HEVC patent? openess? (Video codec)

[Bernhard Reiter]

It seems a join venture of Moving Picture Experts Group and
ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group currently develops a new video
codes that among other things compresses twice as efficient as
h264: HEVC.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Efficiency_Video_Coding

As h264 had real patent pressures, and thus is hard to implement with all
software freedom retained: What is the status of HEVC, that is supposed to
become h265 regarding patents and openness?

If the video codes of WebM: VP8 or libvpx is a real competitor to h264,
what could be the next version that can compete with the claimed higher
efficiency of HEVC?
--
FSFE -- Founding Member of the GA blogs.fsfe.org/bernhard
Support our work for Free Software: https://fsfe.org/support/?ber
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[Jamie Quinlan]

Post by Bernhard Reiter
As h264 had real patent pressures, and thus is hard to implement
with all software freedom retained: What is the status of HEVC,
that is supposed to become h265 regarding patents and openness?

Judging by what they say on the website itself:
(http://www.mpegla.com/main/pid/hevc/default.aspx)

"In order to participate in the initial facilitation effort for the
creation of a joint HEVC License, MPEG LA invites any party that
believes it has patents that are essential to the HEVC Draft 7
standard (or subsequent revisions that may issue) to submit an initial
patent by September 7, 2012..."

It seems to me that there is a risk that HEVC could be
patent-encumbered. It's still early days yet, as far as I can see.

- --
Jamie Quinlan []
Fellow #2286 | Key 0xF6265617 [][][]
http://fsfe.org/freesoftware/ ||

[Florian Weimer]

Post by Bernhard Reiter
If the video codes of WebM: VP8 or libvpx is a real competitor to h264,
what could be the next version that can compete with the claimed higher
efficiency of HEVC?

I guess the answer is to use a less efficient codec and throw
bandwidth at the problem. For free content, streaming in
bandwidth-constrained environments is not as important as for
proprietary content because you can download it over night and watch
the copy.

[Bernhard Reiter]

Post by Florian Weimer

Post by Bernhard Reiter
If the video codes of WebM: VP8 or libvpx is a real competitor to h264,
what could be the next version that can compete with the claimed higher
efficiency of HEVC?

I guess the answer is to use a less efficient codec and throw
bandwidth at the problem. ?For free content, streaming in
bandwidth-constrained environments is not as important as for
proprietary content because you can download it over night and watch
the copy.

It also means that we will run into a massive problem in a few years.
We see with VP8 adoption, that even if we have a codec that is technically on
par, it is hard to gain enough critical mass to ensure people's freedom.
VP8 might just have been coming too late.

It is true, people caring a lot for freedom like you and me, we may just throw
bandwidth on the problem, but if we do not reach the critical mass, we will
still be in trouble.
--
FSFE -- Founding Member of the GA blogs.fsfe.org/bernhard
Support our work for Free Software: https://fsfe.org/support/?ber
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