Is There A List of Non-Royalty Fee Video/Audio Formats?(YES)

[3dgamer]

After reading the information in the thread about having to pay license fees for formats like XVID for commercial usage, I was wondering if there is a list somewhere that specifies which video and audio formats a game developer would not need licenses for.

Does anyone have any information or links to this?

For instance, would MP3 be considered a non-licensed or licensed audio format for commercial usage? What other formats should a developer be aware of?

Thanks.


-------[EDIT]----------

Okay, found this while waiting: MP3Licensing.com - http://www.mp3licensing.com/royalty/games.html

So if you don't sell over 5000 titles, then you are okay, it seems. At least that is hopeful.

-------[EDIT]-----------

Okay, I think I found some more applicable information re: formats and licensing fees.

Here is some hopefully more heartwarming news for those of us who want to use MPEG based formats (like XVID) but sell in low volume (i.e. compared to game companies):

MPEG LA (PDF) - http://www.mpegla.com/avc/AVC_TermsSummary.pdf

For (b) (1) where an end user pays directly for video services on a title-by-title basis (e.g., where viewer determines titles to be viewed or number of viewable titles are otherwise limited), royalties for video greater than 12 minutes (there is no royalty for a title 12 minutes or less) are (beginning January 1, 2006) the lower of 2% of the price paid to the Licensee (on first arms length sale of the video) or $0.02 per title (categories of licensees nclude legal entities that are (i) replicators of physical media, and (ii) service/content providers (e.g., cable, satellite, video DSL, internet and mobile) of VOD, PPV and electronic downloads to end users).10 Where an end user pays directly for video services on a scription-basis (not ordered or limited title-by-title), the applicable royalties per legal entity payable by the service or content provider are (beginning January 1, 2006) 100,000 or fewer subscribers during the year = no royalty; greater than 100,000 to 250,000 subscribers during the year = $25,000; greater than 250,000 to 500,000 subscribers during the year = $50,000; greater than 500,000 to 1,000,000 subscribers during the year = $75,000; greater than 1,000,000 subscribers during the year = $100,000.

It appears that the under 100,000 title sale is the limit.

Cya

[Mystery]

I don't know if you have seen the list provided by CBSection

I hope this helps!

NOT SAFE FOR COMMERCIAL USE:
=======================
JPG
MP3
MPEG
MPG
AVI with Xvid codec
AVI with DivX codec
AVI with Indeo codec
AVI with MV2/3/4 codec
AVI with ANY OTHER codec not listed below

SAFE FOR COMMERCIAL USE:
====================
WAV
OGG
Theora video
AVI with MidiVid codec (this is what I use for my videos!)
AVI with Cinepak codec
uncompressed AVI
SWF (flash) - DOES require a license, but it's free to obtain
WMV - DOES require a license, but it's free to obtain
WMA - DOES require a license, but it's free to obtain

If anyone has questions about additional formats, feel free to ask!

[jfcwilson]

Are you sure JPEG cannot be used for commercial use free?
I can't belive it. Are you sure?

[Mystery]

I have found some sources that say that the patent of the company Forgent expired in 2006.

I have also found this:
http://www.pubpat.org/jpegsurrendered.htm

http://pubpat.org/13

[CBSection31]

I haven't looked into JPG licensing since 2003, and so that very well may be the case now. If so, wonderful!

I'll go and change my post there to reflect this change.

[Mystery]

I hope that the information is valid, this is just what I have found, but I can't guarantee anything. But it seems that using JPEG is safe.

[3dgamer]

I don't know if you have seen the list provided by CBSection

No, I completely missed this. Thanks for the list, Mystery (and CBSection)!

Are you sure JPEG cannot be used for commercial use free? I can't believe it. Are you sure?

If that was the case, then a whole lotta web sites would be in trouble...actually a majority of the Internet!

Actually, I did hear some noise about this while researching some of the other formats the other day. But I believe it revolved around the patent rights, not usage rights (although it would eventually have an effect on usage rights).

And I think you are right, Mystery, about this not being an issue anymore because I also have read info about that no longer being the case, on the Net. There is also a wiki on JPEG [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPEG#Patent_issues]; if this information is correct, then pay special attention to the Patent Issues section.

Again thanks for the info.