The VideoLAN Forums

Is it possible to write a packetizer module for a proprietary codec for VLC streaming server in a commercial product without having to release the packetizer source code (as required by GPL) ?

The packetizer module source code will likely not divulge much information about a proprietary codec but was just wondering anyway.

if you distribute a modified copy of VLC (in any way) you have to distribute the source with it (or the patch).

If you link your code to vlc (which you will probably do), then you need to be GPL.

This is best checked with a lawyer.

If you don't distribute VLC yourself, but rely on users installing it from somewhere else, then you are not tied with the GPL anyway.
However if you do bundle VLC with something that links to VLC, then that something must be GPL'd too.