[Ableza]

If VLC pay for it how do they make money as it is free. I don't think there is a premium VLC but I could be wrong.

"Freeware" is always paid for somehow. I know nothing about VLC but I do know for a fact that if they are incorporating Dolby or DTS or any of the other licensed technologies and they are NOT paying the royalties somehow, they are likely to get sued if they become big enough to attract Dolby's attention.

-edit- perhaps they are relying on the HARDWARE to provide the decoding, in which case the royalty is cooked into the hardware cost.

 

[Ripper2860]

Hmmmm. Does VCLC actually decode Dolby, DTS, etc? Or does it do pass-through for the connected HARDWARE (Receiver, Amp, Soundcard) to decode? The required licensing could be part of the HARDWARE/FIRMWARE used for playback and not in the player software.

 

[Rowethren]

"Freeware" is always paid for somehow. I know nothing about VLC but I do know for a fact that if they are incorporating Dolby or DTS or any of the other licensed technologies and they are NOT paying the royalties somehow, they are likely to get sued if they become big enough to attract Dolby's attention.

Very true, I just read about them briefly and it seems they only use self made or free codecs so I guess that answers those questions.

 

[riffrafff]

From VLC's wiki:

---Begin quote---
A/52 (A52) is essentially the same thing as AC-3 (AC3), which is Dolby Digital. Dolby Digital is sometimes referred to as "DD", as in "DD 5.1" (for "Dolby Digital for 5.1 channels").

Dolby's Audio Coding-3 (AC-3) coding and compression technology was used by Dolby to create "Dolby Digital". Dolby Digital is the brand name used for the AC-3 digital audio encoding system. First used in 1995 for movie theaters, Dolby Digital is now also considered the standard for high quality audio for home theaters.

The "AC3" name (without the hyphen) is often used to refer to any audio encoding which can be used for DVD encoding to match Dolby Digital's specification, but is not specifically licensed by Dolby.
---End quote---

 

[Ableza]

From VLC's wiki:

---Begin quote---
A/52 (A52) is essentially the same thing as AC-3 (AC3), which is Dolby Digital. Dolby Digital is sometimes referred to as "DD", as in "DD 5.1" (for "Dolby Digital for 5.1 channels").

Dolby's Audio Coding-3 (AC-3) coding and compression technology was used by Dolby to create "Dolby Digital". Dolby Digital is the brand name used for the AC-3 digital audio encoding system. First used in 1995 for movie theaters, Dolby Digital is now also considered the standard for high quality audio for home theaters.

The "AC3" name (without the hyphen) is often used to refer to any audio encoding which can be used for DVD encoding to match Dolby Digital's specification, but is not specifically licensed by Dolby.
---End quote---

So they don't do Dolby. They do something they claim to have created that is "like" Dolby. Again, if they have violated any of Dolby's numerous patents, trademarks of copyrights in the process, they run the risk of being sued out of existence.

 

[yonson]

Baldr (Mike w/ Schiit) stated that one of the factors in determining whether we ever saw the prototype player move to production hinged on if they could source high quality optical drive systems by the 1000's. Doesn't sound like they intend on building drives and laser pickups, etc., they would be sourcing them from an outside MFG / supplier.

Since Oppo is bowing out of the market, it would be awesome if Schiit could pick up their slack...

 

[jimmers]

So they don't do Dolby. They do something they claim to have created that is "like" Dolby. Again, if they have violated any of Dolby's numerous patents, trademarks of copyrights in the process, they run the risk of being sued out of existence.

I googled "vlc dolby license" and took my pick of the information including "\
If VLC can ship a free DVD player, why can't Microsoft? | ZDNet
and the news that the last patent on AC3 expired last year

 

[riffrafff]

I googled "vlc dolby license" and took my pick of the information including "\
If VLC can ship a free DVD player, why can't Microsoft? | ZDNet
and the news that the last patent on AC3 expired last year

Ah. I wondered if them being based in France had anything to do with it. Looks like it does, eh?

 

[Ableza]

Ah. I wondered if them being based in France had anything to do with it. Looks like it does, eh?

It's also the fact that even this article states they are too small and not worth pursuing. But there is no doubt that their software violates US Copyright law. Someone would have to take a user to court to determine if simply using the software places the user in jeopardy.

 

[riffrafff]

It's also the fact that even this article states they are too small and not worth pursuing. But there is no doubt that their software violates US Copyright law. Someone would have to take a user to court to determine if simply using the software places the user in jeopardy.

Probably unlikely to happen, but that possible scenario does remind me of the SCO vs Linux nonsense a few years back.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

In the grand tier—Walküre starts in 10. Down in front!

 

[ScubaMan2017]

Not off-topic! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheingold_Beer

Beer is never off topic. Never.

 

[Ripper2860]

In the grand tier—Walküre starts in 10. Down in front!

Looks like someone did not turn off their cell phone or electronic device... Tsk. Tsk.

 

[ScubaMan2017]

So they don't do Dolby. They do something they claim to have created that is "like" Dolby. Again, if they have violated any of Dolby's numerous patents, trademarks of copyrights in the process, they run the risk of being sued out of existence.

I can understand why Schiit doesn't want to deal with this can of (codex) worms.

Ah, btw, my Massdrop HD6xx beasts arrived (almost 2 months early). That's some NICE packaging & presentation (i.e., a hinged box?!). I took lots of glamour shots. Aaaaaand plugged them into my Schiit Audio Magni3. Yep, one has to flip the back switch for "high gain" (and notice my "pot" had to be turned more clockwise, to get the same volume as my elderly HD515). My Loki's on bypass. My ModiMB is online. OH, THE HEAD CLAMP... IT'S LIKE A BRAND-NEW SCUBA REGULATOR. Meh, I'll gently bend them at the crown later. I fired up the Doobie Brothers, The Four Seasons, and Elton John (1970s rock). Was it worth the wait? Oh, yes. Yes indeed.

June 9/18 edit: I flexed the steel bands, NOT the plastic crown. I was warned against that as I could crack the plastic housing. Gentle. Gentle steel flexing. Gentle.

 

[riffrafff]

I can understand why Schiit doesn't want to deal with this can of (codex) worms.

Ah, btw, my Massdrop HD6xx beasts arrived (almost 2 months early). That's some NICE packaging & presentation (i.e., a hinged box?!). I took lots of glamour shots. Aaaaaand plugged them into my Schiit Audio Magni3. Yep, one has to flip the back switch for "high gain" (and notice my "pot" had to be turned more clockwise, to get the same volume as my elderly HD515). My Loki's on bypass. My ModiMB is online. OH, THE HEAD CLAMP... IT'S LIKE A BRAND-NEW SCUBA REGULATOR. Meh, I'll gently bend them at the crown later. I fired up the Doobie Brothers, The Four Seasons, and Elton John (1970s rock). Was it worth the wait? Oh, yes. Yes indeed.

I just received mine Tuesday. Very nice, indeed.