View source for VP3

{{Short description|Video codec by On2 Technologies}}
{{other uses}}
{{Refimprove|date=May 2010}}
'''On2 TrueMotion VP3''' is a ([[free file format|royalty-free]]) [[Lossy compression|lossy]] [[video compression format]] and [[video codec]]. It is an incarnation of the [[TrueMotion]] video codec, a series of video codecs developed by [[On2 Technologies]].

There is no formal specification for the VP3 [[bitstream format]] beyond the VP3 source code published by On2 Technologies. In 2003, Mike Melanson created an incomplete description of the VP3 bitstream format and decoding process at a higher level than source code, with some help from On2 and the [[Xiph.Org Foundation]].

==History==
VP3 was originally a [[proprietary software|proprietary]] and patented video codec.
On2 TrueMotion VP3.1 was introduced in May 2000 followed three months later by the VP3.2 release.<ref>{{cite press release
 |url          = http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=401
 |title        = On2 Introduces TrueMotion VP3.2
 |publisher    = On2
 |date         = 16 August 2000
 |access-date   = 11 August 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071203062255/http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=401
 |archive-date = 3 December 2007
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release
 |url          = http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=407
 |title        = On2.com Launches Next Generation of Revolutionary Broadband Video Technology
 |publisher    = On2
 |date         = 17 May 2000
 |access-date   = 11 August 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071203064537/http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=407
 |archive-date = 3 December 2007
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref> Later that year, On2 announced VP3 plugins for [[QuickTime]] and [[RealPlayer]].<ref>{{cite press release
 |url          = http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=397
 |title        = On2's VP3 Codec Available Via QuickTime 5's Component Download Feature
 |publisher    = On2
 |date         = 10 October 2000
 |access-date   = 18 August 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071203061516/http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=397
 |archive-date = 3 December 2007
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release
 |url          = http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=396
 |title        = On2 Plug-In for RealNetworks Server to be Distributed on Akamai Network
 |publisher    = On2
 |date         = 23 October 2000
 |access-date   = 18 August 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071203062755/http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=396
 |archive-date = 3 December 2007
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref> In May 2001, On2 released the beta version of its new VP4 proprietary codec.<ref>{{cite press release
 |url          = http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=376
 |title        = On2 to Debut VP4 for the Web, Part of New Website Launch
 |publisher    = On2
 |date         = 18 May 2001
 |access-date   = 16 August 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071203063232/http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=376
 |archive-date = 3 December 2007
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref><ref name="production">{{cite press release
 |url          = http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=372
 |title        = On2 Posts Production Release of VP4 Codec
 |publisher    = On2
 |date         = 20 June 2001
 |access-date   = 16 August 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071203060641/http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=372
 |archive-date = 3 December 2007
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref> In June 2001, On2 also released a VP3 codec implementation for [[Microsoft Windows]]<ref>{{cite press release
 |url          = http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=377
 |title        = On2 Technologies Announces Global Release of VP3 for Windows
 |publisher    = On2
 |date         = 15 May 2001
 |access-date   = 18 August 2009
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071203060918/http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=377
 |archive-date = 3 December 2007
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref> where the encoder was priced at $39.95 for personal use, and $2,995 for limited commercial use.<ref>The Free Library (2001-06-27) [http://www.thefreelibrary.com/VP3+for+Windows+Now+Available+for+License+At+On2.com-a075947498 VP3 for Windows Now Available for License At On2.com.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019142306/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/VP3+for+Windows+Now+Available+for+License+At+On2.com-a075947498 |date=2012-10-19 }}, Retrieved on 2009-08-18</ref> In August 2001, On2 Technologies announced that they would be releasing an open source version of their VP3.2 video compression algorithm.<ref>On2 (2001-08-07) [http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=365 On2 Technologies to Open Source VP3.2 Video Compression Technology] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071203062120/http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=365 |date=2007-12-03 }}, Retrieved on 2009-08-16</ref><ref>CNET News (2001-08-07) [http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-271254.html?tag=mncol;txt On2's video codec to go open-source], Retrieved on 2009-08-16</ref> In September 2001 they published the [[source code]] and open source license for VP3.2 video compression algorithm at www.vp3.com.<ref name="vp32license-archive">{{Citation
 | title = VP3.2 Public License 0.1 | year = 2001
 | author = On2 Technologies
 | url = http://vp3.com/license/vp32_opensource_license_9-6-01.txt  | access-date = 22 September 2009
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20011026032511/http://vp3.com/license/vp32_opensource_license_9-6-01.txt |archive-date = 26 October 2001}}</ref><ref name="vp32license-01">{{Citation
 | title = VP3.2 Public License 0.1
 | year = 2001
 | author = On2 Technologies
 | publisher = Xiph. Org Foundation
 | url = http://trac.xiph.org/browser/branches/vp32/vp32/VP32_license.txt
 | access-date = 10 February 2008
 | archive-date = 4 April 2016
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160404101159/https://trac.xiph.org/browser/branches/vp32/vp32/VP32_license.txt
 | url-status = dead
 }}</ref><ref>StreamingMedia.com (2001-09-07) [http://www.streamingmedia.com/article.asp?id=7871 On2 Offers Up VP3.2 Source Code] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814141742/http://www.streamingmedia.com/article.asp?id=7871 |date=2007-08-14 }}, Retrieved on 2009-08-16</ref><ref>On2 (2001-09-07) [http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=364 On2 Technologies Makes Video Compression Technology Available to Open-Source Community] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071207021659/http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=364 |date=2007-12-07 }}, Retrieved on 2009-08-16</ref><ref>Linux.com (2001-09-06) [http://www.linux.com/archive/feature/16482 On2 Technologies Open-Sources VP3 video compression code], Retrieved on 2009-08-16</ref> The VP3.2 Public License 0.1 granted the right to modify the source code only if the resulting larger work continued to support playback of VP3.2 data.<ref name="vp32license-archive" /><ref name="vp32license-01" /><ref>lists.xiph.org (2001-09-09) [http://lists.xiph.org/pipermail/vorbis/2001-September/004554.html Vorbis mailing list - VP3.2 video codec open sourced], Retrieved on 2009-08-16</ref>

===Move to free software===
In September, 2001 it was donated to the public as [[open source]], and On2 irrevocably disclaimed all rights to it, granting a royalty-free license grant for any patent claims it might have over the software and any derivatives,<ref name="theoraspec">{{citation | author=Xiph. Org Foundation | title = Theora Specification | url = http://theora.org/doc/Theora.pdf | access-date=25 September 2009 | date = 5 August 2009 | publisher=Xiph. Org Foundation}}</ref> allowing anyone to use any VP3-derived codec for any purpose.<ref name="theora-license">Xiph.org [http://svn.xiph.org/trunk/theora/LICENSE libtheora license (Subversion - Trunk)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100207211310/http://svn.xiph.org/trunk/theora/LICENSE |date=2010-02-07 }}, Retrieved on 2009-08-16</ref><ref name="vp32-license">Xiph.org [http://svn.xiph.org/trunk/vp32/LICENSE VP32 codec license (Subversion - Trunk)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003043553/http://svn.xiph.org/trunk/vp32/LICENSE |date=2009-10-03 }}, Retrieved on 2009-08-16</ref>
In March 2002, On2 altered licensing terms required to download the source code for VP3 to [[GNU Lesser General Public License|LGPL]].<ref>The Free Library (2002-03-28) [http://www.thefreelibrary.com/On2+Alters+Licensing+Terms+for+VP3%3b+Company+Responds+to+Open+Source...-a084233138 On2 Alters Licensing Terms for VP3; Company Responds to Open Source Community Demands.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204092727/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/On2+Alters+Licensing+Terms+for+VP3%3b+Company+Responds+to+Open+Source...-a084233138 |date=2010-12-04 }}, Retrieved on 2009-08-16</ref>

===Theora===
{{Main|Theora#History}}
In June 2002 On2 donated VP3 to the [[Xiph.org Foundation]] under a [[BSD License|BSD]]-like [[open source license]] to make VP3 the basis of a new, free (e.g. patent- and royalty-free) video codec, [[Theora]].<ref>On2 (2002-06-24) [http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=313 VP3 Combines with Vorbis to Create First Open-Source Multimedia Platform] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071203061350/http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=313 |date=2007-12-03 }}, Retrieved on 2009-08-16</ref><ref>InternetNews.com (2002-06-24) [http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/1370341 On2 Throws More Open-Source at MPEG-4], Retrieved on 2009-08-16</ref>

The free video codec Theora was forked off from the released codebase of VP3.2 and further developed into an independent codec. On2 declared Theora to be the successor in VP3's lineage.{{Citation needed|date=January 2012}}

Theora developers declared a [[Freeze (software engineering)|freeze]] on the Theora I bitstream format in June 2004, allowing other companies to start implementing encoders and decoders for the format without worrying about the format changing in incompatible ways.<ref name="theora-freeze">{{cite mailing list | url = http://lists.xiph.org/pipermail/theora-dev/2004-June/001112.html | title = Theora I bitstream freeze | mailing-list = theora-dev | date = 1 June 2004 | last = Giles |first = Ralph |access-date=25 September 2009}}</ref> The ''Theora I Specification'' was published in September 2004.<ref name="theoraspec-2004">{{Cite web | author=Xiph. Org Foundation | title = Theora I Specification, Xiph.org Foundation, September 17, 2004 | url = http://www.theora.org/doc/Theora_I_spec.pdf  | access-date=26 September 2009 | date = 17 September 2004 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040928224506/http://www.theora.org/doc/Theora_I_spec.pdf |archive-date = 28 September 2004}}</ref> Any later changes in the specification are minor updates. A first stable release (version 1.0) of the Theora [[reference implementation]] (libtheora) was released in November 2008.<ref>{{cite mailing list | url = http://lists.xiph.org/pipermail/theora-dev/2008-November/003736.html | title = Theora 1.0 final release! | mailing-list = theora-dev | date = 3 November 2008 | last = Giles |first = Ralph |access-date=4 November 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release
  | title = The Xiph. Org Foundation announces the release of Theora 1.0
  | publisher = Xiph. Org Foundation | date = 3 November 2008
  | url = http://www.xiph.org/press/2008/theora-release-1.0/ | access-date = 6 August 2009
}}</ref>

===VP4===
VP4 was announced in January 2001.<ref>On2 (2001-01-09) [http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20100108155245/http://www.on2.com/index.php?id%3D486%26news_id%3D385 On2 and Equator Enter Into a Formal Licensing Agreement], Retrieved on 2001-01-09</ref> On2 Technologies released the beta version of VP4 on May 21, 2001.<ref name="production" /><ref>On2 (2001-05-18) [http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=376 On2 to Debut VP4 for the Web, Part of New Website Launch] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071203063232/http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=376 |date=2007-12-03 }}, Retrieved on 2009-08-16</ref> In June 2001 On2 Technologies posted the production release of VP4 on its website.<ref name="production" /> VP4 brought an improved encoder for VP3 bitstream format.{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}
So because of keeping the bitstream format VP4 can't be seen as an individual codec.{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}

On July 19, 2001 On2 announced an agreement with [[RealNetworks]] to license its VP4 video compression technology, for set-top boxes and other devices. On2 enabled RealPlayer as the exclusive media player for the VP4 codec and the RealSystem iQ architecture became the only streaming media platform capable of delivering the VP4 codec.<ref>On2 (2001-07-19) [http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=366 On2's VP4 Video Compression Technology to Exclusively Support RealNetworks' RealPlayer and RealSystem iQ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071207021614/http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=366 |date=2007-12-07 }}, Retrieved on 2009-08-16</ref><ref>StreamingMedia.com (2001-07-19) [http://www.streamingmedia.com/article.asp?id=7700 Exclusive Deal for On2 and Real]{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}, Retrieved on 2009-08-16</ref> The first beta version of a plug-in for [[RealPlayer]] was announced in January 2002.<ref>On2 (2002-01-22) [http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=342 On2's VP4 for Real Now Available] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071203061203/http://www.on2.com/index.php?id=486&news_id=342 |date=2007-12-03 }}, Retrieved on 2009-08-16</ref>

Lately [[AOL]] licensed VP4 and created the [[Nullsoft Streaming Video]] format.{{Citation needed|reason=August 2009 I am afraid that AOL licensed VP5 and VP6, not VP4.|date=August 2009}} Now the VP4 codec is limited, but still used by AOL.{{Citation needed|reason=August 2009 I am afraid that AOL licensed VP5 and VP6, not VP4.|date=August 2009}}

Later incarnations of this codec are [[VP5]], [[VP6]], [[VP7]], [[VP8]], and [[VP9]].

==See also==
* [[TrueMotion S]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100724163640/http://www.vp3.com/ vp3.com]<!-- Broken 2012-01-31 -->
* [https://www.free-codecs.com/download/VP4.htm VP4 Codec at FreeCodecs.com]

{{compression formats}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vp3}}
[[Category:Video codecs]]
[[Category:Formerly proprietary software]]