5 ms·

It's worth pointing out that MPEG-LA also doesn't offer patent indemnification on H.264 or any of its other formats. I can't find where I originally read this,

by k33l0r 16y ago

It's worth pointing out that MPEG-LA also doesn't offer patent indemnification on H.264 or any of its other formats. I can't find where I originally read this, but EETimes mentions it at the end of this article: http://www.eetimes.com/design/other/4012977/MPEG-licensing-basics?pageNumber=1 http://www.eetimes.com/design/other/4012977/MPEG-licensing-b... "Also, MPEG LA does not offer any indemnification guaranteeing that its patents do not infringe someone else's patent rights."

alanh 16y ago
Worth pointing out? Sure, but let’s not forget that what MPEG-LA actually does is license to you all the patents which H.264 is known to use — so you’re probably not infringing anything, barring of course the insanity the USPTO perpetuates… If you have a patent for part of the H.264 process, chances are, you’re part of the MPEG-LA and getting royalties through that organization already, legitimately, without suing anyone.
- thomasmeeks 16y ago
  The patents WebM is known to use are also licensed. http://www.webmproject.org/license/additional/ http://www.webmproject.org/license/additional/
- vetinari 16y ago
  Microsoft also thought that they properly licensed MP3, until they were forced to pay additional $1.52B to Alcatel-Lucent... MPEG-LA does not provide any protection agains patent holders coming out of the blue.
  - recoiledsnake 16y ago
    Very true. But by shipping WebM, MS would be vulnerable not to the patent holders coming out of the blue on H.264, but also ALL the mpeg-la companies AND patent holders coming out of the blue. It would greatly increase their risk. I think they have reached a good compromise by developing support for IE9 to pickup WebM codecs installed by the user and playing HTML5 video through it.
    - vetinari 16y ago
      The WebM patent grant contains insurance against this. If any "new" patent holder sues anyone or makes available their patents for suing by other party, he will be excluded from the (VP8) patent grant. Any CE or IT company will think twice, whether it is worth it. Can you imagine Samsung or LG suing someone over VP8 and in return losing access to VP8 content on Youtube? What it will do to their CE business?
      - alanh 16y ago
        Fascinating. I did not know this. Sounds like a clever, or at least smart, legal move!

by k33l0r 16y ago

alanh 16y ago

Worth pointing out? Sure, but let’s not forget that what MPEG-LA actually does is license to you all the patents which H.264 is known to use — so you’re probably not infringing anything, barring of course the insanity the USPTO perpetuates… If you have a patent for part of the H.264 process, chances are, you’re part of the MPEG-LA and getting royalties through that organization already, legitimately, without suing anyone.

thomasmeeks 16y ago
The patents WebM is known to use are also licensed. http://www.webmproject.org/license/additional/ http://www.webmproject.org/license/additional/
vetinari 16y ago
Microsoft also thought that they properly licensed MP3, until they were forced to pay additional $1.52B to Alcatel-Lucent... MPEG-LA does not provide any protection agains patent holders coming out of the blue.
- recoiledsnake 16y ago
  Very true. But by shipping WebM, MS would be vulnerable not to the patent holders coming out of the blue on H.264, but also ALL the mpeg-la companies AND patent holders coming out of the blue. It would greatly increase their risk. I think they have reached a good compromise by developing support for IE9 to pickup WebM codecs installed by the user and playing HTML5 video through it.
  - vetinari 16y ago
    The WebM patent grant contains insurance against this. If any "new" patent holder sues anyone or makes available their patents for suing by other party, he will be excluded from the (VP8) patent grant. Any CE or IT company will think twice, whether it is worth it. Can you imagine Samsung or LG suing someone over VP8 and in return losing access to VP8 content on Youtube? What it will do to their CE business?
    - alanh 16y ago
      Fascinating. I did not know this. Sounds like a clever, or at least smart, legal move!