FireFox not supporting H.264 in HTML5?

[Brent]

I just found out about this, WTF, I'm a FireFox fan, and I'm looking forward to HTML5 taking over the web, heh, and I understand FireFox 3.6 now supports HTML5, but it won't decode H.264 video? UGH Don't force me to use another browser Mozilla!

 

[Iasius]

I think H.264 is covered by patents. Basically Firefox would have to pay a license fee on it and I don't see that happening. Also, as far as I understand it, HTML5 does not currently have a standard video codec or container (although it was previously Ogg Theora which I think is free), so the use of H.264 isn't a foregone conclusion though it seems to have better performance compared to Ogg Theora.

That said I also seem to remember reading that HTML5 doesn't currently provide for DRM. I don't see too many sites adopting this as a standard without it.

 

[Lindley]

so the use of H.264 isn't a foregone conclusion though it seems to have better performance compared to Ogg Theora.

I know someone working on that. Expect major Theora improvements soon.

However, convincing Apple and Nokia to sign on to Theora could still be a problem.

 

[Brent]

I think H.264 is covered by patents. Basically Firefox would have to pay a license fee on it and I don't see that happening. Also, as far as I understand it, HTML5 does not currently have a standard video codec or container (although it was previously Ogg Theora which I think is free), so the use of H.264 isn't a foregone conclusion though it seems to have better performance compared to Ogg Theora.

That said I also seem to remember reading that HTML5 doesn't currently provide for DRM. I don't see too many sites adopting this as a standard without it.

Hrm, ok, the way i found out about this is the HTML5 program youtube currently has, however, the video is in H.264 so it won't work in FireFox!

 

[Lindley]

The <video> tag supports providing multiple encodings of a video. The first one which is supported is played. However, I guess YouTube isn't taking advantage of that.

 

[Marc]

so the use of H.264 isn't a foregone conclusion though it seems to have better performance compared to Ogg Theora.

I know someone working on that. Expect major Theora improvements soon.

However, convincing Apple and Nokia to sign on to Theora could still be a problem.

Well if allows Apple to give Adobe Flash a good kick in the head I could see them going for it (especially as Adobe is now trying to sue Apple for not allowing Flash on the iPod/iPhone/iPad).

 

[Lindley]

Yeah, but those royalties people pay for using H.264? Apple gets some of them. That's the problem.