Mp3 Patent Problems

[Spoon]

It had to happen some time, it has happened now - the patent holders for mp3 have contacted me demanding huge sums of money. To counter this:

dBpowerAMP Music Converter R11 will be pulled out from beta early (next 8 weeks), it will be combined with Aux Input and File Selector (these should not add much to the install size, maybe 700KB), it will have the mp3 encoder functioning off the Power Pack (extended trial to 60 days), that is after 60 days if not registered (new price will be $9) the mp3 encoder will stop working. Almost all money collected will go to the patent holders.

Sveta Portable Audio will move onto its own registration (away from the power pack), obviously previous Power Pack owners will get Sveta.

Not too happy about this one, but having 'multi-billion dollar' companies on the war path...it is not too plesant.

[Spoons]

Re: Mp3 Patent Problems

so the bottom line is? there can be no mp3 encoder unless you pay the royalties? and you are saying you have recieved a bill and have started paying who is the almost all money recieved going to?

[Spoons]

Re: Mp3 Patent Problems

ok i see more info here http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/...howtopic=24082

[petriburg]

Re: Mp3 Patent Problems

I think it's pretty mean (my polite language for posting in this forum) for Fraunhofer to make royalties retrospective. In terms of the new fees payable to users of dBpoweramp, does the $9 charge apply only to new users of powerpack, or would you like contributions from all dBpoweramp users?
Either way, as a highly satisfied user of your programs, and a registered user of powerpack, I would still be happy to make a contribution if you require it.
After all, you've made a whole raft of excellent software available to all your users free of charge. Please let us know.

[ChristinaS]

Re: Mp3 Patent Problems

I think it's pretty mean (my polite language for posting in this forum) for Fraunhofer to make royalties retrospective. In terms of the new fees payable to users of dBpoweramp, does the $9 charge apply only to new users of powerpack, or would you like contributions from all dBpoweramp users?
Either way, as a highly satisfied user of your programs, and a registered user of powerpack, I would still be happy to make a contribution if you require it.
After all, you've made a whole raft of excellent software available to all your users free of charge. Please let us know.

And I second both the opinion and the intent.

I am wondering at which moment in time does something as widespread as mp3 become part of the public domain.

Do manufacturers of computers or software pay royalties to whomever invented the ASCII code? :confused:

[totalXSive]

Re: Mp3 Patent Problems

Sorry to hear that Spoon.

So, as I understand it:

dMC now includes file selector and aux input but can't encode MP3s. To encode MP3s you need to get the Power Pack, which is now a 60-day trial, and costs $9 to register, right?

You could include ogg encoding/decoding as standard and then a rant in the help file as to why MP3 encoding is no longer there and why non-patented formats are better, just to annoy FhG

In any case, $9 sounds very reasonable.

[Wayne]

Re: Mp3 Patent Problems

Such bad news.

I agree $9 is a reasonable amount. However I could see that this results in less people either using dMC or upgrading to the licenced version.

How does this effect Lame and will the developers of CDex/EAC also be impacted?

Wayne

[Spoon]

Re: Mp3 Patent Problems

The Power Pack will be auto-included as well - this will have the mp3 encoder on trial, basically any such audio program without an mp3 encoder is not going to last long.

The affects Lame, CDEx and EAC - if the patent holders go after them.

[Spoons]

Re: Mp3 Patent Problems

well one would think you would raise the price to cover royalty costs so you can include the mp3 codec for those that want to pay the extra dollar.

as they are not stopping you from using it if you pay royalties? whether it's right or wrong is a seperate issue. the bottom line is do you want to have mp3 codec in your software? if yes then pass that cost on to the consumer that wants to use that codec in your software. can't be done that way?

[donny]

Re: Mp3 Patent Problems

sounds resonable, there are pelnty free codecs... if someone wants to use mp3 then let him pay... I used mp3 lately just cause some games support it, or something similar... just because it is so wide spread doesn't mean it is unreplacable, esepcially now.. this will give ogg a new push, and probably the losseless codecs also...

[Spoon]

Re: Mp3 Patent Problems

The economics are:

$2.5 per mp3 encoder with a yearly minimum of $15,000

I have lowered the price because: a) I have removed Sveta and b) not to penalize those who want mp3.

[Spoons]

Re: Mp3 Patent Problems

ok if there is a minimum then that's a problem if you don't sell over 500 liscences per month. if thats not attainable at the moment then it's understandable to just remove it.

on the upside you may sell triple the amount with the current price drop. and if enough get's sold over time you may be able to put the mp3codec back in.

[Joseph]

Re: Mp3 Patent Problems

Such bad news.
How does this effect Lame and will the developers of CDex/EAC also be impacted?

EAC will be fine, they make it a point that if you want to be able to compress audio files in the MP3 format, you have to go out and get LAME or another encoder on your own.

[dig412]

Re: Mp3 Patent Problems

I think Fraunhofer have finally twigged that they could get billions from fiddiling about with mp3 patents. I wouldnt mind if they only applied this to programs using their codec (neroMIX etc.), but to go after a predominently freeware program is a bit stingey.

[Spoon]

Re: Mp3 Patent Problems

Fraunhofer sold its patents to Tompson, they are wanting to collect for their investment.