Linked by Thom Holwerda on Sun 31st Jan 2010 14:20 UTC, submitted by lemur2
Despite the recent interest in adopting HTML5's video tag, there is still one major problem: there is no mandated standard video codec for the video tag. The two main contestants are the proprietary and patended h264, and the open and free Theora. In a comment on an LWN.net article about this problematic situation, LWN reader Trelane posted an email exchange he had with MPEG-LA, which should further cement Theora as the obvious choice.
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RE: It's really quite simple...
by lemur2 on Sun 31st Jan 2010 23:16
in reply to "It's really quite simple..."
Member since:2007-02-17
As has also been pointed out by others here, as well as some companies, it has not yet been tested whether Theora in some way infringes on patents encompassed by h.264, so adopting it as part of a standard could open a whole new can of worms.
The reverse is more likely. Theora is an implementation of VP3, and VP3 is a patented codec of some vintage now.
If the USPTO made a mistake and there is common ground between VP3 and some part of h264, then VP3 is in all probability the earlier patent.
RE: It's really quite simple...
by lemur2 on Sun 31st Jan 2010 23:20
in reply to "It's really quite simple..."
Member since:2007-02-17
Theora is NOT a recognised standard and was not developed by any internationally recognised standards organisation.
Standards organisations don't develop code, they merely standardise on methods. The primary considerations for making something a standard are: (1) it can be implemented by anybody, in order to promote interoperability and competition between and amongst suppliers, and (2) any terms for its use are at least RAND, but preferably royalty-free.
H264 fails on both. Theora passes on both.
Therefore, Theora should be submitted for consideration as the standard for a digital video codec, because it is clearly more suited that any current standard.
Edited 2010-01-31 23:28 UTC
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Although we would all love to see something that is completely open and free used it simply can't happen. H.264 is a standard. Developed by industry and standards groups...
Theora is NOT a recognised standard and was not developed by any internationally recognised standards organisation.
And while this is a noble undertaking that continues to produce some very good products, those products are not internationally recognised industry standards, so how can they be adopted as a default by something that is (going to be) an internationally recognised standard (HTML5)? SUPPORTED by html5, sure, the default codec, won't happen.
As has also been pointed out by others here, as well as some companies, it has not yet been tested whether Theora in some way infringes on patents encompassed by h.264, so adopting it as part of a standard could open a whole new can of worms.
And to top it off, there are numerous companies out there who are already using hardware based h.264 acceleration in devices - because it IS the standard - who I'm sure would use whatever means they have at their disposal to prevent the adoption of something as part of one standard that itself has not been ratified by any internationally recognised standards organisation. Like it or not, thats just the way it is.