Siren (codec)

Siren is a family of patented, transform-based, wideband audio coding formats and their audio codec implementations developed and licensed by PictureTel Corporation (acquired by Polycom, Inc. in 2001). There are three Siren codecs: Siren 7, Siren 14 and Siren 22.

Editions

Siren 7 (or Siren7 or simply Siren) provides 7 kHz audio, bit rates 16, 24, 32 kbit/s and sampling frequency 16 kHz. Siren is derived from PictureTel's PT716plus algorithm. In 1999, ITU-T approved G.722.1 recommendation, which is based on Siren 7 algorithm. It was approved after a four-year selection process involving extensive testing. G.722.1 provides only bit rates 24 and 32 kbit/s and does not support Siren 7's bit rate 16 kbit/s. The algorithm of Siren 7 is identical to its successor, G.722.1, although the data formats are slightly different.

Siren 14 (or Siren14) provides 14 kHz audio, bit rates 24, 32, 48 kbit/s for mono, 48, 64, 96 kbit/s for stereo and sampling frequency 32 kHz. Siren 14 supports stereo and mono audio. It offers 40 millisecond algorithmic delay, using 20 millisecond frame lengths. The mono version of Siren 14 became ITU-T G.722.1C (14 kHz, 24/32/48 kbit/s) in April 2005. The algorithm is based on transform technology, using a Modulated Lapped Transform (MLT).