MPEG License Confusion

[geffers]

Folks,

I am confused as to MPEG license requirements.

I have a number of Pi devices operating, one as a media server serving my videos to three TVs and anything else.

I have two attached to TVs running Kodi as a media player.

Now, to play MPEGs should the license be on the server, the Kodi clients or both?

Geffers

[stderr]

I am confused as to MPEG license requirements.
Now, to play MPEGs should the license be on the server, the Kodi clients or both?

If you want to use hardware mpeg decoding, you need to have a license for any device that is decoding mpeg. While it would be possible to serve up decoded mpeg materials, maybe some sort of transcoding, I think most people are not doing that. If the server just provides files, it isn't using any decoding, hardware or software.

[GTR2Fan]

Just to clear up any potential confusion for others who may be reading this, the license being referred to is specifically for MPEG-2, not for MPEG in general.

[JimmyN]

Now, to play MPEGs should the license be on the server, the Kodi clients or both?

The license is for the RPi itself. You provide the RPi's internal 16 digit serial number, and that is used to generate the license key. It will only work on that specific RPi. The key enables hardware decoding of MPEG-2 on the RPi, it doesn't matter what software you're using to play the file.

[geffers]

I am confused as to MPEG license requirements.
Now, to play MPEGs should the license be on the server, the Kodi clients or both?

If you want to use hardware mpeg decoding, you need to have a license for any device that is decoding mpeg. While it would be possible to serve up decoded mpeg materials, maybe some sort of transcoding, I think most people are not doing that. If the server just provides files, it isn't using any decoding, hardware or software.

Right, as I understand it then the server needs no mpeg-2 license (hasn't got one anyway) but any receiving device, which I guess is decoding, does need one.

Reason I ask is one Pi client was playing h264 videos but not well but are now perfect with the license installed. My actual TV plays mpeg-2 movies fine but assume a TV has the license anyway.

Geffers

[geffers]

I am confused as to MPEG license requirements.
Now, to play MPEGs should the license be on the server, the Kodi clients or both?

If you want to use hardware mpeg decoding, you need to have a license for any device that is decoding mpeg. While it would be possible to serve up decoded mpeg materials, maybe some sort of transcoding, I think most people are not doing that. If the server just provides files, it isn't using any decoding, hardware or software.

Thank you for input, I think the mpeg-2 and H264 was confusing me a little and the fact that my old Sony TV played the mpeg-2s fine.

Geffers