Compression Suggestions

[Havok26]

I'm looking into video compression types right now and could use some suggestions. I'm looking to use the video for commercial use, so naturally I'd like something thats completely free :p . I know Ogg Theora is, however I have been messing with it a bit and it is deffinately still in the development stages (very good aim though, I must give the authors credit for their hard work). What else is out there? Is anything that uses MPEG-4 (Xvid, WMP9, etc.) subject to fees/royalty payments to the MP4 copyright owners?

[akupenguin]

Yes. MPEG-4, H.264, and just about every other codec you've heard of are subject to some sort of license fee.
The only really free codecs I know of are: Theora (http://www.theora.org/) (and VP3 that it's based on), Snow (http://ffmpeg.sourceforge.net/index.php), and Dirac (http://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/projects/dirac/index.shtml). VP3 is stable but lacking in quality, and the other 3 are still in development.
There are also some old codecs that no one bothers charging for anymore, but that's only because they're not worth using, either.

[Cyberman]

I´d recommend using DivX. The codec isn´t free(well, the pro version isn´t, unless you accept the 30day limit), but they already paid the Mpeg4 license, so you can safely publish and probably even sell it.

Besides, it´s good.

[Sirber]

What is that "Snow" codec? no infos on ffmpeg page.

[Tommy Carrot]

It's an experimental wavelet codec, similar to rududu, but much more advanced. It borrowed many ideas/tools from h.264, and also have a lossless mode, which outperforms FFV1 according to this test (http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_id=5424648&forum_id=1506).

[Havok26]

Originally posted by Cyberman
I´d recommend using DivX. The codec isn´t free(well, the pro version isn´t, unless you accept the 30day limit), but they already paid the Mpeg4 license, so you can safely publish and probably even sell it.

Besides, it´s good.

I just briefly checked it out based on your advice and you actually need a special commercial license for commercial use, one time fee of $20 or whatever won't cut it. They don't say what the cost is, you have to contact them so its probably either very high or royalty based.

Also, is Divx capable of streaming? I didn't see anything on their site about it and I've never known of a Divx stream.

[stephanV]

the only totally free streaming solution is ogg theora + ogg vorbis

MPEG4 is not free of licenses, WMV isnt, RM isnt...

BTW divx is MPEG4 so and is cetainly capable of streaming.

[Cyberman]

Originally posted by Havok26
I just briefly checked it out based on your advice and you actually need a special commercial license for commercial use, one time fee of $20 or whatever won't cut it. They don't say what the cost is, you have to contact them so its probably either very high or royalty based.
Oh - sorry, didn´t know that.

Also, is Divx capable of streaming? I didn't see anything on their site about it and I've never known of a Divx stream.

You should worry about the container, not the codec. If the container doesn´t support streaming, neither will the codec.

[Disabled]

I just briefly checked it out based on your advice and you actually need a special commercial license for commercial use, one time fee of $20 or whatever won't cut it. They don't say what the cost is, you have to contact them so its probably either very high or royalty based.
I contacted them a year ago or so. They didn't want to know how many users will probably download the clip or if I want to sell it or nothing. IIRC they wanted 500$ for the license.
Is there noone who can sell MPEG4 licenses that we can use Xvid legally for publishing video?

[Havok26]

Originally posted by Disabled
Is there noone who can sell MPEG4 licenses that we can use Xvid legally for publishing video?

You can get it right from the MPEG-4 developers (had the link once, I'm sure you can just google it). I checked it out and the licensing seems very complicated to understand.

[Sirber]

Sorry fot this OT, but is rududu dead?

[Tommy Carrot]

Originally posted by Sirber
Sorry fot this OT, but is rududu dead? Well, it seems so.