Re: Bug#476644: bring back H.261 encoding
Fabian Greffrath <greffrath@leat.rub.de> writes:
> Package: ffmpeg
> Severity: wishlist
> Version: 0.svn20080206-1
>
> Hi,
>
> according to
> <http://blogs.sun.com/openmediacommons/entry/oms_video_a_project_of>
> and other resources, SUN develops a new codec called OMS, which "is a
> royalty-free codec loosely based on the h.26x codec family". In the
> FAQ the question asking "Why have you started from h.261?" is answered
> with the following reply:
>
> H.261 was finalized in 1989, outside the (17-year) patent
> window. Key tool strategies and prior art were already
> established in that era.
>
> Wouldn't this mean that we are also free to ship the built-in H.261
> encoder in ffmpeg packages?
Even though the spec dates from 1989, it is possible to use newer
algorithms in an encoder, e.g. for motion estimation, quantisation, or
any other aspect where the spec doesn't detail how values are to be
computed from input data. I have no idea whether any patents are
applicable to the FFmpeg H.261 encoder, but I wouldn't discount the
possibility without a thorough examination.
--
Måns Rullgård
mans@mansr.com
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