Helix Plugins
Helix Plugins
The Helix Media engine uses a plugin system to provide an extensible framework. The purpose of this list is to describe in detail, the files that may be contained within a Watch & Listen bundle. This list may not be exhaustive but should contain most plugins.
All of the listed plugins are available under the GPL or RPSL. They can all be built from source available on HelixCommunity.org. However, not all plugins (codecs) are royalty free.
Engine
These plugins make up the helix engine. They all perform a specific function.
| File | Name | Description |
| authmgr.so | Authentication manager | |
| clbascauth.so | ||
| clntxres.so | ||
| colorcvt.so | Color Converter | Plugin contains functions for converting between different types of color formats (ie. YUV -> RGB) |
| httpfsys.so | HTTP File System | Plugin for dealing with files retrived via the HTTP protocol |
| hxplay.so | HXPlay | Python extensions for the helix media player |
| hxmedpltfm.so | ||
| hxmedplyeng.so | ||
| hxnetwksvc.so | ||
| hxsdp.so | ||
| hxxml.so | ||
| memfsys.so | Memory Filesystem | Reads media stored in memory |
| rn5auth.so | ||
| smplfsys.so | Simple Filesystem | Plugin for reading files from the local filesystem |
| vidsite.so | Video Site | Plugin for handling video output. Handles both creating windows and video overlays. |
File Formats, Renderers, and Codecs
"Codecs" in helix are broken into pieces to make a more extensible system.
- File format plugins read a specific type of container file.
- Renderer plugins decode a specific media format.
- Encoder/Decoders are used by renderer plugins.
For any media format that you wish to support you must have plugins to read the container and render the format.
Free Formats
These plugins are completely free.
| File | Format | Description | Mime |
| audplin.so | |||
| aufformat.so | |||
| giffformat.so | GIF File Format | Reads GIF files | image/gif |
| gifrender.so | GIF Renderer | renders GIF files | image/gif |
| jpgfformat.so | JPG File Format | image/jpeg | |
| jpgrender.so | JPG Renderer | image/jpeg | |
| oggfformat.so | OGG File format | audio/ogg, video/ogg | |
| pcmrend.so | raw PCM renderer | audio/L8 and audio/L16 | audio/x-adpcm |
| pngfformat.so | PNG File Format | image/png | |
| pngrender.so | PNG Renderer | image/png | |
| rtspclnt.so | RTSP Client | ||
| rtspfformat.so | RTSP FileFormat | ||
| sdpplin.so | |||
| smlfformat.so | SMIL file format | application/smil | |
| smlrender.so | SMIL renderer | application/smil | |
| theorarend.so | Theora Renderer | video/x-theora+ogg | |
| tonerend.so | tone renderer | ||
| vorbisrend.so | Vorbis Renderer | audio/x-vorbis+ogg | |
| wbmpfformat.so | Wireless Bitmap Fileformat | image/vnd.wap.wbmp | |
| wbmprend.so | Wireless Bitmap renderer | image/vnd.wap.wbmp |
Real Media Formats
These plugins are owned by Real Networks but may be distributed royalty free per an agreement with OLPC
| File | Format | Description | Mime |
| atrc.so | Real Audio 8 High Bitrate Decoder | audio/vnd.rn-realaudio | |
| cook.so | |||
| drv1.so | Real Video 1.0 decoder | ||
| drv2.so | Real Video G2 decoder | ||
| drvc.so | |||
| imgrender.so | Image Renderer | contains png/gif/jpg formats, for use with realpix plugin. | |
| ngtfformat.so | Nugget file format | ||
| raac.so | |||
| ralf.so | |||
| ramfformat.so | RAM File Format | application/ram | |
| ramrender.so | RAM renderer | application/ram | |
| rarender.so | RealAudio renderer | ||
| rmfformat.so | Real Media file format | ||
| rpfformat.so | RealPix file format | ||
| rpgifplin.so | RealPix GIF Plugin | image/gif | |
| rpjpgplin.so | RealPix JPG Plugin | image/jpg | |
| rppngplin.so | RealPix PNG Plugin | image/png | |
| rprender.so | RealPix Renderer | image/vnd.rn-realpix | |
| rtfformat.so | RealText File Format | text/vnd.rn-realtext | |
| rtrender.so | RealText Renderer | text/vnd.rn-realtext | |
| rv10.so | |||
| rv20.so | |||
| rv30.so | |||
| rv40.so | |||
| rvrender.so | RealVideo Renderer | video/vnd.rn-realvideo | |
| sipr.so | |||
| smmrender.so | Real Events Renderer |
Non-Free Formats
These plugins are patented but may be distributed by RealNetworks
| File | Format | Description | Mime |
| avifformat.so | AVI file format | ||
| h263render.so | H.263 renderer | ||
| i420render.so | |||
| mp3fformat.so | MP3 file format | ||
| mp3metaff.so | MP3 metadata file format | ||
| mp3render.so | MP3 renderer | ||
| mp4arender.so | MP4 Audio renderer | ||
| mp4fformat.so | MP4 file format | ||
| mpgfformat.so |
Non-Distributable Formats
These plugins have royalties associated with them and may not be distributed. To obtain these plugins you must build them from source code yourself. Please note that even if you have built the codecs from sourcecode a license may still be required.
| File | Format | Description | Mime |
| amrff.so | AMR file format | audio/AMR | |
| amrn.so | AMR-NB decoder | Adaptive Multi-Rate Narrowband, a low bitrate voice encoder | audio/AMR |
| amrw.so | AMR-WB decoder | Adaptive Multi-Rate Wideband voice encoder | audio/AMR |
| avc1.so | H.264 decoder front-end | ||
| dmp4.so | MP4 decoder | ||
| h264dec.so | H.264 decoder | ||
| imaprender.so | |||
| mp4vrender.so | MP4 video renderer |