n00b: set top DivX players general help

[chisoxfan84]

I just have some basic Q's. Quick simple A's or even a redirect link are all I need.

I'm getting a DivX certified set top player for Xmas. I know very little about compression cause all I've dealt with before was shrinking DVDs to DVD 5. I gather that i can burn DivX formatted video to any medium and play from set top. Here's what i don't know:

(1) Will Xvids, MPEG-4's or any other AVI's play from set top as well? Or is that a unique product spec that depends on make and model?
(2) Is it possible to author custom menu for DivX disc? or is menu generated like a general Data Disc upon insertion to player? eg; you see a root menu and use the remote to navigate
(3) If I am limited to DivX compression, how do I unlock more of the DivX codec options? eg; when opening the DivX converter (I'm not at my own PC but I think I'm running DivX 6.2 Pro at home) my options for compression settings are far more limited than when selecting the DivX codec in VirtualDubMod?

-Thanks, and Sorry for posting multiple questions on a single thread. I just think they're all BASIC Q's so they would be most readily answered with a single response.

[CrayonEater]

1. Yes it depends on the make and model. I have the venerable Philips DVP-642 and it plays Divx and xvid. I think the more modern Philips' play more e.g. the 5960 or 5140.

2. I believe this is what "Ultra Divx" is all about. Look for this certification on your player. The "Ultra Divx"standard allows for this and other DVD-like attributes.

3. Can't help there, hope someone else will pitch in.

[Krispy Kritter]

I typically only use VirtualDub, no reason for anything else.

[jagabo]

1) Most Divx DVD players will also play Xvid. There are some features of both codecs that don't play on most players. Divx and Xvid are MPEG 4 part 2 implementations. Few players will play MPEG 4 part 10 (h.264, x264, AVC) encoded video. Most players will not play MP4 (extension and container) files. AVI is a container and can contain video and audio compressed with any of a zillion codecs. Most of those other codecs are not supported.

2) Divx Ultra certified players allow the use of menus and chapter stops. You have to create these with special software -- like Divx's Divx Converter. Otherwise, most Divx DVD players will give you a simple file list to choose from.

3) Pay Divx $20.