What is a OGG file
OGG is a free, open container format created under unrestricted software patents by the Xiph.Org Foundation (Ogg Vorbis). It allows users to stream and alter high quality digital multimedia files. The name “Ogg” derives from the jargon word “ogging.” Ogging refers to the killing of a carrier by a suicide run in the game Netrek. Apple does not support OGG file formats, and the presence of more common and widely compatible formats like MP3 mean the OGG file is not that frequently distributed in the digital media world. The OGG extension was formerly used to classify any file which used the OGG container format, but after 2007 it began being used solely for the Ogg Vorbis audio files.
The OGG extension refers to the audio, but it can also refer to a container file. OGG file containers can allow different streams of audio and metadata. The compression provides medium to high quality ranging from 16-128 kbps (comparable to MP3 and other audio file formats). The lossy codec discards certain parts of the file to reduce size. The OGG file container is currently available for audio files, but is planned to be capable of utilizing speech files as well. Various free media players, GPS receivers, and a number of portable media players can play OGG files due to the open source content. OGG containers are capable of encoding audio, video, and other codes within the file.
Here's a small, but not exhaustive list of programs that can open OGG documents:
- Apple QuickTime Player
- Real Player
- Windows Media Player
