What is the best Divx/Xvid codec? No spyware/virus version?

[DonGallego28]

Can anyone refer me to the best xvid/divx codec to install on my cpu? I had to reformat and lost everything. I don't remember which one i used to use all i know is that most of them are loaded with some sort of spyware or virus. Does anyone know what the best & safest codecs are and where I coudl download them?

[BJ_M]

xvid codecs do not contain spyware .... neither does the paid divx version

http://www.koepi.org/xvid.shtml

[DarrellS]

Not sure if we can promote the DivX 3.11 codec but that's the one I use to encode DivX.

Download the free (without adware) DivX 5 bundle and when you go to install, uncheck the player and just install the codec.

What BJ_M said for XviD.

[DonGallego28]

is there a difference between the 2? Also, I just installed that xvid codec and tried playing an xvid format movie in windows media player but it still won't work. It continues to look for the appropriate codecs online. Is there something else I may need to install? Also, the movie plays fine on winamp but it doesn't have sound so is there something else I may need to install to get the sound to play also?

[BJ_M]

use media player classic instead

maybe movie has ac3 sound ... install ac3 codec

[DonGallego28]

yes that was the problem....i checked in the properties and i just installed the ac3 decoder and everything is playing fine now

the only thing i need to know is do i need a divx codec or will the koepi xvid codec you gave me work for both formats?

[DonGallego28]

hey darryl...is that divx 3.11 bundle free of adware/spyware? just wanna make sure before I install it

[BJ_M]

the koepi xvid codec will work for both formats - yes

[BJ_M]

u dont need divx 3.11

[DonGallego28]

ok great! thanks for the help

[DonGallego28]

sorry but I have one more question...i usually use the guide linked below

http://www.dvdrbase.com/showthread.php?t=25572

to encode divx to dvd format. i just checked and it requires you have both codecs. Is there a safe way to get the divx 5.2 or greater codec on my cpu without loading it up with a bunch of crap spyware programs? thanks

[Zisguy1]

Not sure if we can promote the DivX 3.11 codec but that's the one I use to encode DivX.

I rarely use v3.11 anymore, but one thing I miss is how good the low motion codec looks in nearly still scenes. I really think it looks better than anything else in movies with very low levels of motion. But if things speed up, the macroblocks just take over...

P.S. yes, the v3.11 bundle should be free of spyware (unless packaged by some idiot who included some, which is very unlikely).

[Poplar]

I am around movie binary groups a lot. Most of high-quality releases are encoded with Xvid. That says something about Xvid and it's totally free. No spyware whatsoever. DivX5 is almost an afterthought. And Nero's mp4 format can rival Xvid in terms of quality, and it also other features Xvid doesn't, such as native subtitles. But only Nero media player can play it. DivX3 was dead long, long time ago and ain't coming back.

[DarrellS]

hey darryl...is that divx 3.11 bundle free of adware/spyware? just wanna make sure before I install it

The DivX 3.11 low motion codec is for encoding DivX movies and is IMO the best DivX codec for encoding.

The DivX 5 bundle is a totally different codec package and may or may not be needed for viewing DivX. I assume the Xvid Codec will work on all MPEG-4, I don't know.

The DivX 3.11 codec can be downloaded from here...

http://www.fourcc.org/codecs.php

And the DivX5 bundle can be downloaded from here...

http://www.divx.com/divx/

Be sure to download the free one. The free trial of DivX Pro is the one with all the adware and spyware. Remember to only install the codec and not the player.

[DonGallego28]

but the only thing that i want to make sure is that if i install the codec that's all i'll get....i don't care about teh player at all....all i want is the codec and no spyware

so in other words if i download the free one and install ONLY the codec then I won't get any spyware/adware installed on my cpu?

[DarrellS]

>>I rarely use v3.11 anymore, but one thing I miss is how good the low motion codec looks in nearly still scenes. I really think it looks better than anything else in movies with very low levels of motion. But if things speed up, the macroblocks just take over...<<

I just started using the XviD compression and the quality of Xvid and DivX is identical. The advantage of XviD is the file sizes are alot smaller. I run into some XviD files that I have problems editing (usually have to save the audio as a wave and re-encode it). For someone who has alot of files stored on their computer that are 001, 002, 003 etc..., DivX is better for storing them to view with a browser like Irfanview or something similar. Like you said, the still pictures are good and the XviD files have no stills to look at in a browser. With the 001, 002 file names, you don't have a clue what you have on your machine.

[DarrellS]

>>I am around movie binary groups a lot. Most of high-quality releases are encoded with Xvid. That says something about Xvid and it's totally free.<<

The reason you see these files in filesharing groups is because the files are so much smaller. 354 MBs for a 55 minute clip is pretty small. The quality of the clip is identical to Divx so the size makes it the file of choice for large files.

>>DivX3 was dead long, long time ago and ain't coming back.<<

I hate to burst your bubble but anyone who has spent any time searching for porn will tell you that other than MPG, DivX is the most used format for downloaded files. Onsite viewers of most websites are treared to pathetic Realmedia, quicktime or WMV. XviD is just starting to hit the scene on movie forums.

[DarrellS]

>>so in other words if i download the free one and install ONLY the codec then I won't get any spyware/adware installed on my cpu?<<

Exactly.

[plcpower]

i use Gspot to find which codec i need then google to find and d/l it. no need to d/l packs

[BJ_M]

I am around movie binary groups a lot. Most of high-quality releases are encoded with Xvid. That says something about Xvid and it's totally free. No spyware whatsoever. DivX5 is almost an afterthought. And Nero's mp4 format can rival Xvid in terms of quality, and it also other features Xvid doesn't, such as native subtitles. But only Nero media player can play it. DivX3 was dead long, long time ago and ain't coming back.

you can play nero digital with media player classic and other players (including the audio)..

see my post in news about frameserving vegas to nero digital if you need more info ..

[celtic_druid]

Perfectly possible to create an mp4 using XviD for video and with ttext subs which I think dvobsub already supports. Problem is that until 3ivX release their new stuff there is no splitter to pass them. You can also have menu's, multiple video streams, etc.

ffdshow can decode Nero's AVC and MPEG4. XviD can handle the MPEG4. Problem is that Nero like to limit their splitter for other players in terms of chapters, subtitles, etc.

Nero uses VOBSub's as a private stream by the way.

XviD can decode any MPEG4, although if it is in an avi then it may need a fourCC change.

DivX 3.11alpha is not MPEG4 as such XviD can't decode it.

For actual encoding I would say that XviD is definatly the best ASP MPEG4 codec. It is however not the only free one. libavcodec also features an ASP MPEG4 encoder.

[Zisguy1]

DivX3 was dead long, long time ago and ain't coming back.

Since every standalone player from here to Podunk supports it, you can hardly call it dead. There's little reason to use it anymore, though (unless out of sheer habit or stubbornness). It's quite buggy, has few features, and Nandub SBC encoding is unnecessarily complicated.

DivX 3.11alpha is not MPEG4 as such XviD can't decode it.

Yes, it is MPEG4. XviD can't decode it because it's not set up to decode that fourcc (DivX v5.2.1 will decode it). Go here and use Edit/Find to search for DIV3.

[celtic_druid]

It might be a hack of something called MS MPEG4 V3, but trust me it is NOT MPEG4.

There is however a modifed version of ffmpeg that can convert (not re-encode) it to ISO MPEG4.

[DarrellS]

Xvid is a totally different compression than DivX which is why no DivX MPG4 decompressor will read an Xvid file.

Talk about a buggy format. XviD crashes Virtualdud one out of every three encodes I try and a few of the files I tried refused to encode a non corrupted avi at all. The only time I've had a corrupted DivX file is when I try to use some off the wall resolution size.

[BJ_M]

xvid is not a totally different compression than divx - in fact they are very similar ..



divx codecs can read xvid


xvid is no more buggy than divx ...... in fact even the latest betas are rock solid stable ...

xvid can encode to some off the wall resolution - i do a lot of 1400x1050 w/ xvid for example ..

[hhhhbk]

[BJ_M]

[BJ_M]

[hhhhbk]

[BJ_M]

It might be a hack of something called MS MPEG4 V3, but trust me it is NOT MPEG4.

There is however a modifed version of ffmpeg that can convert (not re-encode) it to ISO MPEG4.

sorry druid -- but your wrong this time

see here http://abma.x-maru.org/faq/annotated/formats.mpeg4.php

http://www.undercut.org/msmpeg4/

http://www.ncsu.edu/it/multimedia/mpeg4.html

btw === mpeg4 was at first loosly based on a Apple patent and QT .. and apple almost sues ..





TimeLine

MPEG-4 Working Group Forms

MPEG-4 Adopts data structure format based on Quicktime's data structure (i.e. just organisation, not codec support -- MPEG-4 is not a Quicktime clone).

Microsoft announces MPEG-4 support

Microsoft delivers a MPEG-4 implementation based on initial file specification, but with their own codec, that is not licensed back to the MPEG-4 working group (i.e. is not compatable with any licenced mpeg-4 implementation). This codec goes through several interations -- currently it is listed as MPEG-4v3.

A french teenager, Jerome Rota, hacks Microsoft's MPEG-4 implementation to use an .avi data structure instead of .asf, and adds the ability to support larger frame sizes, different audio codecs, and standard compression tools. This is called Divx (smiley face is really part of the name)

(Several Months Pass)

Jerome Rota develops an open source MPEG-4 codec called OpenDivx, not based on Microsoft Code. Initially, it cannot play back older Divx content, but later versions can. It eventually turns into a commercial product, Divx v4, and now Divx v5 Pro. A free version is still available now.

MPEG-4 file format finalised -- let the licensing struggle begin!

(Several Months Pass)

MPEG-4 Licensing Group adopts per-use and per-stream licensing, which makes everyone angry. Apple takes the case to the public, threatening to not ship MPEG-4 support in their digital video products, specifically Quicktime 6.

MPEG-4 group modifies licensing, adding a "lump sum" clause with a cap, for manufacturers of MPEG-4 products. In addition, non-profit use of MPEG-4 streams is not subject to per stream licensing. How companies will actually audit for per stream costs is still up in the air -- most are hoping it will never be implemented.