Playing Divx Files: DVD(Divx) Player v. Computer with TV-Out

[westlaw]

Which method would generate better end quality picture?

1. Playing a divx movie on a DVD/Divx player (like the Lite-On 2001/2002 DVD Player) to my Television.

2. Or, playing the Divx movie on my Computer (2.53GHz) with and S-Video Video Out connection to my TV?

Am I correct in thinking that a computer will generate a much better picture because the CPU can decode the Divx movie file much faster and better than the onboard decoder chips found on DVD/Divx Players like the LiteOn DVD 2001/2002 Players?

I noted, according to Liteon, the video bitrate in divx files tested for this player were about 800-850 kb/s. I would imagine that the onboard decoders might have problems playing high birtate divx files without freezing up.

With my Computer, I can play a divx movie with bitrates of 1800-2200 kbs without any problems.

If it is true that the higher the birate, the higher the video quality, then wouldn't it be better, quality-wise, to play my divx movie files from my computer, using a 25ft S-video cable, and then connecting the cable directing to the s-video input on the back of my TV?

Thanks in advance for all advice and suggestions!

[dafreak]

If it is true that the higher the birate, the higher the video quality, then wouldn't it be better, quality-wise, to play my divx movie files from my computer, using a 25ft S-video cable, and then connecting the cable directing to the s-video input on the back of my TV?

Thanks in advance for all advice and suggestions!

it's not really the bitrate that determines the quality, it's the quality of file itself. if say you have an xvid at 5000 bitrate (arbitrary number) and it was ripped from an analog tv broadcast, the quality probably wouldn't be the same as a 5000 bitrate xvid ripped from a dvd.

see what i'm saying?

I don't have a standalone divx player so I can't really comment on that, but I do have my computer hooked up to my tv through an s-video cable. I think it took like 10 minutes to set up my video card and I don't have any problems watching movies, anime, etc this way.

[westlaw]

dafreak:

Using your scenario, let's say that it's a DVD, Kill Bill. The DVD quality is at standard DVD birate and of superb quality.

If I make two back up copies from the same DVD source using the divx codec, one file, I set the birate at 800 kb/s, and the other file I set the bitrate at 2,000kb/s. Wouldn't the 2,000kb/s movie file render better visual quality in that it contains more video 'information'?

[dafreak]

I guess it would depend on how you encoded it.

if, for example, you encode at a constant bitrate and compared the two, you may notice that the one encoded at 2000 kb/s may look better than the other.

but say you encode one at 800 vbr and the other at 2000 cbr, you may not notice a difference between the two, since the former makes two passes to allocate more/less bits depending on if it's needed or not.


I guess what's most important is what your eye tells you. give it a try and ask yourself if you see difference in quality between the standalone player, and just playing it off your computer.