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I am using H.264 video codec in my Ubuntu for video editing. But how do i verify it is the openSource H.264? apt-get install x264 i applied, does it installs the Free H.264 or commercial one?.

hints: http://www.videolan.org/developers/x264.html

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I think the page you've linked to says it all:

"x264 is a free software library and application for encoding video streams into the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC format, and is released under the terms of the GNU GPL.

Another indicator, x264 is in Universe, which is free, community maintained software. It looks like there is a non-free counterpart, h264enc, in Multiverse.

http://packages.ubuntu.com/oneiric/x264
http://packages.ubuntu.com/oneiric/h264enc

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But wiki is confusing me en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X264 (the last paragraph). – YumYumYum Dec 7 '11 at 12:41
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The last paragraph talks about a possible patent controversy, but the patent seems to have a later date, which should make x264 prior art. Anyway, if you are having doubts about x264, why not use another codec? Theora, anyone? – mikewhatever Dec 7 '11 at 13:00
There is no another codec really similar to x264 for 1080p + speed + quality. Theroa and dirac and other all i used. – YumYumYum Dec 7 '11 at 13:32

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