Videotoolshed violates FFmpeg copyrights

[Carl Eugen Hoyos]

I downloaded ltcconvert_479dmg.zip (size 34748194, md5sum 0bb9daa77b87b72f2b5cca41193893e0) from https://www.videotoolshed.com/product/ltc-convert-auxtc/
The archive contains a binary based on FFmpeg, no source code visible, strange attribution.

[Steven Liu]

Yes, I have double check it, based on FFmpeg

[Rob H]

Context: This website was mentioned today on ffmpeg-user and 'Bouke / Videotoolshed' confirmed they do indeed use / distribute ffmpeg.

The page reads at time of writing this comment:

Note
This software uses code of FFmpeg, licensed under the LGPLv2.1 and its source can be downloaded here.

(link points to: ​http://ffmpeg.org/download.html#get-sources)

Is this sufficient attribution? Can this ticket now be closed as resolved?

[Balling]

(link points to: ​​http://ffmpeg.org/download.html#get-sources)

No, obviously, it needs to point to derivative works repository

[Rob H]

Replying to Balling:

(link points to: ​​http://ffmpeg.org/download.html#get-sources)

No, obviously, it needs to point to derivative works repository

The postings on the ML by 'Bouke / Videotoolshed' imply they are calling ffmpeg rather than linking against it (eg [1]).

The ltcconvert tool may then not be a derivative work, per section 5 of GNU LGPL2.1. That said, I am not willing to stake anything based simply on my own reading of the license text or of [2], I am happy to be corrected on this and welcome input!

Ideally since the vendor is active on ffmpeg-user they should stop by this ticket and provide info to collaboratively figure out 1) if they are indeed contravening the license and 2) what they would need to to to remedy that.

[1]: Example https://ffmpeg.org/pipermail/ffmpeg-user/2024-June/058267.html
[2]: ​https://softwarefreedom.org/resources/2014/SFLC-Guide_to_GPL_Compliance_2d_ed.html#lgpl