Apple ProRes codec reverse engineered

#1

Post by kierank » Thu, Sep 15, 2011, 4:20 PM UTC

Apple ProRes codec reverse engineered
git.videolan.org

Re: Apple ProRes codec reverse engineered

#2

Post by deweller » Thu, Sep 15, 2011, 4:44 PM UTC

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ProRes_422:

ProRes 422 is a standard-definition and high-definition lossy video compression format developed by Apple Inc. for use in post production. It was introduced in 2007 with Final Cut Studio 2 [1] and is comparable to Avid's DNxHD codec which has the same purpose and uses similar bit rates.

Re: Apple ProRes codec reverse engineered

#3

Post by aschwo » Thu, Sep 15, 2011, 4:52 PM UTC

This is a great development for decoding ProRes with non-OSX OSes. What are the legal implications? Will ffmpeg need to pay to license the ProRes codec from Apple? Does Apple even offer a license for the codec?

Re: Apple ProRes codec reverse engineered

#4

Post by johnbatch » Thu, Sep 15, 2011, 5:02 PM UTC

aschwo wrote: post #3

This is a great development for decoding ProRes with non-OSX OSes. What are the legal implications? Will ffmpeg need to pay to license the ProRes codec from Apple? Does Apple even offer a license for the codec?

Haven't they had this for a while (Post Date: August 28, 2008). http://support.apple.com/downloads/Apple_ProRes_QuickTime_De...

However, it's nice that they have it built into ffmpeg now.

Re: Apple ProRes codec reverse engineered

#5

Post by modfodder » Thu, Sep 15, 2011, 5:09 PM UTC

johnbatch wrote: post #4

aschwo wrote: post #3

This is a great development for decoding ProRes with non-OSX OSes. What are the legal implications? Will ffmpeg need to pay to license the ProRes codec from Apple? Does Apple even offer a license for the codec?

Haven't they had this for a while (Post Date: August 28, 2008). http://support.apple.com/downloads/Apple_ProRes_QuickTime_De... However, it's nice that they have it built into ffmpeg now.

It's read only for Windows, so Win apps can't write out a prores file. (In reference to Apple's decoder)

Re: Apple ProRes codec reverse engineered

#6

Post by bradly » Thu, Sep 15, 2011, 5:23 PM UTC

deweller wrote: post #2

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ProRes_422 : ProRes 422 is a standard-definition and high-definition lossy video compression format developed by Apple Inc. for use in post production. It was introduced in 2007 with Final Cut Studio 2 [1] and is comparable to Avid's DNxHD codec which has the same purpose and uses similar bit rates.

I believe ffmpeg has been able to decode ProRes 422 for a while now. It is ProRes 4444 that there hasn't been any decoding available for. It looks like this adds support for it.

Re: Apple ProRes codec reverse engineered

#7

Post by protomyth » Thu, Sep 15, 2011, 5:36 PM UTC

aschwo wrote: post #3

This is a great development for decoding ProRes with non-OSX OSes. What are the legal implications? Will ffmpeg need to pay to license the ProRes codec from Apple? Does Apple even offer a license for the codec?

The ARRI Alexa records in Apple ProRes 4444 or Apple ProRes 422. I am not sure if they got a license, but they have been doing it a while.

Re: Apple ProRes codec reverse engineered

#8

Post by itsmemario » Thu, Sep 15, 2011, 5:37 PM UTC

but the patent licences fees still apply.

Re: Apple ProRes codec reverse engineered

#9

Post by flyosity » Thu, Sep 15, 2011, 5:41 PM UTC

This code makes me feel like I'm not even a real software engineer, I'm just a guy playing with kiddie languages working on kiddie problems. Anyone else think that after reading it?

Re: Apple ProRes codec reverse engineered

#10

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Sep 15, 2011, 5:59 PM UTC

flyosity wrote: post #9

This code makes me feel like I'm not even a real software engineer, I'm just a guy playing with kiddie languages working on kiddie problems. Anyone else think that after reading it?

[deleted]