Comments on: Purchase Non-Free (MP3, DVD) Media Codecs For Ubuntu Linux

By: Pamantha

Pamantha — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 19:39:48 +0000

I dont usually comment, but after reading through so much info I had to say thanks

By: natheepat

natheepat — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:30:21 +0000

i think free song are never die.

By: DEAD

DEAD — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:44:06 +0000

DEAD…………Come back from the Dead Automaticable. ZOMBIES YUM YUM YUM

By: S.O.

S.O. — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:15:24 +0000

MP3 playback is no longer patent encumbered, so that isn’t a problem in any case. The application for DVD playback, is Cyberlink’s Linux version of Power DVD and is entirely their own product. I am not particularly familiar with it’s Linux integration or stability, but I am under the impression this should allow Bluray video as well (and if not now then some time in the future). I usually play DVDs in VLC personally, under all operating systems.

By: A GNOME update, a way to buy non-free codecs in Ubuntu, and an Intrepid beta freeze, oh my! « I’m Just an Avatar

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:32:02 +0000

[...] distros of Linux that come with a price tag have the codecs because you’re paying for them. Scott Wegner reminded me of a link in this week’s Ubuntu Weekly News that I had missed. Canonical, [...]

By: Scott Wegner

Scott Wegner — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:21:35 +0000

What I’d prefer for the codecs, is that they’d offer the open-source equivalents and then charge us for a license (so e.g. offering LAME with a license from Fraunhofer/Thompson/whoever)… it would be nice to at least have open-source software, as the next-best thing to free software.

I agree 100%– it would be so nice to *legally* use to open-source codecs. This has the added benefit that most applications already use LAME and other free codecs. Will Rhythmbox use Fluendo’s MP3 plugin? Will VLC use Cyberlink’s DVD reader? I kinda doubt it, which is unfortunate.

By: yungchin

yungchin — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:20:37 +0000

Yeah, I think the prices are a bit steep. What would be cool is if Cyberlink would give a discount in return for the (license for the) Windows version of the player, which is included with many laptops/desktops, motherboards, and DVD transports.

I’d be willing to pay the prices they charge if a significant amount of it goes to Canonical (and thus to GNU/Linux/freedesktop development). That’s similar to how I feel about WordPress – they charge rather high prices for services like custom domain-names – but it’s sponsoring the development of a free platform.

What I’d prefer for the codecs, is that they’d offer the open-source equivalents and then charge us for a license (so e.g. offering LAME with a license from Fraunhofer/Thompson/whoever)… it would be nice to at least have open-source software, as the next-best thing to free software. That should be feasible as long as there’s no DRM involved… (do the Fluendo codecs handle files with DRM, by the way?).

By: jimcooncat

jimcooncat — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:09:08 +0000

Price is too high. They’d make more money if they got together and sold both for $40. The companies would benefit too by using the same marketing people for a combined project. From a quick look at the websites, it looks like Fluendo’s marketing could use the help.

IMHO: Given the choice between $90 and legal vs. free and not-so-legal, most people would go for the latter if they felt they wouldn’t get in trouble. Keep it under $50, and a good portion would pay. Of course some won’t pay anyway.

By: Scott Wegner

Scott Wegner — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:53:17 +0000

Hi Josh, good to hear from ya!

We are in a similar situation, and I have yet to decide if it’ll be worth it or not. I still have a few questions, which I hope will be answered as this draws more publicity:

– The DVD software is entitled “PowerDVD Linux”, which sounds like it will be a completely new video player; will the DVD codecs be available to use within existing players, such as Totem or VLC?
– Will the codec downloads come as an extra repository, in a way that updates will be installed automatically?
– What are the terms of the licensing? Specifically, can I install the software on another OS for a dual boot or virtual machine? What about on my laptop? And if I upgrade to Intrepid down the road?

Can’t wait to hear more about this as things progress.

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:23:26 +0000

Very cool. I am willing to pay for it frankly. I have fought a losing battle with getting my DVDs to play back reliably. It makes for a prett lame movie night! Unfortunately I’m on 64bit but hopefully Cyberlink corrects the 32bit only deficiency soon.