5 ms·

What common audio/video codecs/formats require non-free software to play?

• btym 9y ago
  DVD, MPEG-2, Flash, MP3 (at least, until all of its patents expire by the end of the year).
  • yrro 9y ago
    What non-free code is required to play back DVDs or MP3s? Flash I will give you, though it has been an irrelevance to me since YouTube went HTML5.
    • darpa_escapee 9y ago
      I believe he's talking about this[1]: > Many GNU/Linux distributions do not contain libdvdcss (for example, Debian, Fedora, SUSE Linux, and Ubuntu) due to fears of running afoul of DMCA-style laws, but they often provide the tools to let the user install it themselves. For example, it used to be available in Ubuntu through Medibuntu, which is no longer available. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libdvdcss#Distribution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libdvdcss#Distribution
      • yrro 9y ago
        Perhaps, but I think it's important to note that libdvdcss is perfectly free software.