FAQ[1] implies this is not the case, and that the source will correspond to the binary. The only thing the binary will bring that the source itself will not is

FAQ[1] implies this is not the case, and that the source will correspond to the binary. The only thing the binary will bring that the source itself will not is the MPEG LA licensing. > Q. Why is Cisco making both source and binary versions available? > A: The source code is available so that an implementation of H.264 is available for the community to use across any project, and to leverage the community to make the codec better for all. We will select licensing terms that allow for this code to be used in commercial products as well as open source projects. In order for Cisco to be responsible for the MPEG LA licensing royalties for the module, Cisco must provide the packaging and distribution of this code in a binary module format (think of it like a plug-in, but not using the same APIs as existing plugins), in addition to several other constraints. This gives the community the best of all worlds - a team can choose to use the source code, in which case the team is responsible for paying all applicable license fees, or the team can use the binary module distributed by Cisco, in which case Cisco will cover the MPEG LA licensing fees. [1] http://www.openh264.org/faq.html http://www.openh264.org/faq.html