MAMEWorld Forums - Programming - Re: MPEG patent issues

> > > MPEG decoding in MAME is currently sort of taboo due to mpeg patents, from what I
> > > hear.
> > > Once the MPEG patents expire (in 2011 iirc) it will certainly be added.
> >
> > 2018 for MPEG audio. Not sure which ones would cover a video-only implementation.
> >
> > Saturn and ST-V games use a custom encoder for FMV (often Duck TrueMotion). The
> > system isn't powerful enough to decode true MPEG without add-on hardware (which the
> > Bass Fishing games use).
>
> Some research into active patents relating to MPEG-1:
>
> http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2008/7/18/232618/312

Looks to me like mpeg-1 will be COMPLETELY patent free in dec 2012, mpeg-2 probably in 2018, and mpeg-3 around 2025.
Some patents in the context that mame or other programs may need to implement them may expire eariler, since the patent that expires last may not contain anything different relevant to mame/other programs from the ones which expire earlier.

LN

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