WinPlay3

Infobox Software
name = WinPlay3



caption = WinPlay3
developer = Fraunhofer IIS
released = 1995-09-09Fact|date=February 2008
latest release version = 2.3 beta 5
frequently_updated = no
programming language = ?
operating system = Windows 3.1/95/98/NT
language = English (German?)
genre = early Media player
license = freeware
website = [http://www.sonicspot.com/winplay/winplay.html www.sonicspot.com]

WinPlay3 is the first real-time MP3 audio player for PCs running Windows, [cite web | publisher = The Sonic Spot | title = "WinPlay3" | url=http://www.sonicspot.com/winplay/winplay.html | accessdate = 2008-02-07] both 16-bit (Windows 3.1) and 32-bit (Windows 95). Previous to this, audio compressed with MP3 had to be decompressed prior to listening. It was released by Fraunhofer IIS ("Institute for Integrated Circuits") ["All title and copyrights in and to the IIS WinPlay3 v2.3b5 software product are owned by: Fraunhofer Institut Integrierte Schaltungen, Am Weichselgarten 3, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany". "IIS WinPlay3 v2.3b5 software product license agreement", a document displayed in the WinPlay3 installer window.] , creators of the MP3 format, on September 9, 1995.Fact|date=February 2008 Since then, the Fraunhofer Society has removed any trace and mention of WinPlay3 from their web sites."1995: (...) In the same year, Fraunhofer provides a first PC based Layer 3 codec as shareware."—cite web | publisher = Fraunhofer IIS | title = "The mp3 history" | url=http://www.iis.fraunhofer.de/EN/bf/amm/mp3history/mp3history03.jsp | accessdate = 2008-02-07] ["Your search—winplay3 site: [...] —did not match any documents." Google searches: [http://www.google.com/search?q=winplay3+site%3Amp3licensing.com%2F] [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=winplay3+site%3Aall4mp3.com&btnG=Search] [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=winplay3+site%3Afraunhofer.de&btnG=Search] . Retrieved on 2008-02-13.] [The "About" window of the installed program contains [http://www.iis.fhg.de/audio this] (outdated) URL.]

The program has become popular thanks to the warez scene. The first warez group to bring WinPlay3 to attention of a wider audience was Compress Da Audio. They released CDs, with WinPlay3 included, on several warez FTP sites. Rabid Neurosis emerged shortly afterwards, and then the scene exploded.Fact|date=February 2008

Until the release of Winamp in 1998, WinPlay3 was the sole option for playing MP3-compressed music on Microsoft Windows.Fact|date=June 2008 Unlike modern audio programs, such as Winamp or iTunes, it lacks advanced features such as equalizers or playlists and concentrates on only playback. This is most likely due to the requirement of a 486DX processor running at 66 MHz for real-time playback, which at the time was fairly high.

External links

* http://www.sonicspot.com/winplay/winplay.html (download 16 and 32-bit versions)

References