Divx 3 AVI files for my Pioneer AVIC D3

[cbeausoleil]

Hi

I've created DivX AVI files successfully using Visual Hub for a long time now on my PowerMac G4.

This week, I just purchased a Pioneer Avic-D3 and wish to create Divx AVI files to play in my car. The files I have created do not appear on my D3. I've read somewhere (PC user) that you need to convert with DivX 3 but the software I use (Visual Hub, Handbrake) always automatically converts using DivX 6. What software should I use and how do I convert so that the AVI file is saved as a DivX 3 formatted file? I hope I'm explaining this properly.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Baldrick]

I doubt that it just supports the old non standard divx 3 format.

How do you burn the file(s)? On a DVD or CD or USB device?

I would try burn on a cdr media and do NOT make a multisession disc.

[cbeausoleil]

I will be burning a collection of divx files on a series of Verbatim DVD+R DL disks and playing them on the Pioneer AVIC-D3.

I was hoping to use them all on an external hard drive but the USB device for this machine is no good so it will be returned to the retailer today. So that leaves me to work with DVDs. Here's a link as to why (http://www.avic411.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5015). I've been reviewing the forums at the avic411.com site and found a lot of discussions on the topic but not much help for Mac users. (http://www.avic411.com/forum/search.php?mode=results)

I've tried a test using VisualHub v1.34. Under the AVI tab, I set the file to convert to 480x234px and left everything else as normal. I burned it on a single layer DVD (SONY DVD-R), along with some MP3s & MP4s and the music worked fine. But the player wouldn't see and of the divx files in the folders. I almost never create a multisession disc.

At the avic411.com site I was only able to find this tutorial but I don't know how to get set up this way on a Mac: http://www.avic411.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15136&highlight=divx

If you have any advice on the best software and how to set it up on a Mac, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks for your reply.

[Case]

Maybe it checks the fourcc. Try changing the code from XVID or DX50 to DIVX or DIV3. I think D-Vision can do that.
If only changing the fourcc works, then it would save you a lot of time on re-encoding.

[jman98]

Your car player may require certain naming conventions for Divx playback. For example, maybe file names must end in .AVI.

I am not a big Mac fan, so I can't provide specific guidance, but my general advice for Divx playback on any DVD player that claims to support it applies.
1) Avoid use of GMC (Global Motion Compensation)
2) Avoid use of QPel (Quarter Pixel)
3) Avoid packed bit stream. MPEG4Modifier can remove this without re-encoding.
4) Resolutions above 720x576 almost never can be played.
5) Avoid high bit rate video. Anything above 2000 Kbps may be too high. If your audio is anything other than MP3, you will have to lower the video bit rate, perhaps as low as 1200. DTS is the most problematic audio to play back.
6) File sizes above 2 GB probably won't be recognized at all.
7) Multisession burning will NEVER work.

Divx 3 is rarely supported and I highly doubt that it will solve your problems. Note that many Divx encoding programs turn on options you don't want by default, like packed bit stream. I use Dr. Divx when I need to encode to Divx. There's a Mac beta available. Dr. Divx has a setting called Home Theatre that maximizes your chance for good playback on various devices by not using GMC, QPel and other problematic options.

[cbeausoleil]

Thanks for all your help. I did resolve the problem.

In the Advanced Settings, I changed the "Force" to "FFmpeg Decoding" and burned the disc as an ISO 9660 and that seemed to work. The weird thing now is that the player will tell me that the file 001 is unreadable, then when I hit the next button the 1st movie begins to play... and so on (003, 005, 007 etc. will play even though there are no other movies). Very strange but they work so I'm happy. It will keep my son quiet in the back while we're driving.

One more question... Is there a way to create chapter markers in a Divx AVI file?