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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."

5 of 1,153 comments (clear)

  1. Alternate Title: OGG Becomes New Standard by Jason+Earl · · Score: 1, Redundant

    I pity you fools that spent months encoding all of your music as MP3s.

  2. Goodbye mr.mp3 by ZawZe · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Goodbye to mr.mp3 and hello mister ogg.

  3. Ogg to the rescue by eclectric · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Really... $0.75 per decoder? Technically, I have about 4 or 5 programs on my computer that can play mp3s... do I need to pay for each decoder, or just pay once? How about my mp3 CD player? Do I have to send three quarters to them to appease the hungry masses.

    I don't really think this spells victory for Ogg... I think this instead gives Microsoft and the .wma format a big boost. For 90% of computer users, the decision will be simple... switch to .wma because it's free($).

  4. in related news ... by Triumph+The+Insult+C · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Microsoft reported today that Windows Media Player would no longer be free, and that they would begin rolling the cost of WMP into future versions of Windows. The expected additional cost of Windows would now be approximately $75 more.

    --
    vodka, straight up, thank you!
  5. Re:Thank god for ogg! by Flamesplash · · Score: 1, Redundant

    You have been tricked. WMA is inferior quality but the encoder boosts the volume by 3 db which is known to make people think it sounds better.

    Umm, if I think it sounds better then as far as I care doesn't it?

    -flamesplash

    --
    "Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door." - Emily Dickinson