Meta-Data-in-Ogg

Current status of players

This is an incomplete list of players that have been tested with Vorbis+XML in Ogg. If you test anything not on this list please let me know.

Players which fail to play will usually do so with all unusual streams, it is not a specific objection to XML. Players actually using XML metadata are probably a while away.

Gstreamer based players: Totem and Kaffeine both play and seek. Rhythmbox has some difficulties adding XMLed files to its library, the cause is currently unknown.
Xine plays and seeks on the test no differently to normal Vorbis I streams.
Mplayer plays and seeks on the test no differently to normal Vorbis I streams.
Helix/Real (linux+windows), the release version may not work but an updated version of the plugin is now available.
KMedia/aRts will not play (Noatun and kaboodle tested).
Libvorbisfile based players: variable results. Oggdec and XMMS play and seek, but glitch on passing an XML page in the data. Vorbisgain crashes (the reason is known, a missing error check). Libvorbisfile itself needs fixed to properly deal with mixed streams.
Foobar2000 fails to play.
Winamp 5.x fails to play.
Windows Media Player (with the 0.70.0827 release Illiminable filters) successfully plays, although seeking is disabled.
Quicktime (and iTunes to some extent), need the XiphQT filters to play Ogg/Vorbis. Playback and seek with filters no different to normal Vorbis I streams.
VLC (VideoLAN Client), cross platform media player, plays and seeks no differently to Vorbis I.
Hardware player, iAudio G3. Player crash and restart at last good file.

Helix/Real plugin

You can get the Windows plugin (which allows playing Ogg Vorbis and Theora) from Xiph at Helix Community. A Linux binary should be available shortly, but at the time of writing you will have to build from CVS.

Content copyright Ian Malone 2005, except for the logos on the front page and where otherwise noted. Stylesheets and code cribbed from various sources on the web, see links section for a few.