[FFmpeg-user] I want to use FFmpeg in commercial product. Who do I need to contact?

[Moritz Barsnick]

On Wed, Mar 11, 2020 at 10:26:27 -0400, Ted Park wrote:
> > Where can I find out the cost of a license? Who can I talk to about signing
> > documents?

> I think you misunderstood, ffmpeg is largely based on free software, and you are granted the license you see when you run ffmpeg -L.
> That is the license you already have. Can you post the output of ffmpeg -L? And if you are using the command line tool or the libraries?
> Getting different terms for use is probably impossible, though people do offer paid support and development services.

Please also look at the info collected here (which is not legal
advice):
https://www.ffmpeg.org/legal.html

See also this excellent summary by Lou(?):
https://video.stackexchange.com/a/14804

In short (and I am not a lawyer either):
- ffmpeg isn't open for alternative licensing with a commercial license
  (as far as I know).
- If you use the libav* libraries, you will have to understand whether
  they fall under the GPL or the LGPL (depending on build options,
  mainly) and what this implies for your program using the libraries.
- If you use the command line tools, you probably "only" need to provide
  the source you used for building, and the build process, to the
  customers of your product which includes ffmpeg. (This surely also
  applies to the source of ffmpeg's non-system dependencies, other
  licenses may apply.)
- At the same time, using ffmpeg's codecs and the likes *may* imply
  license costs to other owners. See the "Patent Mini-FAQ" under said
  link, especially the last question. Do consult a lawyer!

I hope I didn't write anything totally wrong.

Cheers,
Moritz