oil-can writes "The guys behind CherryOS announced Zentu Encoder today, saying Zentu is the the third generation of their VX30 codec. DrunkenBlog warns about the product with references to their history." Zentu is an encoding platform that boasts the ability to export video in a quick efficient way to either a Flash or Java based system with an interface for both inexperienced and power users.Ads_xl=0;Ads_yl=0;Ads_xp='';Ads_yp='';Ads_xp1='';Ads_yp1='';Ads_par='';Ads_cnturl='';Ads_prf='page=article';Ads_channels='RON_P6_IMU';Ads_wrd='software,developers';Ads_kid=0;Ads_bid=0;Ads_sec=0; Maui X-Stream Tries Again With 'Zentu' Log in/Create an Account | Top | 79 comments | Search Discussion Display Options Threshold: -1: 79 comments 0: 72 comments 1: 61 comments 2: 47 comments 3: 17 comments 4: 11 comments 5: 4 comments Flat Nested No Comments Threaded Oldest First Newest First Highest Scores First Oldest First (Ignore Threads) Newest First (Ignore Threads) The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. let the hunt begin! (Score:5, Interesting) by Janek Kozicki (722688) on Wednesday November 02, @03:50PM (#13935305) (Last Journal: Tuesday May 10, @03:47PM) firs /. reader that finds an OSS project that is doing the same, gets the prize! (remember to check freshmeat, sourceforge, berlios, alioth and tigris). [ Reply to ThisRe:let the hunt begin! by gcnaddict (Score:1) Wednesday November 02, @03:54PMRe:let the hunt begin! by Anonymous Coward (Score:3) Wednesday November 02, @03:58PM Re:let the hunt begin! (Score:4, Informative) by chill (34294) on Wednesday November 02, @04:07PM (#13935449) XVidcap doesn't encode to Flash or Java, but to MPEG-1. The VX30 stuff looks like MPEG-4, and is a lot better quality. Flash is also easier to embed in an e-mail or web page.Strike one.  -Charles [ Reply to This | ParentRe:let the hunt begin! by chill (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @04:27PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.1 reply beneath your current threshold. Damn. (Score:1) by HitByASquirrel (710289) on Wednesday November 02, @03:54PM (#13935338) And I was in Lahaina just a couple months ago, i could have gone and slapped some sense into these nimrods. [ Reply to ThisRe:Damn. by Ken Broadfoot (Score:3) Wednesday November 02, @04:00PMRe:Damn. by EvilMonkeySlayer (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @04:17PMRe:Damn. by HitByASquirrel (Score:1) Wednesday November 02, @04:26PMRe:Damn. by Ken Broadfoot (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @05:54PMRe:Damn. by thc69 (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @06:26PMOT: Cheap Italian Food, Kihei by cmholm (Score:1) Wednesday November 02, @07:01PM2 replies beneath your current threshold. Article text (Score:2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 02, @03:56PM (#13935344) Evil is as Zentu probably doesNovember 02, 2005Apparently Maui X-Stream is hyping their new product, The Zentu Platform, which is billed as the third generation of their VX30 Codec and a video encoding tool for streaming media. Riiiiight.They've got a press release and everything.*bangs head against desk* You couldn't make this stuff up if you tried, and I have a feeling when someone takes the time to deconstruct Ventu they'll find interesting things. For newer readers who don't understand why I'm mixing brandy with the coffee before noon after seeing this, the company behind Ventu has an.. interesting... history when it comes to their video encoders and other products.The following links should be enough to get you up to speed, especially if you go in reverse chronology.        * MXS and CherryOS archives, where you'll want to start with The Pits in CherryOS.And then the ones on VX30, which are more directly applicable to Zentu:        * MXS and VX30 archives, where you'll want to start with Deconstructing Maui X-Stream.The stuff Jim Kartes and Arben Kryeziu pull makes my soul hurt, and it's made worse by the fact that I'm not supposed to talk much about them while some legal things still unravel.Thank god for Yano, who is the only IP lawyer I'm aware of running around in a Cow shirt on weekends.yummy alcohol posted button posted by drunkenbatman at: 12:02 PM [ Reply to This Thanks for the warning (Score:5, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 02, @03:56PM (#13935346) I don't make a move until I get an official stance from drunkenblog. [ Reply to ThisRe:Thanks for the warning by IAmTheDave (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @04:22PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Not This Again (Score:1) by HatofPig (904660) <`clinton.ignatov' `at' `3web.net'> on Wednesday November 02, @03:56PM (#13935349) (http://www.clintonthegeek.com/) Uh oh... this sounds like MXS rehashed, and we all know how much that ripped off tons of GPL code, including VLC, Media Player Classic, and LAME.Why haven't these guys been sued into the ground yet? [ Reply to ThisRe:Not This Again by HatofPig (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @04:10PMRe:Not This Again by Krach42 (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @04:26PMRe:Not This Again by cbr2702 (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @04:38PMRe:Not This Again by Krach42 (Score:3) Wednesday November 02, @04:51PMSteal it back by SoSueMe (Score:1) Wednesday November 02, @05:28PMBecause they're doing the suing by doublem (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @05:37PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. What are the choices? (Score:4, Insightful) by phpm0nkey (768038) on Wednesday November 02, @04:02PM (#13935413) (http://www.namefuse.com/) If we're arguing that MXS didn't write the VX30 codec, but rather lifted it from an open-source project, the first step is figuring out the orgin. How many mature, open-source codecs are out there? XviD is the only one that comes to mind... [ Reply to ThisRe:What are the choices? by Krach42 (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @04:17PMRe:What are the choices? by LiquidCoooled (Score:1) Wednesday November 02, @04:53PMRe:What are the choices? by Krach42 (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @04:59PMRe:What are the choices? by molnarcs (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @05:03PMRe:What are the choices? by Holi (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @05:23PMRe:What are the choices? by molnarcs (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @05:34PMRe:What are the choices? by kabz (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @08:36PMRe:What are the choices? by molnarcs (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @04:55PM Sorenson this time, not MPEG4 (Score:4, Informative) by inio (26835) on Wednesday November 02, @04:08PM (#13935456) (http://www.inio.org/) If it supports flash, the new "product" is Sorenson-based (v3 I think, maybe v4) instead MPEG4 like last time. [ Reply to ThisRe:Sorenson this time, not MPEG4 by stunt_penguin (Score:1) Wednesday November 02, @05:04PM Seems to be clear infringement... (Score:5, Insightful) by Chromatic Aberration (926933) on Wednesday November 02, @04:12PM (#13935491) Looking deeper into the linked article, there is some really very good evidence elsewhere on the site. http://www.drunkenblog.com/drunkenblog-archives/00 0534.html [drunkenblog.com] is a total dissection of the first few generations of this "Vx30" codec and suite -- which appears to be a direct lift of Xvid, mpg123, lame, and mplayer classic code, as well as code from the JPEG group and others. [ Reply to ThisRe:Seems to be clear infringement... by Krach42 (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @04:30PM a look at the evidence (Score:2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 02, @04:12PM (#13935494) Read this for a detailed account of the evidence of *ahem* borrowing from open source code projects by the VX30 project:http://www.drunkenblog.com/drunkenblog-archives/00 0534.html [drunkenblog.com]All I can say is I have a very strong opinion about the company and the people running it, take a look and decide for yourselves, their actions speak louder than words. [ Reply to This Geez, you steal ONE little OSS project (Score:2, Funny) by Guysmiley777 (880063) on Wednesday November 02, @04:13PM (#13935497) Ok, or maybe a few. But hey, they were FREE! There was no harm done right? What a bunch of clowns. I wonder if their mission statement with MXS was "Wait for this to blow over, then rename it and try to cash in."? [ Reply to ThisRe:Geez, you steal ONE little OSS project by Krach42 (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @04:43PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Maui's coding checklist: (Score:4, Funny) by davidwr (791652) on Wednesday November 02, @04:15PM (#13935515) (Last Journal: Monday October 24, @04:04PM) 1) Did we pick a good product to steal? Check.2) Did we remember to obscufy the code so nobody can tell we stole it? Better double-check that.3) Did we change our name so nobody would suspect us? DOH! BUSTED.Oh well there goes4) PROFIT! [ Reply to This why did nobody sue them yet? (Score:2) by RelliK (4466) on Wednesday November 02, @04:28PM (#13935617) This is ridiculous. They just keep on with blatant copyright infringement like nothing happened. When will someone put a stop to that? [ Reply to ThisRe:why did nobody sue them yet? by Krach42 (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @04:35PM Hmm... (Score:4, Funny) by tktk (540564) on Wednesday November 02, @04:37PM (#13935673) Seems like looking for GPL code the new scavenger hunt. [ Reply to ThisRe:Hmm... by Krach42 (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @04:57PM VX sounds scary (Score:3, Funny) by Work Account (900793) on Wednesday November 02, @04:38PM (#13935687) (Last Journal: Tuesday November 01, @09:24AM) I can't imagine using anything called VX to encode cute videos of my blonde hair blue eyed daughter's 2nd birthday party!(Joke Hint: 1st search result for VX [google.com]) [ Reply to This They admit to it! (Score:5, Informative) by inio (26835) on Wednesday November 02, @04:39PM (#13935696) (http://www.inio.org/) Check this page:http://www.vx30.com/pages.php?cid=MDEwMTgxMTgyMTk4 [vx30.com]Zentu Flash Video CompressionThe Flash Video files created by the Zentu encoder use the open source library FFMPEG which is a derivative of MPEG 4 . Use of the FFMPEG is governed by the LGPL who license can be viewed in full here. Our MPEG 4 Patent License is filed with MPEGLA.Why FFMPEG?We've found that FFMPEG is one of the most high quality MPEG 4 codecs in the world. The quality of the Flash Video that Zentu creates with FFMPEG is absolutely stellar!! Please visit our Flash Video Showcase to check out the amazing quality of our samples.How do we use FFMPEG?As described by the LGPL Zentu is a "work that uses the Library". Which means that Zentu for Flash has accessors that use the FFMPEG "library" but is not itself a derivative of that library. Furthermore the FFMPEG library was not modified in any way to work with Zentu nor is it compiled as part of the Zentu executable. [ Reply to ThisRe:They admit to it! by fishybell (Score:3) Wednesday November 02, @04:48PMRe:They admit to it! by Krach42 (Score:3) Wednesday November 02, @04:53PMRe:They admit to it! by fishybell (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @05:20PMRe:They admit to it! by Krach42 (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @10:15PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Re:They admit to it! (Score:4, Informative) by LiquidCoooled (634315) on Wednesday November 02, @05:01PM (#13935917) I just found this as well.Their software appears to be nothing more than a shell script, which doesn't really require a whole lot of code to operate.The guts and encoding are performed by the FFMpeg library and they get the glory.On the FFMPEG licensing page the following notes are made:Q: Bottom line: Should I be worried about legal issues if I use FFmpeg?A: Are you a private user working with FFmpeg for your own personal purposes? If so, there is remarkably little reason to be concered. Are you using FFmpeg in a commercial software product? Read on to the next question...Q: Since FFmpeg is licensed under the LGPL, is it perfectly all right to incorporate the whole FFmpeg core into my own commercial product?A: You might have a problem here. Sure the LGPL allows you to incorporate the code. However, there have been cases where companies have used FFmpeg in their projects, usually for such capabilities as superior MPEG-4 decoding. These companies found out that once you start trying to make money from certain technologies, the alleged owners of the technologies will come after their dues. Most notably, MPEG-LA (licensing authority) is vigilant and diligent about collecting for MPEG-related technologies. Now, on the vx30 page, they also mention that: Our MPEG 4 Patent License is filed with MPEGLA.I would say in this case they aren't doing anything wrong (providing they are actually licensed). [ Reply to This | Parentmpegla m4v licensees by ubercow (Score:2) Wednesday November 02, @06:24PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Strange (Score:2) by WindBourne (631190) on Wednesday November 02, @04:41PM (#13935719) (Last Journal: Friday June 24, @01:33PM) So many are trying to prove OSS as un-innovative, and yet, so many steal so much from it. [ Reply to This Another questionable practice (Score:2) by Lord Byron II (671689) <slashdot@darkcHO ... minus herbivore> on Wednesday November 02, @05:25PM (#13936139) Looking at their press release, the first line reads in part "Maui X-Stream (MXS)". Usually, the abbreviation is the company's stocks' ticker symbol. But I did a quick search and found that Maui X-Stream is not publically traded. It looks like they are trying to create the impression of being a real, publically traded corporation, without all the trouble of an SEC filing. [ Reply to This Why the free advertising? (Score:1) by paraguaey (923194) on Wednesday November 02, @05:41PM (#13936325) We know those guys are crooks, why the hell are we helping getting them known?This, and the GUBA story earlier, makes me wonder about ./.How much to run an ad as a "story"?  [ Reply to This DAMN IT!!!!!!! (Score:4, Funny) by zentu (584197) * on Wednesday November 02, @06:02PM (#13936508) /rantI have been using this nick name for over 10 years, and NOW some retarted company is using it... I made this entire nickname up while on the john. I was planning on buying zentu.com, but WHENEVER I had the money to buy the domain some marketing group had it, and being a poor college student doesn't allow me to pay $300+ to register it.I am pissed off now. First this stupid company trys to repackage OSS products to profit, and now they steal my damn nickname. /end rant [ Reply to ThisRe:DAMN IT!!!!!!! by ZenII (Score:1) Wednesday November 02, @09:38PMRe:DAMN IT!!!!!!! by ta ma de (Score:1) Wednesday November 02, @10:36PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. I have to ask... (Score:1) by Ndkchk (893797) on Wednesday November 02, @06:47PM (#13936852) Do they really say that they're the guys behind CherryOS?Hay guyz we maybe did took something from that OrangePC project... and guess what, now we're starting something else. Remember, from the guys behind CherryOS means it's really good stuff we're doing. You can trust us. Really. [ Reply to ThisRe:I have to ask... by psyon1 (Score:1) Wednesday November 02, @09:42PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. they ripped off guliverkli project for a start... (Score:1) by fitteschleiker (742917) on Wednesday November 02, @07:46PM (#13937300) http://sourceforge.net/forum/forum.php?thread_id=1 272272&forum_id=462894 [sourceforge.net]media player classic et al.... [ Reply to This Re:Just Another EULA (Score:2, Flamebait) by Krach42 (227798) on Wednesday November 02, @04:22PM (#13935568) (http://starport.dnsalias.net/ | Last Journal: Monday November 24, @12:43AM) So, they appear to be following the Microsoft/Sony/RealPlayer business model.No no no... these companies don't usually steal GPL software, make few changes to it, then release it as their own under a different brand name.If they do anything, they steal ideas, and write their own, not just rip off Free source code. [ Reply to This | Parent7 replies beneath your current threshold.