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New MP3 License Terms Demand $0.75 Per Decoder

Posted by chrisd on from the good-thing-ogg-is-up-to-speed dept.

Götz writes "The licensing terms of Thomson and the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, who are the owners of the mp3 patents, have changed. Now not only mp3 encoders but also mp3 decoders require a license. This page lists the fees -- it's $0.75 per decoder. As a consequence, Red Hat has already removed all mp3 players from the Rawhide development version."

4 of 1,153 comments (clear)

  1. Portable Ogg-based players? by thesolo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm hoping that this decision will result in (more?) portable Ogg-based players hitting the market! I would have purchased an iPod immediately had it supported Ogg; however, it didn't, and I was not about to convert my music back to MP3 just for it.

    If anyone knows of any portable players that support Ogg Vorbis, please post below! Thank You!

  2. Where's the facts? by Lxy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Ok. Most people have figured out by now that these prices have been up for a long time. Is there A) any evidence that open source decoders (like mpg123) are being bullied around, and B) any official statement from Redhat that they're intentionally pulling MP3 decoders from Rawhide?

    --

    There is no reasonable defense against an idiot with an agenda
    :wq
  3. Hold the phone. by johnlcallaway · · Score: 5, Interesting
    From their own site :
    Q. Do I need a license to stream mp3/mp3PRO encoded content over the Internet?

    Yes. A license is needed for commercial (i.e., revenue-generating) use of mp3 / mp3PRO in real time broadcasting (terrestrial, satellite, cable and/or any other media), broadcasting / streaming via Internet, intranets and/or other networks or in other electronic content distribution systems, such as pay-audio or audio-on-demand applications.

    However, 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.(emphasis mine)
    Does this mean that open source free ware is still...well...free??
    --
    I rarely read replies, it's my opinion and if you thought about your opinion a little more, I'm OK with that.
  4. Re:Show your support for this petition then. by Melantha_Bacchae · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Don't waste your time with "hardware manufacturers". Convince Apple to include Ogg Vorbis support on the iPod.

    As soon as an iPod with Ogg Vorbis is released, you can bet the rest of the mp3 player manufacturers will be scrambling to get it on their products.

    Such is the power of Apple.

    "Godzilla and Jaguar: Punch! Punch! Punch! Hit! Hit! Hit!
    We die if they stop fighting for us."
    Jet Jaguar Song, "Godzilla vs. Megalon"