[X3D-Public] MovieTexture and AudioClip royalty-free options

[Don Brutzman]

On 4/5/2010 6:47 PM, Michalis Kamburelis wrote:
> Tom Sparks wrote:
>  > I am looking at both MovieTexture and AudioClip
>  > There is no royalty-free option

i think the only royalty on the listed formats is that MPEG2 hardware
encoders pay a license.  i don't think that there are any software
licenses needed.

> This would be a good argument to introduce Ogg formats to the X3D spec.

the key to that will be getting various X3D browser companies to support
the formats.  this is where Web3D membership and good activity on the
public list can help.

supporting other formats (including royalty-burdened formats) is always
an option for X3D players.  furthermore authors can list multiple formats
in content via multiple entries in a url list.  so that is quite flexible.

> Just like HTML 5 did (although for now seems to be discussed,
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use_of_Ogg_formats_in_HTML5 ). My vote goes
> for including in X3D specification requirements for Ogg Theora for
> MovieTexture, and at least recommending Ogg Vorbis instead of MP3 for
> AudioClip.

if support emerges in HTML5 browsers, that lowers the barriers to inclusion
by X3D players working in them.

> The only "safer" alternative seems to be to stop suggesting any concrete
> format in the specification, but this obviously hurts every author that
> wants to create interoperable 3D files.

we won't go backward so no one has to worry about losing existing support,
even if that is minimalist.

all the best, Don
-- 
Don Brutzman  Naval Postgraduate School, Code USW/Br           brutzman at nps.edu
Watkins 270   MOVES Institute, Monterey CA 93943-5000 USA  work +1.831.656.2149
X3D, virtual worlds, underwater robots, XMSF  http://web.nps.navy.mil/~brutzman