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{{Infobox company
{{Inappropriate tone|date=April 2009}}
| industry = [[Software]]
{{Unreferenced|date=September 2009}}
| founded = {{Start date and age|1989}} in [[Arroyo Grande, California]], United States
| founder = Howard Gordon
| defunct = {{End date|1999}}
| fate = Acquired by RealNetwork
| key_people = Chris Eddy
| products = {{ubl|XingIt!|[[Picture Prowler]]|StreamWorks|Audio Catalyst|MP3 Grabber}}
}}
'''Xing Technology''' was a live audio broadcast software company founded in [[Arroyo Grande, California]] in 1989 by former networking executive Howard Gordon.


==History==
'''Xing Technology''' was a live audio broadcast software company founded in [[Arroyo Grande]], [[California]] in 1989 by former networking executive Howard Gordon on the basis of a simple (i.e. slow) [[JPEG]] decoding library that he had developed.
Gordon founded Xing on the basis of a simple [[JPEG]] decoding library that he had developed. It attracted the attention of Chris Eddy, who had developed a technique for processing [[Discrete cosine transform]]s (DCT) efficiently through software. Eddy's technique helped create the first Xing [[MPEG]] video player, a very simple [[MS-DOS]] app that could play an [[I-frame]]-only MPEG video stream encoded with constant [[Quantization (image processing)|quantization]], at 160x120 resolution.


Over the next years, Xing expanded in several directions: [[Windows]] support for the XingMPEG player, a software MPEG audio decoder, a real-time [[Industry Standard Architecture|ISA]] 160x120 MPEG capture board ([[XingIt!]]), a [[JPEG]] management system ([[Picture Prowler]]), and networking. Xing released a handful of network products before StreamWorks, the first streaming audio and video system for the [[Internet]], with support for both live and pre-encoded sources. [[RealVideo]] appeared in 1997 (just before StreamWorks), but at the time, the company behind the technology ([[Progressive Networks]]) had only published [[RealAudio]] and its flagship technology was primary for broadcasting audio.
This software attracted the attention of Chris Eddy, who had developed a technique for processing [[Discrete cosine transform|discrete cosine transforms (DCT)]] very quickly through software. Eddy's technique helped create the first Xing [[MPEG]] video player, a very simple [[MS-DOS]] application that could play back an [[I-frame]]-only video MPEG stream encoded at a constant [[Quantization (image processing)|quantization]] level at 160x120 resolution. This was an impressive accomplishment for the [[Intel]] [[Intel 80386|386]] and Intel [[Intel 80486|486]] level computers of the time.


After the launch of StreamWorks, the company raised $5M in venture capital, but Progressive Networks (which was renamed "[[RealNetworks]]") raised considerably more in its [[initial public offering]] and acquired many of Xing's competitors (e.g. [[Vivo Software]]). Despite that, Xing experienced a period of expansion through its "Audio Catalyst" MP3 software and "MP3 Grabber".
On the basis of this, Xing expanded, reaching seven employees.


In 1998, Xing partnered with SimplyTV to launch a service to offer near-broadcast quality [[video on demand]]. This service would require a 200 kilobits/s [[broadband]] connection, which was not popular at that time. Forrester Research and RealNetwork were skeptical about its success.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Ashbrook Nickell|first=Joe|date=3 March 1998|title=New Xing Effort: Too Much Anticipation?|url=https://www.wired.com/1998/03/new-xing-effort-too-much-anticipation/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815050022/http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/1998/03/11276|archive-date=15 August 2008|magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]}}</ref>
Over the next several years, Xing expanded into several directions. [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] support was added to the MS-DOS MPEG player and then created a software MPEG audio decoder (first only [[MPEG-1 Audio Layer II|MP2]] out of [[patent]] considerations with [[MP3]]), a real time [[Industry Standard Architecture|ISA]] 160x120 MPEG capture board ([[XingIt!]]), a JPEG management system ([[Picture Prowler]]) and finally moved into networking, creating a handful of different products before settling down on StreamWorks, the first live 24 hour video and the first live 24 hour audio broadcast system for the [[internet]]. [[RealVideo]] appeared just before StreamWorks, but at the time it could only broadcast pre-encoded clips. It could not transmit live video. Xing experienced a period of expansion into the mid to late 90's through its MP3 software, but encountered some retraction later on, was bought out by [[RealNetworks]] in 1999 and was quickly absorbed.


In 1999, RealNetwork acquired Xing.
Howard Gordon died of a heart attack on July 20, 2010 at age 57[http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2010/08/03/1237220/san-luis-obispo-technology-wizard.html].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
*Bert J. Dempsey, Paul Jones ''Internet issues and applications 1997-1998''. [[Scarecrow Press]], Lanham, Maryland 1998. {{ISBN|0-8108-3430-8}} (0-8108-3430-8)


== External links ==
== External links ==
* [http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/1998/03/11276 Wired Magazine Article]
* [http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1996_articles/aug96/internetradio.html SoundOnSound.com Early adoption of StreamWorks by NBC]
* [http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1996_articles/aug96/internetradio.html SoundOnSound.com Early adoption of StreamWorks by NBC]
* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1996_April_22/ai_18214615 Findarticles.com: Harvard Law School Usage]
* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1996_April_22/ai_18214615 Findarticles.com: Harvard Law School Usage]
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* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1999_Jan_4/ai_53503662 Findarticles.com: Xing releases first Mac MP3 Encoder]
* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1999_Jan_4/ai_53503662 Findarticles.com: Xing releases first Mac MP3 Encoder]


[[Category:Software companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct software companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Companies established in 1989]]
[[Category:Software companies established in 1989]]
[[Category:Arroyo Grande, California]]
[[Category:Arroyo Grande, California]]
[[Category:Companies based in California]]
[[Category:Companies based in California]]
[[Category:Software companies disestablished in 1999]]
[[Category:1989 establishments in California]]
[[Category:1999 disestablishments in California]]

Latest revision as of 20:16, 9 August 2024

Xing Technology
IndustrySoftware
Founded1989; 35 years ago (1989) in Arroyo Grande, California, United States
FounderHoward Gordon
Defunct1999 (1999)
FateAcquired by RealNetwork
Key people
Chris Eddy
Products

Xing Technology was a live audio broadcast software company founded in Arroyo Grande, California in 1989 by former networking executive Howard Gordon.

History

[edit]

Gordon founded Xing on the basis of a simple JPEG decoding library that he had developed. It attracted the attention of Chris Eddy, who had developed a technique for processing Discrete cosine transforms (DCT) efficiently through software. Eddy's technique helped create the first Xing MPEG video player, a very simple MS-DOS app that could play an I-frame-only MPEG video stream encoded with constant quantization, at 160x120 resolution.

Over the next years, Xing expanded in several directions: Windows support for the XingMPEG player, a software MPEG audio decoder, a real-time ISA 160x120 MPEG capture board (XingIt!), a JPEG management system (Picture Prowler), and networking. Xing released a handful of network products before StreamWorks, the first streaming audio and video system for the Internet, with support for both live and pre-encoded sources. RealVideo appeared in 1997 (just before StreamWorks), but at the time, the company behind the technology (Progressive Networks) had only published RealAudio and its flagship technology was primary for broadcasting audio.

After the launch of StreamWorks, the company raised $5M in venture capital, but Progressive Networks (which was renamed "RealNetworks") raised considerably more in its initial public offering and acquired many of Xing's competitors (e.g. Vivo Software). Despite that, Xing experienced a period of expansion through its "Audio Catalyst" MP3 software and "MP3 Grabber".

In 1998, Xing partnered with SimplyTV to launch a service to offer near-broadcast quality video on demand. This service would require a 200 kilobits/s broadband connection, which was not popular at that time. Forrester Research and RealNetwork were skeptical about its success.[1]

In 1999, RealNetwork acquired Xing.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Ashbrook Nickell, Joe (3 March 1998). "New Xing Effort: Too Much Anticipation?". Wired. Archived from the original on 15 August 2008.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]