Google takes down open-source project after DMCA complaint

Google has removed an open-source project that enables the proprietary CoreAVC high-definition video decoder to run in Linux following a complaint from the codec's developer -- but the project could soon return.

"In response to a complaint we received under the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act, we have removed project 'coreavc-for-linux,'" Google said in a brief statement posted on the project hosting section of its Google Code web site for developers.

CoreAVC is a Windows codec for H.264 video developed by CoreCodec, which sells the codec in two versions, one priced at US$7.95 and another at $14.95. A Linux version is not available.

CoreAVC-for-Linux was an open-source project led by Google that developed patches which allow Linux applications, such as mplayer, to use the CoreAVC codec. A cached version of the project's Web page said video performance was the main motivation for creating Linux support for CoreAVC.

"It is much faster than any currently available open-source codecs. Being multi-threaded, and able to play PAFF streams, it can handle HD H.264/AVC streams that no freely available codecs can," the site said.

Google said a copy of the DMCA takedown notice is available on the ChillingEffects.org Web site. However, the notice had not yet been made available at the time of writing.

The DMCA takedown notice was issued because the CoreAVC-for-Linux project had engaged in "reverse engineering without permission," according to a post by Dan Marlin, CoreCodec's president and CEO, in the company's support forum. However, he indicated talks are under way to resolve this issue and restore the CoreAVC-for-Linux project.

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