Legal Use of Codecs on Ubuntu

[mudge]

I want to use OpenShot on Ubuntu to do some video editing and then export it as mp4. When I do this OpenShot pops up a message that says that I need to install libx264. I have read that using some of the video and audio formats on Ubuntu might be illegal due to patenting.

I am wondering if it legal in the United States to use libx264 to create mp4 files and other similar libraries that OpenShot might use when exporting video, when using Ubuntu. Or if there is a legal way to do this. I checked out Fluendo, but that seems to be for decoding (playing video), not for encoding video (exporting video).

[hvdwolf]

It depends on what you want to do with it: private, free internet streaming or commercial.

Please read <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.264/MPEG-4_AVC#Patent_licensing> and follow the links leading to related articles.

It's a complicated set of licensing. The most important thing though is: "On August 26, 2010 MPEG LA announced that H.264 encoded internet video that is free to end users will never be charged royalties".

You might also take a look at: http://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/ ... leID=65403