In late 2001, to much industry enthusiasm, H.264 and MPEG-4 AVC were launched as the world’s unifying codec family in a joint project between ITU and ISO/MPEG with the undertaking that the “JVT [Joint Video Team] will define a “baseline” profile. That profile should be royalty-free for all implementations.”
The failure to deliver on this royalty-free baseline is more than a lively standards history tale.
Years of exhausting disputes and doubts have recently resolved with court rulings soundly vindicating the original royalty-free process and vision.
And now, more than ever, the Web and broadband revolution need these groups to deliver on this 2001 royalty-free undertaking. And in the coming months, ITU and ISO are poised to begin work on a next generation of codec and transport stream standards.
I have summarized a pro royalty-free viewpoint on how ITU and ISO/MPEG can and should go forward and complete this royalty free undertaking here.
I am curious what advantage this would have over using something like Ogg Vorbis and Theora that are at least claimed to be royalty free.
Joshua:
In my opinion full-fledged open standards, royalty-free and fully vetted, are needed for multiple reasons.
This theme is developed in several posts, see for example:
http://www.robglidden.com/2009/07/the-best-answer-for-open-web-video/
http://www.robglidden.com/2009/12/royalty-free-codec-standards-dont-settle-for-less/
http://www.robglidden.com/2009/06/six-things-you-should-know-about-open-video-standards/
http://www.robglidden.com/2009/12/fcc-video-device-innovation-open-video-internet/
Okay. I guess the other thing that is happening (at least on the same half decadeish time scale as MPEG standards get created) is that MPEG-1 and H.263 baseline should have their patents expire.