WMP 9 and distribution rights? at DVinfo.net

Lisa Lee · December 5th, 2003, 03:41 AM

Anyone know if we have to pay royalty fees if we make a WMP9 movie and release it in a couple years on DVD when there are more WMP 9 computers/dvd players around.

Peter Moore · December 5th, 2003, 01:08 PM

Currently, there is no fee for distributing WM9 content. See:

Windows Media 9 info

Supposedly there IS a fee for distributing MPEG-2 content! I had no idea that that was even the case. Maybe it is, maybe it's not. But anyway, apparently Microsoft is getting its money from decoders, not from content producers - a smart move IMO!

Heath McKnight · December 6th, 2003, 03:57 PM

There is now a decoder version for OS X!

Download Windows Media 9 for Apple OS X!

heath

Joe Carney · December 8th, 2003, 03:04 PM

MPeg2 and 4 have royalties attached. So does Dolby and DTS, at up to 4 dollars per DVD (if you are using mpeg2, dolby and dts).
DVD with wmv as far as I know doesn't have any additional royalties.

Heath McKnight · December 8th, 2003, 03:08 PM

$4?! What about those of us who are making movies and compressing via Apple's compressor? Do we have to pay $4, too?

heath

Joe Carney · December 8th, 2003, 04:17 PM

I don't know about apple compressor, just heard about when you make a comercial dvd(using mpeg2, dolby digital and/or dts) there are lots of royalties involved. Large mdia companies don't pay that though.
dvd data with a quicktime or wmv file wouldn't come under the same issues.

Heath McKnight · December 8th, 2003, 04:25 PM

Hmm...er, hmph...

Why not just put a flat rate in the software, like $20 extra... I wonder if the price goes to that, maybe more people will buy.

heath

Lisa Lee · December 8th, 2003, 10:07 PM

That is good to hear WMP9 doesn't have any royalties attached.

Mpeg2 fees are very minor. We've produced standard DVD videos before and what usually happens is that when you have them authored and replicated by a company, they have already bought the rights to use those formats and when they pass them on to the customer, they are very minor. (assuming you are buying several thousand DVDs). It will come down to the customers cost of somewhere under $2 / DVD. (again assuming you are buying in the thousands of DVDs).

Peter Moore · December 10th, 2003, 10:42 AM

Heath, that's $.04 = 4 CENTS, not 4 dollars. :) $4 is only for manufacturers of decoders, and it's per unit (DVD player, etc.)

And yes those fees are usually built into the cost of replication by the replication house.

December 5th, 2003, 03:41 AM	#1
Lisa Lee Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 86	WMP 9 and distribution rights? Anyone know if we have to pay royalty fees if we make a WMP9 movie and release it in a couple years on DVD when there are more WMP 9 computers/dvd players around.

December 6th, 2003, 03:57 PM	#3
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	There is now a decoder version for OS X! Download Windows Media 9 for Apple OS X! heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

December 8th, 2003, 03:08 PM	#5
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	$4?! What about those of us who are making movies and compressing via Apple's compressor? Do we have to pay $4, too? heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

December 8th, 2003, 04:25 PM	#7
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	Hmm...er, hmph... Why not just put a flat rate in the software, like $20 extra... I wonder if the price goes to that, maybe more people will buy. heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

December 5th, 2003, 01:08 PM	#2
Peter Moore Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Arlington VA Posts: 1,034	Currently, there is no fee for distributing WM9 content. See: Windows Media 9 info Supposedly there IS a fee for distributing MPEG-2 content! I had no idea that that was even the case. Maybe it is, maybe it's not. But anyway, apparently Microsoft is getting its money from decoders, not from content producers - a smart move IMO!

December 8th, 2003, 03:04 PM	#4
Joe Carney Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Centreville Va Posts: 1,828	MPeg2 and 4 have royalties attached. So does Dolby and DTS, at up to 4 dollars per DVD (if you are using mpeg2, dolby and dts). DVD with wmv as far as I know doesn't have any additional royalties.

December 8th, 2003, 04:17 PM	#6
Joe Carney Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Centreville Va Posts: 1,828	I don't know about apple compressor, just heard about when you make a comercial dvd(using mpeg2, dolby digital and/or dts) there are lots of royalties involved. Large mdia companies don't pay that though. dvd data with a quicktime or wmv file wouldn't come under the same issues.

December 8th, 2003, 10:07 PM	#8
Lisa Lee Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 86	That is good to hear WMP9 doesn't have any royalties attached. Mpeg2 fees are very minor. We've produced standard DVD videos before and what usually happens is that when you have them authored and replicated by a company, they have already bought the rights to use those formats and when they pass them on to the customer, they are very minor. (assuming you are buying several thousand DVDs). It will come down to the customers cost of somewhere under $2 / DVD. (again assuming you are buying in the thousands of DVDs).

December 10th, 2003, 10:42 AM	#9
Peter Moore Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Arlington VA Posts: 1,034	Heath, that's $.04 = 4 CENTS, not 4 dollars. :) $4 is only for manufacturers of decoders, and it's per unit (DVD player, etc.) And yes those fees are usually built into the cost of replication by the replication house.