Advanced Video Coding Still Under Patent
Brazilian patent BRPI0109962B1 has expired, which means that DivX and Xvid are no longer problematic for Linux, but it doesn’t mean that video is all of a sudden fully unleashed.
A 25-year-old patent for the "process for storing and processing image information from successive images over time" has expired, which means Linux distributions like Fedora no longer have to instruct users to download the necessary software to run certain video and audio files.
Huzzah, right?
Sort of.
The patent in question covers MPEG-4 Part 14 (more commonly known as the MP4 file format). While Linux has been freed from this encumbrance (which is a good thing), it doesn't exactly solve the problem as a whole.
You see, that 25-year-old patent resolves issues surrounding DivX and Xvid, both of which are, you guessed it, legacy. Sure, DivX and Xvid are useful to have around to play older videos, but the lingering problem is that MP4 is no longer the standard file format. Unfortunately, the new standard, H.264/Advanced Video Coding (AVC), is covered under MPEG-4 Part 10. As you probably expected, MPEG-4 Part 10 is still under a patent, which doesn’t expire until 2030.
Once the MPEG-4 Part 10 patent expires, it'll be a totally different ballgame for Linux distributions and users… unless there's yet another new standard that happens to be protected by patents.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Advanced Video Coding Still Under Patent
Brazilian patent BRPI0109962B1 has expired, which means that DivX and Xvid are no longer problematic for Linux, but it doesn’t mean that video is all of a sudden fully unleashed.
-
2,000 Vulnerabilities per Linux Release
Thanks to AI bug hunters, the Linux kernel is seeing record numbers of vulnerabilities, and it's overwhelming developers.
-
Linux Exempt from California’s Age Verification Law
So long as Linux is distributed under the GPL, MIT, BSD, and Apache licenses, the OS is exempt from being required to verify the age of its users in California.
-
Roll Out the Cake: Linux Turns 35
35 years ago, a Finnish student began a humble project that would forever change the course of technology.
-
China Switching from Windows to Linux
China has ordered several government agencies to drop a Chinese-developed version of Windows 10 in favor of either KylinOS or UOS.
-
Pine64 Halts Production of Linux Devices
With continued DRAM and eMMC shortages, Pine64 has decided to discontinue production of Linux devices.
-
The Bullet-Proof KDE Software Initiative Is Coming
KDE, Techpaladin, and Kubuntu Focus have announced a new initiative that will provide at least three years of support for KDE Plasma 6.6 LTS and related software.
-
Linux Mint Shares a Possible Kernel Cleanup Solution
For those on Linux Mint who like to keep multiple kernels around but don't want them to take up too much space, you might be getting a new automated tool.
-
CachyOS Gets an Update
CachyOS August 2026 release is now available with the latest version of KDE, some new features, and plenty of improvements.
-
The Linux Kernel Dev Staging Area Now Rejects AI-Generated Patches
Unless a kernel patch is a valid security fix, it will be rejected if it was created using AI.