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PGWARE Web Host
Joined: 29 Dec 2001 Posts: 1562
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Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2002 11:18 pm Post subject: New MP3 licenses = no more mp3 support |
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It looks like the powers that be decided to change the license agreement for MP3's. This applies to every single mp3 application in existence whether they are free or not. Basically Thomson and the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft who own the patents to the mp3 technology are chargng .75 per software or a flat $60,000 fee! to DECODE. Yes that's right no longer do these patent fees apply just to encoding mp3's but as of August 27, 2002 they now apply to decoding (playing mp3's from your software).
The big picture? Basically the vdsmpeg.dll which I distribute is no longer going to be distributed. Sorry but I can't afford to give out .75 per use of the dll. Even if people do not register I am charged a 75 cent per unit/download and that's something I am not willing to pay. This will also apply to all other mp3 dll's around as well as applications (freeware, shareware, whatever). If your application uses mp3 in anyway you'll need to shell out .75 cents per downloaded copy.
Alternatvies - move to ogg vorbis, this is a better alternative to mp3 and is free for both encoding and decoding!
Don't belive me? Read this article:
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news2.php3?ID=4628
Still don't believe me? Read the exact licensing terms on Thomson and the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft site:
www.mp3licensing.com/royalty/software.html |
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FreezingFire Admin Team
Joined: 23 Jun 2002 Posts: 3508
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Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2002 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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Even though I read it, I still cannot believe it.
I must be dreaming... _________________ FreezingFire
VDSWORLD.com
Site Admin Team
Last edited by FreezingFire on Sat Mar 01, 2003 5:06 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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PGWARE Web Host
Joined: 29 Dec 2001 Posts: 1562
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Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2002 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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As an update - if you use Windows Media Player/mci as your decoder then I doubt you will have to pay the fee but I'm really not sure. |
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marty Professional Member
Joined: 10 May 2001 Posts: 789
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Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2002 4:09 am Post subject: |
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Now we need a OGG vORBIS DLL... Ill check that out...
Bye bye MP3!... |
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marty Professional Member
Joined: 10 May 2001 Posts: 789
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Tommy Admin Team
Joined: 16 Nov 2002 Posts: 746 Location: The Netherlands
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Garrett Moderator Team
Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 2149 Location: A House
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2002 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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"Note: No license is needed for private, non-commercial activities (e.g., home-entertainment, receiving broadcasts and creating a personal music library), not generating revenue or other consideration of any kind or for entities with an annual gross revenue less than US$ 100 000.00. "
http://www.mp3licensing.com/royalty/emd.html |
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Tommy Admin Team
Joined: 16 Nov 2002 Posts: 746 Location: The Netherlands
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2002 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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Oops, didn't notice that one... |
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Dr. Dread Professional Member
Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 1065 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2002 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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Garrett wrote: | "Note: No license is needed for private, non-commercial activities (e.g., home-entertainment, receiving broadcasts and creating a personal music library), not generating revenue or other consideration of any kind or for entities with an annual gross revenue less than US$ 100 000.00. "
http://www.mp3licensing.com/royalty/emd.html |
Well, now I'm really confused 8O
But as far as I can tell Garret's quotation relates to the right to distribute, broadcast and/or stream mp3 encoded data.
It seems that Tommy might be right when it comes to PC software applications.
Greetz
Dread _________________ ~~ Alcohol and calculus don't mix... Don't drink and derive! ~~
String.DLL * advanced string processing |
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LOBO Valued Contributor
Joined: 14 Mar 2002 Posts: 241 Location: Wilmington, Delaware, USA
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2002 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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Below is a quote taken from http://www.cdfreaks.com/news2.php3?ID=4655.
Quote: | Statement from Thomson Multimedia, mp3 Licensing
In a posting appearing Tuesday August 27, 2002 on the Web site 'slashdot.org', an individual cited a change in the mp3 license fee structure of Thomson and Fraunhofer. The writer of the post apparently misread the mp3 licensing conditions, as Thomson's mp3 licensing policy has not experienced any change.
To clarify, since the beginning of our mp3 licensing program in 1995, Thomson has never charged a per unit royalty for freely distributed software decoders. For commercially sold decoders -- primarily hardware mp3 players -- the per-unit royalty has always been in place since the beginning of the program. Therefore, there is no change in our licensing policy and we continue to believe that the royalty fees of .75 cents per mp3 player (on average selling over $200 dollars) has no measurable impact on the consumer experience. |
This statement says there has been no change in the mp3 licensing policy. That's what everyone was worried about. There has been no change. The .75 cents is charged per commerically sold unit - primarily hardware decoders but could be stated for software as well but there probably is an income amout as Garrett stated that you must reach before they demand the fee. |
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Tommy Admin Team
Joined: 16 Nov 2002 Posts: 746 Location: The Netherlands
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2002 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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Even if the conditions didn't change, they may still always have been bad... Please
note that the www.mp3licensing.com site seems more authoritative than the
www.cdfreakz.com site. Still of course everyone should be careful, what didn't
happen right now, just might happen anytime (soon or not) in the future.
Although I'm not sure, I feel Dr. Dread is probably right. |
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LOBO Valued Contributor
Joined: 14 Mar 2002 Posts: 241 Location: Wilmington, Delaware, USA
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2002 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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Tommy wrote: | Even if the conditions didn't change, they may still always have been bad |
Yes I agree. I was just stating that nothing had actually changed from what had been. Even though many of us may not have known what had actually been.
Tommy wrote: | Still of course everyone should be careful, what didn't
happen right now, just might happen anytime (soon or not) in the future. |
Very true:!:
I think i'll join the doctor in the land of confusion |
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Garrett Moderator Team
Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 2149 Location: A House
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2002 8:08 pm Post subject: |
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The whole content of the license on their pages doesn't really clarify exactly what they mean. It's all so damn vague that it could almost be interpreted in either direction.
-Garrett |
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nick Contributor
Joined: 15 Aug 2000 Posts: 50 Location: hamburg,nj
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2002 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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Hello all:
I think Thomson is being vague on purpose as to not upset their monopoly -or they are unaware of their lawyers intentions. It is clear that if you use the mp3 object code libraries in you software you owe them .75. Their intentions are probably to keep their current license holders in line and allow small players no license -but I am sure that would be laughed out of court.
However if are just distributing mp3 encoded media you can wait until you reach the 100000.00 level.
Nick |
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marty Professional Member
Joined: 10 May 2001 Posts: 789
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Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2002 11:30 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I'm definetly going to change format to OGG Vorbis in my next release of my multimedia player.
After that confusing press release and their licensing stuff, Im not going to take any chance. These guys are in for the money.. and their going pretty soon hit the freeware players. Like Tommy said "what didn't
happen right now, just might happen anytime (soon or not) in the future" and I totaly agree.
Espacially after all the research I've done on the net lately regarding OGG Vorbis which is superior in quality to MP3. |
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