Re: MPEG-4 patent license issues - libfaad* and libx264* and other codecs.
Matthew William Solloway Bell <m.w.s.bell@durham.ac.uk> writes:
>> On Sat, Apr 29, 2006 at 11:37:39PM +0100, Matthew William Solloway Bell wrote:
>> > The packages libxine1, ffmpeg, include libfaad*, libx264* or another
>> > codec which implement the MPEG-4 Advanced Audio Coding and Advanced
>> > Video Coding standards. Unfortunately, these are patent encumbered in at
>> > least the USA, and many other countries. To distribute code implementing
>> > any of these patents, a license is required[1], assuming that the
>> > claimed patents are valid. This license requires signing an agreement
>> > and the payment of royalties, which hasn't been done AFAIK, and is
>> > contrary to policy.
>> > There is evidence of prior attempts of enforcement, specifically against
>> > FAAD at AudioCoding.com[2].
>>
>> This appears to refer to enforcement of patents covering encoding using the
>> codecs in question. Do libxine1 and ffmpeg implement encoding of these, or
>> just decoding? Is there a history of enforcement of patents on decoding of
>> the codecs in question?
>
> Hmmm, I think I have missed something; what makes you draw this
> conclusion? AudioCoding.com has removed all binaries including those
> related to decoding. I see no reference to encoding only in [2]. The
> licensing authorities in [1] have licenses that cover decoders. I did
> look at their patent portfolio, but is was brief and shallow. I'm having
> a closer look now.
>
> libxine: libfaad (AAC decoder)
> vlc: libfaad (AAC decoder); libx264 (AVC decoder)
> libavcodec0: libfaad (AAC decoder); libx264 (AVC decoder)
>
> AFAIK, libx264 is a decoder only but the decoding functions are called
> x264_encoder_?
x264 is an AVC *encoder* only. libavcodec can optionally call it for
AVC encoding.
--
Måns Rullgård
mru@inprovide.com
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