[FFmpeg-devel] [Question] Are there any legal or patenting issues concerning the AC-4 patches?

[Lynne]

May 31, 2021, 19:59 by Nomis101 at web.de:

> Hi everyone. Back in March 2020 a set of patches for AC-4 support into FFmpeg was posted on this
> list. As these patches are not integrated in FFmpeg the HandBrake team was considering if we should
> add them to the internal FFmpeg patches for HandBrake. We are aware, that this patches are WIP and
> that there are maybe still some technical weak points.
> But, we would like to clarify if there are any legal or patenting issues with this patches? Would
> this patches be compatible with the GPLv2 license of HandBrake? We don't want to come into any kind
> of cease and desist situation.
>

No, it's just that the decoder still has some issues with one of its QMF synthesis
filters, and the developer seems busy right now to fix it. The spec is very
long, very obtuse, and very annoying.
The decoder will be lgpl like the rest of our code. We really can't care less
about patents (we don't read them either, they're all useless), and C&Ds
aren't really worth the paper they're printed on in Europe, so we've been left
alone, hopefully for the future too.