AVI same as DIVX?

[John Flynn]

I want to buy a dvd plaver that plays avi files. The conversion from AVI to DVD-Video takes too long!!!

From the Player Search page:-
https://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers?allvideo=1

Which of the following do I have to select to choose a player that will play back .avi files?

Video formats:
VCD SVCD CVD mini/cDVD XVCD XSVCD DivX/XviD/MPEG-4
MPEGISO DVD-MPEGISO JPG Images DVD-JPG Images

Selectable DivX/XviD subs Selectable SVCD/CVD subs SVCD audio tracks
DVD-SVCD SVCD with VCD Header

Is avi essential the same as DIVX?

Thank,
Liam

[Baldrick]

https://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers.php?DVDname=&divx=1 supports DivX avi and usually also XviD avi.

Use gspot to identify if your avi is DivX or XviD. Because avi can be diferent video codecs, like DV avi, MJPEG avi and they are not supported by divx dvd players.

[John Flynn]

Baldrick,

Thanks for the amazing response time!

Are you saying that DV avi and MJPEG avi are never supported in divx dvd players?

Is it possible to get a list of avi codecs that each DIVX DVD player supports.

Are there many different codecs used?

Thanks,
Liam

[celtic_druid]

Anything that is ASP MPEG4, although some would need the fourCC changed. Also DivX3 and therefor presumably MS MPEG4 V3.

Some ASP MPEG4 codecs would be
DivX 4.x & 5.x
XviD
3ivX
libavcodec
Nero Digital

[John Flynn]

Is it the case that DIVX DVD players support the same number of codecs or are some players better than others?

Are all players updateable?

Thanks,
Liam

[mpiper]

John,

One thing to keep in mind: No DVD player on the market will play DV or Mjpeg AVI files.

DVD, SVCD and VCD are all based on MPEG 1 and MPEG 2 technology, which is a single frame (I frame) followed by a series of partial frames that state only what changed after the I Frame. (Basically the I Frame shows a man waving. Frame two just says 'hand moves two pixels down.' Frame 3 says 'hand moves three pixels down and starts to blink.' and so on.)

DivX and Xvid are variations of MPeg2 and Mpeg4 technology using the avi "name," not true AVIs. MPEG 4 is an advanced version of mpeg2, still with the Iframe followed by a series of partial frames until the next I frame. It is this similarity in technology that allows the CPU inside a DVD player to be programmed to play DivX and Xvid as well as the standard Mpeg1 and 2 formats. DVD players have very dumb cpus compared to your home computer and cannot be programmed beyond this limited set of instructions.

MJPEG, DV, and all the other formats of "real" AVIs all keep each and every frame independent (all I frames), and while this keeps the most image information for video editing and archive storage, it does not lend itself to dvd-style playback.

Sorry for the bad news, but I hope at least I helped you understand why it happens this way.

Good luck, and get a DivX certified player for the most versatility.

Mike

[bugster]

John,

DivX and Xvid are variations of MPeg2 and Mpeg4 technology using the avi "name," not true AVIs.

MJPEG, DV, and all the other formats of "real" AVIs
Mike

Good advice mostly, though I feel I need to correct your definition of 'true avi'.
You are wrong in that respect. Divx. xvid, mjpeg, DV are ALL true avi's. As much as such a thing can be said to exist anyway. AVI is simply a wrapper for audio and video. It can contain almost any format you care to name, it just requires a compatible codec on the playback device. Even mpeg-2 can be found inside an avi wrapper sometimes.

As to Standalone DVD players, I agree that I have never seen one that will play mjpeg or DV, in an avi wrapper or otherwise. Divx/xvid seem to be the supported formats. Besides, what is the point of a standalone that plays DV when you can only get ~20mins of DV on a single sided single layer DVDr but you can get 4 or more hours of decent quality divx on the same disk. The same is pretty much true of Mjpeg too, though its size can vary more than DV as it is a more flexible format in terms of settings, resolution, bitrate etc.

[mpiper]

Bugster,

I agree with everything you said. I was using the term "real" simply to separate the technologies used. That was why I used the "quotes" around the word, to signify I was not using a technical term.

I was using the word "real" to refer to the older technologies that existed when the AVI file format was created, such as mjpeg, cinepac, Indeo, and Microsoft RLE. DV is a newer format, but based on the same technology.

I had just woken up when I wrote it, so used a shorthand without thinking. Thanks for keeping me honest!

Mike

[Abond]

I have read in DVD player section about a model of Scott which regarding user comments can play uncompressed avi (that was almost two years ago!) (correct: uncompressed video in avi ).

[mpiper]

Abond,
Do you know what model it was? I can't find it in the product listing.

Also, Uncompressed AVI is EXCESSIVELY large and only about 30 minutes would fit on a 4.7 GB disc. Any AVIs that John would want to play are probably compressed with some codec or another. Does this Scott model list the codecs it can play?

Mike

[Abond]

I found it again. It was Scott DVD838. Here is the comment:

Comments:
This is really the best player on the market!

I can play my mp3/vcd/svcd discs without any problems. even uncompressed avi files and abnormal vcd/svcd discs (i.e. 90min film on one vcd) can be played.

I bought a DVD+RW drive and my DVD also works an this magnificent machine!

Many probably tried to playback a DVD+RW without success, but what do you know. IT WORKS!

The only problem I have, is that sometimes it freezes when its screensaver is running. Its not bad because turning it off and on again, the movie continues from the point of interruption.

[DarrellS]

I did a test burn on a DVD+RW using these files and playing them back in a Philips 642 DivX/DVD player.

Uncompressed AVI with MP3 audio
DivX 3 AVI with MP3 audio
XviD Avi with MP3 audio
MS-MPEG4 V3 with MP3 audio and
WMV9 AVI with MP3 audio

If playing from menu mode, all of the files will play but the audio is pathetic, cutting in and out through all of the clips.

If I put the DVD+RW in the player and push play, the first three files will play (with the messed up audio) but I get a codec error on the 4th file and neither MS file will play.

I assume that the audio problems are from the DVD+RW disc so I will purchase a DVD-RW disc and see if the same problem still exists.

I already know that DivX and XviD will play with no problems on both a DVD-R and a CD-R on my Philips 642 but further testing needs to be done on the other formats and with other media.

DVD+RW was not pleasing at all.

All of the files playback fine from my DVD drive in my computer except for the uncompressed file which is the first file on the disc. Strange. The uncompressed file on my computer plays fine.

[RoopeT]

I'm pretty sure anyone claiming his player to support uncompressed avi doesn't even know what is uncompressed avi. Uncompressed full frame (720x576 PAL) avi takes about 1 Gb/min, so you could fit nearly 5 minutes of uncompressed avi on a DVD. Practical, or what?

[DarrellS]

I'm pretty sure anyone claiming his player to support uncompressed avi doesn't even know what is uncompressed avi. Uncompressed full frame (720x576 PAL) avi takes about 1 Gb/min, so you could fit nearly 5 minutes of uncompressed avi on a DVD. Practical, or what?

Yeah, the uncompressed clip that I used was 21 seconds long and was 576,080 KB. Not practical at all.

The first DVD+RW that I used seemed to not be an RW at all since I couldn't erase it or even add more files to it so I went out and bought a 5 pack of Memorex DVD-RW for $14 and got the same results with the uncompressed file. Now when I go to erase the DVD-RW, it gets about half way through the erase process and refuses to erase the disc.
At almost $3 a disc, I can't afford to be throwing them away like this.

[mpiper]

John,

Before I accidentally hijacked your thread with my discussion of AVI formats, you asked about DVD players that have DivX capabilities.

DivX.com keeps a running list of the DVD players they have tested and certified. I would say hop over there and see which ones look good to you.

Good luck!