uk/itmanagement/0,1000000308,2127039,00.htm |title=RealNetworks opens more Helix DNA - ZDNet.co.uk |access-date=2009-08-02 |archive-date=2008-07-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725161610/http://news.zdnet.co.uk/itmanagement/0,1000000308,2127039,00.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39115528,00.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090922180401/http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39115528,00.htm | archive-date=2009-09-22 | title=RealNetworks releases player code for Linux - ZDNet.co.uk }}</ref> The '''Helix Community''' was an open collaborative effort to develop and extend the Helix DNA platform.<ref>{{Cite web |title=HelixCommunity - The Foundation of Great Multimedia Applications |url=https://helixcommunity.org/about/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121220211131/https://helixcommunity.org/about/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-12-20 |access-date=2023-08-31 |website=helixcommunity.org |via=[[archive.today]]}}</ref> The Helix Project has been discontinued.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://realnetworks.com/products-services/helix | title=Helix Media Delivery Platform &#124; RealNetworks | access-date=2023-05-11 | archive-date=2023-05-11 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511183501/https://realnetworks.com/products-services/helix | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=100273&CategoryID=423|title=RealNetworks Discontinues Helix Media Delivery Suite of Products|date=October 31, 2014|website=Streaming Media Magazine}}</ref>

'''Helix DNA Client''' is a software package for multi-platform, multi-format media playback. '''Helix Player''' is a [[media player (application software)|media player]] compatible with [[Linux]], [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris]], [[Symbian]], and [[FreeBSD]] and uses the Helix DNA Client. 
The '''Helix DNA Producer''' application aids in producing media files, and '''Helix DNA Server''' can [[streaming media|stream]] media files over a network.

==Licenses==
The code is released in binary and source code form under various licenses, notably the [[proprietary software license|proprietary]] RealNetworks Community Source License and the [[free software license|free]] and [[open source license|open source]] software RealNetworks Public Source License. Additionally, the Helix DNA Client and the Helix Player are licensed under the popular [[GNU General Public License]] (GPL) free and open source license.<ref>{{Cite web |title=RealNetworks releases source code for Helix DNA client |url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/899412/software-realnetworks-releases-source-code-for-helix-dna-client.html |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=Network World |language=en}}</ref>

Use of the [[RDT stream transport|RDT]], the default proprietary Real data transport, and of the [[RealVideo]] and [[RealAudio]] [[codec]]s requires binary components distributed under the Helix DNA Technology Binary Research Use License.

==Helix DNA Client==
{{Infobox software
| name                   = Helix DNA Client
| author                 = [[RealNetworks]]
| genre                  = [[Media playback engine]]
| license                = [[GNU General Public License]]
}}
Helix DNA Client powers many digital media applications, including [[RealPlayer]] for MS Windows, Mac OS and Linux (since version 10), RealPlayer Mobile, and Helix Player. It is used on [[Nokia]], [[Motorola]], [[Samsung]] and [[Sony Ericsson]] mobile phones. 800 million mobile phones with the Helix client have been shipped since 2004.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://helix-producer.helixcommunity.org/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726144706/https://helix-producer.helixcommunity.org/ | archive-date=2011-07-26 | title=Resources }}</ref> It is also being used in embedded devices like the [[Internet Tablet OS]] from [[Nokia]], which is found on the [[Nokia 770]], [[Nokia N800|N800]] and [[Nokia N810|N810]] Internet Tablets. [[Cingular]] Video is also based on the framework. Other projects that use the Helix framework include RealNetwork's [[Rhapsody (online music service)|Rhapsody]] online music service, the [[Banshee (music player)|Banshee]] and [[Amarok (audio)|Amarok]] music players, and MediaReady 4000. Helix DNA also manifests itself as the RealPlayer on Mobile Internet Devices (MID) and on Netbooks.

Developers from the [[OSU Open Source Lab|Open Source Lab]] announced in 2007 they would use Helix technologies for content creation applications and collaboration in the [[One Laptop Per Child]] project.<ref>{{Cite news |author= Milko Boic |publisher= RealNetworks |date= May 4, 2007 |url= http://openbossa.indt.org/users/bossa2007/downloads/HelixClient-Atlas.pdf |title= Helix DNA Client |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080916053942/http://openbossa.indt.org/users/bossa2007/downloads/HelixClient-Atlas.pdf |archive-date= September 16, 2008 |access-date= August 1, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Helix_media_activity | title=Helix media activity - OLPC | access-date=2009-08-02 | archive-date=2009-06-29 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629150735/http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Helix_media_activity | url-status=live }}</ref>

Helix DNA client contains support for the following media formats:<ref>{{cite web | url=https://datatype.helixcommunity.org/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726144631/https://datatype.helixcommunity.org/ | archive-date=2011-07-26 | title=Codecs & Formats }}</ref>
* Audio formats: [[Vorbis]], [[Advanced Audio Coding|AAC]], [[AACplus|AAC+]], [[.m4a|M4A]], [[MP3]], [[AMR-NB]], [[AMR-WB]], [[RealAudio]], [[Windows Media Audio|WMA]], [[a-law]], [[u-law]] and audio containers [[Audio Interchange File Format|AIFF]], [[WAV]], [[Au file format|AU]]
* Video formats: [[Theora]], [[RealVideo]], [[Windows Media Video|WMV]], [[H.263]], [[H.264]], [[VC-1]], [[H.261]], [[MJPEG]] and container formats RealMedia file format, [[3GP]], 3G2, [[Audio Video Interleave|AVI]], [[Advanced Systems Format|ASF]]
* Description formats: [[Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language|SMIL]], [[Session Description Protocol|SDP]]
* Image formats: [[JPEG]], [[Graphics Interchange Format|GIF]], [[Portable Network Graphics|PNG]]
* Protocols: [[RTSP]], [[Real-time Transport Protocol|RTP]], [[HTTP]], [[Multicast]], [[RDT stream transport|RDT]]

==Helix DNA Client for Android==
{{Infobox software
| name                   = Helix DNA Client for Android
| author                 = [[RealNetworks]]
| latest release version = 1.1.2
| latest release date    = {{Start date and age|2012|November|8}}
| programming language   = [[Java (programming language)|Java]]
| operating system       = Android 2.2, 2.3.x, 3.x, 4.x
| genre                  = Media playback engine
| license                = [[Commercial software|Commercial]] [[proprietary software]]
}}
Helix DNA Client for Android provides an HLS, MPEG-DASH, Verimatrix DRM and Microsoft PlayReady DRM media player for Android 2.2 to latest devices. Supporting H.264 and AAC codecs with Adaptive Bit Rate support (H.264 / AAC) including audio only. Armv7 and Armv6 supported using Stagefright media platform. Helix SDK is supplied as a library which is included within Android Java applications for over the air installation.

Helix DNA client contains support for the following media formats:
* Audio formats: [[Advanced Audio Coding|AAC]], [[RealAudio]]
* Video formats: [[H.264]], [[RealVideo]] and container formats RealMedia file format, [[3GP]]
* Protocols: [[HTTP Live Streaming|HLS]] (Version 4), [[MPEG-DASH]] ([[ISO base media file format|ISO BMFF]] MP4)

==Helix DNA Server==
{{Infobox software
| name                   = Helix DNA Server
| author                 = [[RealNetworks]]
| released               = {{Start date and age|2003|01|22}}
| genre                  = Media streaming
| license                = RealNetworks Public Source License, RealNetworks Community Source License{{Citation needed|date=December 2017}}
| website                = 
}}
The Helix DNA Server, first released on 22 January 2003,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.realnetworks.com/company/press/releases/2003/helixdna.html |title=Press release |access-date=2007-07-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070706231902/http://www.realnetworks.com/company/press/releases/2003/helixdna.html |archive-date=2007-07-06 |url-status=dead }}</ref> supports streaming of following formats:
* RealVideo, RealAudio (.rm, .ra, .rv)
* MP3

It supports streaming to any device or application that supports [[HTTP]], [[RTSP]]/[[Real-time Transport Protocol|RTP]], TCP, UDP [[unicast]] and UDP [[multicast]] streaming protocols.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://helix-server.helixcommunity.org/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070614080541/https://helix-server.helixcommunity.org/ | archive-date=2007-06-14 | title=Helix DNA Server }}</ref>

There is also a commercial version called Helix Server, which has more features and supports more media formats.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-10-12 |title=Helix v11 Server Technology & Product Feature Comparison Chart |url=https://helix-server.helixcommunity.org/2006/devdocs/helix_server_comparision |access-date=2023-06-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061012150725/https://helix-server.helixcommunity.org/2006/devdocs/helix_server_comparision |archive-date=2006-10-12 }}</ref>
It was originally called the Helix Universal Server when it was announced in or before 2002.<ref>{{Cite news |title= RealNetworks Announces Helix Universal Server and RealOne Player Now Support Windows Media 9 |work= Press release |date= September 9, 2002 |url= http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/realnetworks-announces-helix-universal-server-and-realone-player-now-support-windows-media-9-75626582.html |access-date= August 1, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131202225131/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/realnetworks-announces-helix-universal-server-and-realone-player-now-support-windows-media-9-75626582.html |archive-date= December 2, 2013 |url-status= dead }}</ref>

==Helix Player==
{{Infobox software
| name                   = Helix Player
| author                 = [[RealNetworks]]
| latest release version = 11.0
| latest release date    =
| operating system       = Linux, Solaris, Symbian, FreeBSD
| genre                  = [[Media player (software)|Media player]]
| license                = [[GNU General Public License]]
}}
It is based on the Helix DNA Client. It is available for Linux, Solaris, Symbian and FreeBSD. Users of [[Microsoft Windows]] and Mac OS X can use RealPlayer, which has similar capabilities.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://player.helixcommunity.org/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090117182141/https://player.helixcommunity.org/ | archive-date=2009-01-17 | title=Helix Player }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.osalt.com/helixplayer |title=Archived copy |access-date=2009-08-02 |archive-date=2009-07-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090731172611/http://www.osalt.com/helixplayer |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Helix DNA Producer==
{{Infobox software
| name                   = Helix DNA Producer
| author                 = [[RealNetworks]]
| latest release version = 11
| latest release date    =
| operating system       = Windows, Linux, Mac OS X
| genre                  = [[Codec|Media encoder]]
| license                = RealNetworks Community Source License{{Citation needed|date=December 2017}}<br />RealNetworks Public Source License{{Citation needed|date=December 2017}}
}}
It is a media encoding engine for creating streaming broadcasts, on-demand streaming content, and downloadable audio video files. The Helix DNA Producer runs on MS Windows, Linux and Mac OS X.<ref name="helix-producer">{{cite web | url=https://helix-producer.helixcommunity.org/Faq.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726144823/https://helix-producer.helixcommunity.org/Faq.htm | archive-date=2011-07-26 | title=Helix Producer Category FAQ }}</ref>

The Helix DNA Producer contains output support for the following data types:<ref name="helix-producer" /><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://producersdk.helixcommunity.org/Overview.htm |title=Helix DNA Producer SDK Overview |access-date=2009-08-02 |archive-date=2011-07-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726144823/https://producersdk.helixcommunity.org/Overview.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
* RealAudio 10, 8, G2
* RealVideo 10, 9, 8, 7, G2
* [[Ogg Vorbis]]
Developers who want [[MP3]] encoding can license the code from RealNetworks for a fee.<ref name="helix-producer" /> There is also an add-on package for Helix DNA Producer SDK with [[Advanced Audio Coding|AAC]] or [[aacPlus]] encoding support.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://helix-producer.helixcommunity.org/Downloads.htm#Helix_DNA_Producer_SDK | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726144846/https://helix-producer.helixcommunity.org/Downloads.htm#Helix_DNA_Producer_SDK | archive-date=2011-07-26 | title=Helix DNA Producer Downloads }}</ref>

Helix DNA Producer was also available in a commercial, closed-source version {{En dash}}RealProducer Plus for MS Windows and Linux.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.realnetworks.com/products/producer/resources.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090808022922/http://www.realnetworks.com/products/producer/resources.html | archive-date=2009-08-08 | title=RealProducer > Product Resources }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.realnetworks.com/products/producer/specifications.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090805002104/http://www.realnetworks.com/products/producer/specifications.html | archive-date=2009-08-05 | title=RealProducer > Specifications }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
* [[Comparison of video player software]]
* [[RealNetworks]]
* [[RealPlayer]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.realnetworks.com/helix/}}

{{Media player (application software)}}{{Compression software}}
[[Category:Free media players]]
[[Category:Linux media players]]
[[Category:Multimedia frameworks]]
[[Category:Symbian software]]
[[Category:RealNetworks]]