[OT]h.264 alternatives

[Richard Gaskin]

Colin Holgate wrote:

 > Are you sure that a license is needed for H.264 playback?

No, encoding.

 > My hope is that the license is just paid by the encoder tool maker.

Would be nice, but not always so.  E.g., Apple's Final Cut "Pro" (which 
only allows for non-pro use):

     15. H.264/AVC Notice. To the extent that the Apple Software contains
     AVC encoding and/or decoding functionality, commercial use of
     H.264/AVC requires additional licensing and the following provision
     applies: THE AVC FUNCTIONALITY IN THIS PRODUCT IS LICENSED HEREIN
     ONLY FOR THE PERSONAL AND NON-COMMERCIAL USE OF A CONSUMER TO (i)
     ENCODE VIDEO IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AVC STANDARD ("AVC VIDEO")
     AND/OR (ii) DECODE AVC VIDEO THAT WAS ENCODED BY A CONSUMER ENGAGED
     IN A PERSONAL AND NON-COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY AND/OR AVC VIDEO THAT WAS
     OBTAINED FROM A VIDEO PROVIDER LICENSED TO PROVIDE AVC VIDEO.
     INFORMATION REGARDING OTHER USES AND LICENSES MAY BE OBTAINED FROM
     MPEG LA L.L.C.
http://images.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/finalcutstudio2.pdf


Similar wording is also in the Adobe Premier EULA:

http://wwwimages.adobe.com/content/dam/acom/en/legal/licenses-terms/pdf/CS6.pdf


-- 
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World Systems
  Software Design and Development for the Desktop, Mobile, and the Web
  ____________________________________________________________________
  Ambassador at FourthWorld.com                http://www.FourthWorld.com