Global IP Sound (GIPS) announced the availability of version 2.0 of its iSAC codec. The market leading adaptive codec for developers of Voice over IP (VoIP) communications, iSAC 2.0 is now optimized for use in hardware devices. This solution allows the makers of IP phones, gateways and chipsets to deliver products that offer the same high quality voice experience that users of PC-based Internet calling services have come to expect.

"Users of VoIP products are demanding solutions that provide the highest possible voice quality," said Will Stofega, research manager of VoIP services program at IDC. "The ability for device manufacturers to incorporate technology that produces a robust, clear sound, even under heavy packet loss, as well as the ability to interconnect with hundreds of millions of softphone users, not only helps to meet this need but delivers on the promise of a more rewarding VoIP experience."

The latest fixed-point version of the GIPS iSAC adaptive VoIP codec, part of the GIPS Soundware voice processing software suite, is designed to deliver wideband quality in both low- and high-bit rate applications. Several IP-chipset manufacturers including Texas Instruments will incorporate GIPS's iSAC 2.0 codec into their VoIP solutions.

"As a leading enabler of wideband telephony solutions, we realize the importance of technologies that facilitate high quality voice communications," said Fred Zimmerman, executive director, VoIP customer premises solutions, Texas Instruments. "The addition of GIPS' wideband codec to our portfolio further enables us to offer our customers VoIP solutions that deliver an unparalleled user experience that surpasses what callers have grown accustomed to with their traditional phone service."

iSAC was previously only available in floating point code for use in softphones and other applications running on PCs and less resource dependent platforms. iSAC 2.0 is optimized to run on chips embedded within VoIP phones and other hardware devices, guaranteeing high voice quality. This release will also be available in a low complexity version to ease the integration in resource intensive devices like mobile phones. In addition, it facilitates the interoperability of IP phones, gateways, and chipsets with the hundreds of millions of iSAC-enabled softphones and Internet-based voice services that are currently deployed through GIPS' major ISP customers such as Yahoo!, Skype and AOL.

"The market has not only come to appreciate the benefits of wideband telephony, but prefer it over traditional PSTN," said Roar Hagen, chief technology officer, Global IP Sound. "As manufacturers begin to deploy VoIP enabled hardware, users are going to expect the same full, robust sound they are accustomed to from their softphones. GIPS is proud to be able to deliver this high quality audio on all platforms and devices."

The GIPS iSAC technology automatically adjusts transmission rates, supporting real-time multimedia, conferencing, distance learning, and multi- user gaming applications in a VoIP environment. Due to the nature of wideband audio, iSAC can deliver sound quality that exceeds that of PSTN calls by utilizing a greater range of the speech signal. The codec also handles other challenges, including non-speech audio such as music and background noise.