[vlc] Codecs

[David Gerard]

On 20/09/2007, jens at voices-of-destiny.de <jens at voices-of-destiny.de> wrote:

>  VideoLan supports a large number of media formats. As written on the
> VideoLan Page, all codecs are integrated in VideoLan (I don't know in which
> way, maybe just the .dll's?).
>  Isn't it forbidden to spread these codecs?
>  What if I would install VideoLan with its fully support of the codecs on
> PC's in a industrial buisiness company?
>  I guess, it is illegal to use these codecs without a license.
>  Only the player itself is open-source, what about the codecs / media
> support??


As I understand it: The codecs' algorithms are often encumbered with
patents in the US, which recognises software patents. VideoLan/VLC is
developed in France, which does not recognise software patents, so the
software itself is fine.

So if you get a copy of VLC from France and use it to decode content
requiring a patent-encumbered algorithm in the US (e.g. almost all
MPEG codecs), you the user *may* be violating a patent.

(This is why many Linux distributions do not ship with VLC, only
allowing you to add it later; and why the LAME mp3 encoder only
distributes as source, with binaries being available only from third
parties who have compiled it themselves.)

(if I'm wrong on any of this, please correct!)


- d.