I have to pay for burning a DVD? at DVinfo.net

Brian Alves · May 22nd, 2005, 01:49 PM

Apple’s manual notes that if you are making DVDs for sale using iDVD or DVD Studio Pro, there is a licensing fee that you will have to pay- is this true?

Rob Lohman · May 25th, 2005, 05:14 AM

I've never heard of anyone paying fees to Apple (after buying the product)
for selling discs made with their products. That would absolutely be insane,
why would you otherwise have bought the product in the first place?

Are you sure they are not talking about that you need to pay licensing fees
for things like CSS encryption or Macrovision protection if you use that?

Boyd Ostroff · May 25th, 2005, 08:06 AM

This gets interesting. The DVD Studio Pro license may be seen here:

http://www.apple.com/legal/sla/dvdstudiopro4.html

I think the issue is that the use of certain CODECs require licensing through their owners, and not through Apple:

Quote:

13. MPEG-2 Notice. To the extent that the Apple Software contains MPEG-2 functionality, the following provision applies: ANY USE OF THIS PRODUCT OTHER THAN CONSUMER PERSONAL USE IN ANY MANNER THAT COMPLIES WITH THE MPEG-2 STANDARD FOR ENCODING VIDEO INFORMATION FOR PACKAGED MEDIA IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT A LICENSE UNDER APPLICABLE PATENTS IN THE MPEG-2 PATENT PORTFOLIO, WHICH LICENSE IS AVAILABLE FROM MPEG LA, L.L.C, 250 STEELE STREET, SUITE 300, DENVER, COLORADO 80206.

There are similar paragraphs (14 and 15) which apply to MPEG-4 and H.264. I wonder how many people actually adhere to the letter of this law?

Barry Gribble · May 25th, 2005, 12:00 PM

Yeah, that is interesting. When you replicate DVDs or CDs through a plant, a certain portion of the cost goes to licensing... somewhere between $.05 - $.15 per disc. I guess you are liable for that fee if you are duplicating the discs yourself... that would in no way be specific to iDVD.

Mark Sloan · May 25th, 2005, 06:16 PM

Anyone know if there is a fee associated with Blank DVD discs that makes up for this? Didn't they handle it this way for cassette tapes back in the day?

Barry Gribble · May 25th, 2005, 07:16 PM

The trouble is that the blanks don't cover it. It may be that if I sell a disc and with only text files on it I owe nothing, but if I sell a disc with MPEG-2, or MP3s, or regular Redbook audio (regular cd audio) I have to pay a license fee to the originators of that technology.

Very interesting... had never considered that. Good CYA move from apple to include that.

Dan Euritt · May 26th, 2005, 10:15 AM

fwiw: http://www.mpegla.com/m2/m2-agreement.cfm

also see:

"An MPEG-2 patent license is required from MPEG LA (MPEG Licensing Adminstrator). Cost is $2.50 for a DVD player or decoder card and 4 cents for each DVD disc, although there seems to be disagreement on whether content producers owe royalties for discs." -http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#6.1

May 22nd, 2005, 01:49 PM	#1
Brian Alves The DV Show Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Boston Posts: 14	I have to pay for burning a DVD? Apple’s manual notes that if you are making DVDs for sale using iDVD or DVD Studio Pro, there is a licensing fee that you will have to pay- is this true?

May 25th, 2005, 05:14 AM	#2
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	I've never heard of anyone paying fees to Apple (after buying the product) for selling discs made with their products. That would absolutely be insane, why would you otherwise have bought the product in the first place? Are you sure they are not talking about that you need to pay licensing fees for things like CSS encryption or Macrovision protection if you use that? __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

May 25th, 2005, 12:00 PM	#4
Barry Gribble Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 817	Yeah, that is interesting. When you replicate DVDs or CDs through a plant, a certain portion of the cost goes to licensing... somewhere between $.05 - $.15 per disc. I guess you are liable for that fee if you are duplicating the discs yourself... that would in no way be specific to iDVD. __________________ Barry Gribble Integral Arts, IMDB

May 25th, 2005, 06:16 PM	#5
Mark Sloan Major Player Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 346	Anyone know if there is a fee associated with Blank DVD discs that makes up for this? Didn't they handle it this way for cassette tapes back in the day?

May 25th, 2005, 07:16 PM	#6
Barry Gribble Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 817	The trouble is that the blanks don't cover it. It may be that if I sell a disc and with only text files on it I owe nothing, but if I sell a disc with MPEG-2, or MP3s, or regular Redbook audio (regular cd audio) I have to pay a license fee to the originators of that technology. Very interesting... had never considered that. Good CYA move from apple to include that. __________________ Barry Gribble Integral Arts, IMDB

May 26th, 2005, 10:15 AM	#7
Dan Euritt Trustee Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Carlsbad CA Posts: 1,132	fwiw: http://www.mpegla.com/m2/m2-agreement.cfm also see: "An MPEG-2 patent license is required from MPEG LA (MPEG Licensing Adminstrator). Cost is $2.50 for a DVD player or decoder card and 4 cents for each DVD disc, although there seems to be disagreement on whether content producers owe royalties for discs." -http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#6.1