[Asterisk-Users] Help with Understanding CODEC

[Luki]

Neel,

if your * box only "shuffles" data between your provider and your
phones (or between phones) then it does not need to transcode from/to
G729 and hence you do not need a license.

However, if your phones are configured to anything other than what the
other end point uses, for example your provider uses G729 and your
phones are on G711, or the other way around, then * needs to transcode
and you will need a license for it to do so.

Finally, if you want * to be able to generate any audio by itself
(voice mail, menu, music on hold) then it needs the ability to
generate a G729 stream and hence you need a license.

Essentially whenever * needs to be able to "read" (transcode from) or
"write"/"generate" audio (transcode to) you need a license. Otherwise
you can get away without one.

Hope this helps... and please correct me if I'm wrong; I do not use G729 :-).

--Luki


Nitesh Divecha <nitesh at vipernetworks.com> wrote:
> Hello All,
> 
> Need some small help understanding the CODEC part of Asterisk and my
> endpoints.
> 
> All my endpoints are Snom IP Phone and they come with G711a/u and G729A.
> 
> So far I got mix messages from people that if your endpoints got G729A or
> G723 codec already, I don't need to buy any licensing for the CODECS.
> 
> But my question is "What about the server it self?" Because if I set my
> priorities in the "sip.conf" file to use G723, G729 and rest disallow=all,
> the voice stops working.
> 
> So in short I do need licensing for G723 and G729 to be installed on the
> Asterisk box it self? And how many do I need?
> 
> Please help!
> 
> Neel