V-Nova has revealed two new licensing programs for its MPEG-5 LCEVC video enhancement technology—marking a significant strategic shift from the initial licensing terms released in 2021. The honeymoon period is over, and V-Nova’s claws are out. The free integration license, which allowed device makers and integrators to bring LCEVC into market for free, is ancient history. This free-ride was always about turbocharging adoption for LCEVC, and fewer than five years later the pro bono LCEVC license has been replaced with a royalty-bearing model—though FTA broadcasters will see royalties waived. This means device OEMs must now pay rates based on volume of sales. There are two categories, with TV manufacturers paying slightly higher rates than set top vendors (starting at $0.20…