M3E is an encoder that was only successful in Japan. It started being developed in 1999 by Wata-Ken. It implemented an unique VBR method (at that time only Xing and LAME also offered VBR), and became quite popular.

In Japan, it was the "slow-high quality" choice, compared to Gogo (another japanese encoder) that was "fast-low quality".

Some time later, the author started selling a commercial version of the encoder, M3SE Pro.

Distribution of M3E ceased at 2000-01-21, due to patent issues. M3SE sales ceased some time later, probably because of commercial failure (better, free encoders available; price at ¥3000 was quite expensive)



Date: 1999
Version: 0.99a
Interface: Command Line/Graphical User Interface
Platform: Win32
Download: M3E_B099a.zip - 775Kb

Date: 1999
Version: 0.98b
Interface: Command Line/Graphical User Interface
Platform: Win32
Download: M3E_B098.zip - 518Kb

Lots of thanks to Shingo Harada (a.k.a harashin) for providing the encoder, translating it and enlightening me on it's story.