I need the DVD VIDEO logo in vector format (e.g., EPS) for our DVD cover art. Any pointers? Thanks!

Apparently, my producer found one here (http://webchantier.free.fr/logotheque/index2.html).

Logos carry copyright - so using it with out permission might land you in trouble.

Then again who owns the copyright to it?

Ed

I think the DVD logo's copyright is held by the DVD consortium.

It would be a trademark, not a copyright.

That would be true.

Any way, for commercial use you will still need to get permission.

Ed

I meant trademark indeed. My bad.

err.. the dvd logo is owned by the "DVD Forum"

There ar e different "Books" you can buy (licenses) which allow the legal use of the logo...
(like phillips and the Compact Disc Logo.. technically they own the trademark art, but they ahvent persued any legalities behind any non licensed use.. which i cant say the same for these guys...

i think the cost to use the logo is ludicrous considering the format is so freely available..

I made my own logo.. and im happier with it... (im also licensed by Dolby labs, so i cant just throw any unlicensed art onto my work, as they check it.. )

Does this apply to content delivered on DVD-video discs?

The DVD forum site says " 2. DVD Products that need to be Licensed are: any product that uses the technological information disclosed in the corresponding DVD Format Book(s) -- DVD discs, DVD drives, DVD players, DVD recorders, DVD decoders (including software decoder), integrated products such as PCs, authoring tools, integrated circuits and encoders."

That seems to imply the physical discs themselves (so Verbatim et al are affected), and equipment/tool manufacturers.

My guess would be that you are free to put the DVD logo on your discs, because your authoring software manufacturer has already paid a fee for using the detailed informat6ion from the relevant "book", which you need to know nothing about.

Julian

clever way to look at it and in lamens terms yoru are correct..

in court though, its a different story...

the way they see it the license has been paid by the manufacturer of the said product..

if you produce a DVD with a Premanufactured Disc (which all of us would be doing) you are still manufacturing...
so.. if your creating a product using their technology, you must pay to use their logo... thats what it all comes down to...

I woudlnt risk it... but it would be interesting to hear their point of view on this, because you do a have a relevant point which i feel many people would get confused about.

It's a trademark and you can't use it without permission on your own DVDs. It's a logo that indicates that the product lives up to DVD specficiations. It's not supposed to be used as a marketing tool, and you can't use it without DVD forum's permission for any purpose other than those that it licenses for.

I've just got back from the horse's mouth (as it were).

The dvdfllc say that, as a DVD author, you need no licence to place the DVD-R or DVD-RW logo on the disc, but would require a licence for the DVD-Video or DVD-Audio logos. See http://www.dvdfllc.co.jp/ (the 6th point in the FAQ section).

Methinks they don't understand software, but there you go...

Julian

So, who does one talk to to get a license, and how much does it cost? (And if it's essentially a per-unit tax for DVD production, why does anyone pay it, even [especially] the studios?)

I think, from reading the website, you need to contact the DVD Format Logo Licensing Corporation (dvdfllc, www.dvdfllc.co.jp).

As for price, see points 1 and 2 of the FAQ at www.dvdfllc.co.jp. (Hint: it's got four zeroes at the end, for each different product category).

It's a fixed price, not a per-unit one. So those of us running off 100,000 copy DVD productions are laughing (aren't we?). Hands up all of you!

Regards,

Julian

That's quite a racket they've got going for them. Daddy, I want to be a proprietary format validator when I grow up.

When you own the technology you can set the rules by which the game will be played. Should you choose to play by the rules, it is up to each individual and their conscience to comply with existing rules and regulations. It may be a gray area in your mind, but in the mind of the courts it black and white. The trademark needs to be licensed in the US.