Decoding the HTML 5 video codec debate


	Decoding the HTML 5 video codec debate

Djiezes

7-6-2009 9:17 AM

242 views

tags:

apple, codec, flash, google, h264, html5, mozilla, ogg, opensource, video

Djiezes says:

Conclusion:
It's unfortunate that this debate is threatening to derail the adoption of standards-based Internet video solutions. The dominant video solution today is Flash, a proprietary technology that is controlled by a single vendor and doesn't perform well on Linux or Mac OS X. There is a clear need for an open alternative, but the codec controversy could make it difficult.

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<div style="margin: 12px 0px; font-family: arial; color: #333333; background: #ffffff; border: solid 4px #e5e5e5; width: 100%; clear: left;"><div class="CM_CTB_Content_Wrap" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;background-color: #ffffff;"><div style="border-bottom: solid 1px #dcdcdc; white-space: nowrap; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: #eeeeee ;background-image: url(http://clipmarks.com/images/source-bg.gif); background-repeat: repeat-x; height: 24px; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: middle; padding-bottom: 4px; color: #666666; font-size: 10px;" ><a href="http://clipmarks.com/clip-to-blog/" title="see clips that are hot right now"><img src="http://content.clipmarks.com/blog_embed/692fb353-0a14-4805-9294-db83217b1f52/31A19F9B-80A6-416D-B069-D9253312A467/" alt="" width="19" height="19" border="0" style="vertical-align: middle; margin: 0px 4px; display: inline; border: none; float:none;" /></a>clipped from <a title="http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/07/decoding-the-html-5-video-codec-debate.ars" href="http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/07/decoding-the-html-5-video-codec-debate.ars" style="font-size: 11px;">arstechnica.com</a></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/07/decoding-the-html-5-video-codec-debate.ars"><H2 class="news-item-title">Decoding the HTML 5 video codec debate</H2></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/07/decoding-the-html-5-video-codec-debate.ars">The HTML 5 working group is split between supporters of Ogg Theora and H.264</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/07/decoding-the-html-5-video-codec-debate.ars">This is problematic because the lack of uniform codec availability will make it impossible for content creators to publish their videos in a single format that will be viewable through the HTML 5 video element in all browsers.</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/07/decoding-the-html-5-video-codec-debate.ars">The patent licensing requirements mean that H.264 codecs can't be freely redistributed, making the format a non-starter for Mozilla and most other open source browser vendors.</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/07/decoding-the-html-5-video-codec-debate.ars">Apple objects to Ogg Theora, claiming that the lack of known patents on Theora doesn't rule out the threat of submarine patents</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/07/decoding-the-html-5-video-codec-debate.ars">Apple is also concerned about the lack of widespread support for hardware-based Theora decoding</blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2009/07/decoding-the-html-5-video-codec-debate.ars">Google shares Apple's skepticism about the potential of Theora in the marketplace. 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