Hvec cost now? really...

sksoon wrote on 12/9/2019, 3:57 PM

Wow, so I updated to the new firmware for MEP and boom received this message that I will now have to pay $5 to activate the HVEC coding. Cough cough, nickel and diming. Previous versions did not require me to purchase a simpe HVEC coding activation that is already installed in the software to allow HVEC files to be used in MEP.

Way to nickel and dime your customers when they already have the Premium version and up to date yearly subscription. The response I received from Magix was:

Why do I have to pay to activate this codec? When using technology that converts formats (Codecs) licenses and patent costs arise. That's why the program you bought only contains codecs that are required by the majority of our customers. For this reason we are able to offer innovative programs at attractive prices. Additional codecs can be activated as necessary, charges may apply. Your benefits:You will only have to pay for the extra codecs that you really need.We guarantee attractive prices from MAGIX programs.You will receive an activation code by email.

What licenses and patents are you talking about. It is my own files from my iPhone. Wow.

Comments

CubeAce wrote on 12/9/2019, 5:08 PM

@sksoon

You can import any files you like into MEP and have them play back as long as the file type is one that MEP is able to import. HEVC is one of them. The codec you are paying for is for exporting and therefore an encoder, not decoder which is free. Most equipment that uses HEVC to encode (that is primarily some phones) would have been paid for by the manufacturer and paid for by you as part of the purchase price. However, if you are using Windows as an operating system you can get if free from them if you can find where to download it from. It used to be a part of certain versions of Windows as far as I'm aware and still available for download.

You could always export the file after editing in MP4 format. The quality is about the same, rendering times not far off and only slightly larger than files produced by the HEVC codec.

pmikep wrote on 12/10/2019, 12:37 AM

Intrigued by the challenge, I found an extension for HEVC from MS, but the description says "These extensions also let you encode HEVC content on devices that don’t have a hardware-based video encoder."

I take this to mean that this particular HEVC encoder will not use Nvidia's NVENC or Intel's QuickSync? (Or are they saying that if you don't have some kind of Hauppauge-like box that does HEVC, then you "should" use this extension?)

CubeAce wrote on 12/10/2019, 1:15 AM

@sksoon

I'm using the HEVC codec from Microsoft. It's the same codec as the one you would buy. It uses hardware acceleration if your hardware supports it.

Ray.

pmikep wrote on 12/10/2019, 10:40 AM

Thanks. I locked down my Win10 so that Store can't install software from it. Oh well, OpenElec doesn't display HEVC thumbnails correctly. Otherwise I would transcode all my movies from .264 to .265 to free up hard drive space.

pmikep wrote on 12/10/2019, 11:25 AM

I logged in as Admin and tried downloading the free HEVC encoder again. This time it said "You own this app."

But MEP won't encode in HEVC - says something about licensing. (This is the trial version that I'm testing.)

Do I have to click somewhere to activate the encoder or to tell MEP to use it?

Update: I'm in Autoruns and looking at Codecs. I'm not seeing anything that says HEVC. Does it go by another name?

johnebaker wrote on 12/10/2019, 11:51 AM

@pmikep

. . . . But MEP won't encode in HEVC - says something about licensing. (This is the trial version that I'm testing.) . . . .

That is why the HEVC codec won't be used, and AFAIK the trial version of MEP, which is very restricted, does not have the necessary functionality to be aware of it - hence the message about licensing.

John EB

pmikep wrote on 12/10/2019, 12:48 PM

Sounds plausible. Will let you know after I install MEP for real.

yvon-robert wrote on 12/11/2019, 6:02 PM

Hi,

to reduce software price Magix release minimum codecs. HEVC si not use by may be 97% of usées. If Magix add hé hashtag to pay royalty to thé codes owner is not necessary costly but many thousands units means many dollars.

Regards,