Geeky Gadgets readers lucky enough to own a Raspberry Pi $35 mini PC might be pleased to learn that the Raspberry Pi Foundation has announced over the weekend that their Raspberry Pi computer can now support MPEG-2 and VC-1 Decode, H.264 Encode, and CEC Support, saving you from transcoding your media library to H.264.
Why MPEG-2 Support Was Initially Excluded
The Raspberry Pi Foundation explains why they left out support for MPEG-2 in the initial launch. One of the primary reasons was cost. The Foundation stated:
“One of the things that we had to regretfully dismiss as an option was an MPEG-2 decode licence for every unit. Providing that licence would have raised the price of every Raspberry Pi by roughly 10%, and we simply weren’t able to justify that when we held it up against the educational goals of the Foundation.”
This decision was made to keep the Raspberry Pi affordable and accessible, especially for educational purposes. The Foundation’s primary mission is to promote computer science education, and adding the cost of an MPEG-2 license would have made the device less accessible to schools and students.
New Capabilities and Their Benefits
With the new support for MPEG-2 and VC-1 Decode, H.264 Encode, and CEC Support, Raspberry Pi users can now enjoy a broader range of multimedia capabilities. This update means that users can play a wider variety of video formats without needing to convert them to H.264, which can be a time-consuming process.
CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) support is another significant addition. CEC allows HDMI devices to control each other, which means you can use your TV remote to control your Raspberry Pi. This feature enhances the user experience, making it more convenient to use the Raspberry Pi as a media center.
For example, if you have a collection of DVDs or Blu-rays that use MPEG-2 or VC-1 encoding, you can now play them directly on your Raspberry Pi without any additional software or hardware. This makes the Raspberry Pi an even more versatile tool for both educational and entertainment purposes.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation has also provided a video demonstrating libCEC support for the Raspberry Pi. This video showcases how you can use your existing remote control to navigate and control your Raspberry Pi, making it easier to integrate into your home entertainment system.
For more information, jump over to the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s website for the full announcement and links to where you can now purchase an MPEG-2 or VC-1 license.
These licenses are available for a small fee, which helps to cover the cost of the necessary codecs. By offering these licenses separately, the Foundation can keep the base price of the Raspberry Pi low while still providing users with the option to enhance their device’s capabilities.
The addition of MPEG-2 and VC-1 Decode, H.264 Encode, and CEC Support to the Raspberry Pi significantly enhances its multimedia capabilities. This update makes the Raspberry Pi an even more powerful and versatile tool, suitable for a wide range of applications from education to home entertainment. Whether you’re a student, educator, or hobbyist, these new features make the Raspberry Pi an even more valuable and enjoyable device to use.
Source: Raspberry Pi Foundation
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