Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] surround encoding
From: Juhana Sadeharju (kouhia_AT_nic.funet.fi)
Date: Tue Oct 16 2001 - 16:46:33 EEST
>From: Steve Harris <S.W.Harris_AT_ecs.soton.ac.uk>
>
>DTS OTOH is patented, but I've a feeling the the line format is just the
>2 stereo channels plus Sr, Sl and LFE, uncompressed on the data channels,
>so its hard to imagine that thats covered by the patents.
Maybe they could give a permission for free encoder software
because the streams are going to be played through commercial
amplifier (lisence paid) and because encoding lisence could
be paid only if the product goes to commercial market.
What is left is that people could make surround sound for their
own fun or use it in student works, for example. But if a step
to commercial business (DVD, exhibitions etc.) is made, they
have to pay lisence. Of course, DTS company would set the final
rules. Would this be worth of asking?
I guess that free DTS encoder would make DTS more popular. It
is like the student lisences of various commercial software such
as Alias/Wavefront, Softimage, etc. It would be an easy step
to use DTS commercially because only the product lisence should
be paid, not any extra hardware costs (such as of Dolby encoders).
Is the MPEG 5.1 surround patent free? We could use it if no other
system is available in commercial amplifiers besides those three.
In extreme, people would have to design a new free surround format
and offer the decoder to amplifier manufacturers.
Best regards,
Juhana
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