Dumb Question about DivX and Xvid Compatibility

[Zach]

Really dumb question, but I'll ask anyway. :)

I purchased DivX Pro several months ago. (I feel like an idiot now since they are now giving it away for free. :mad: (Link (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=126707))) But anyway, is there any reason for me to install Xvid?

I'll always encode with DivX, of course, but I am just unsure if DivX can or will decode all Xvid files.


(I have always installed them both, but I just put together a new system, and I want to minimize as much video/audio codec bloat as possible since I'm a neat freak. :p)

[crnagora]

Hi Zach,

DivX will decode all XviD (And other MPEG4 ASP) Files just fine.

In my opinion the DivX Decoder filter is even better than the XviD one. Its faster and has more features (But I only use deblocking...no sharping ect.).

So if you don't encode with XviD than the DivX Package is the only thing you need.

About the free Pro Bundle: Yeah, but its only the DivX Pro Bundle, without the MPEG2 Plugin. So you still have an advantage. And "DivX Pro Free" was only a short term promotions & special offer (Like the one a year ago for the anniversary).

[Zach]

DivX will decode all XviD (And other MPEG4 ASP) Files just fine.

I thought so, but I figured I should ask just to be sure. :)

About the free Pro Bundle: Yeah, but its only the DivX Pro Bundle, without the MPEG2 Plugin.

That's a good point, especially considering the primary reason I bought the DivX encoder was to convert my Mpeg2 DVR rips to DivX to play on my, at the time, newly acquired Ultra-DivX DVD player. :p (I have since come to the conclusion that Ultra-Divx isn't all that it's cracked up to be, but that's the way it goes.)

But unfortunately, I'm not too fond of their converter software, so I usually don't get to utilize the MPEG2 plugin anyway.

[Brother John]

Last time I checked (with DivX 6.4) the DivX decoder could not handle native MPEG-4 streams. So if you have Xvid in MP4 or Xvid native in Matroska (Matroska has a VfW compat mode as well), then you'll need a decoder supporting this. The Xvid decoder does, and so does ffdshow. This won't affect you if you only use AVI.

[Zach]

Hmmmm... I swear, like someone else just posted here the other day, it seems like one has to be a full-time, professional video editor to keep track of these streams, containers, and formats. <sigh>


Okay, well, my main concern is not being able to view the various videos people link to from YouTube and places like that. So the natural response might be just to not worry about it and only install Xvid if I run across a video DivX won't decode.

My concern is the codec chain. If I install Xvid after DivX, won't that make Xvid the default handler for all MPEG4 (DivX-like) streams since, from my understanding, Windows just steps through the chain from first installed (registered) to last? Edit: Okay, that's backwards. What I meant was will the Xvid installer "take over" the handling of divx files.

So should I install Xvid before I install DivX if I want to make sure DivX handles everything and Windows will only resort to Xvid if DivX refuses?

[joseph5]

You can install both in the order you want, then use RadLight FilterManager to define which one to use for decoding.

[Zach]

RadLight is nice (I just ran it), but dear God, there's already 125 DirectShow filters installed, and this is on a fresh install of WinXP (SP2) with nothing installed except my hardware drivers and Firefox!! :eek:

Okay, so for a guy who doesn't want to mess around with the intricacies of the filter graphs and merit values, which should I install first? DivX or Xvid? (...again, with the goal being having DivX the primary handler and Xvid only being used when DivX refuses.)

[Brother John]

The install order is not important. DirectShow has a merit (importance) for each filter. If several filters for one format are installed, the one with the highest merit is used for decoding.

If you don't encouter native streams, you very probably won't need Xvid at all. The current DivX decoder should be able to handle Xvid fine, even when features where used that the DivX encoder doesn't support (3 warp-point GMC for example).

Just install DivX and make sure you enable "Decode generic MPEG-4" in its decoder config.

[crnagora]

The current DivX decoder should be able to handle Xvid fine, even when features where used that the DivX encoder doesn't support (3 warp-point GMC for example).

Are you sure about that ? I'm pretty sure that it does support 3 warp-points GMC.

EDIT: Oh...you're talking about the encoder...sorry.

You are right about the Matroska-part, but since Zach said that he has a shiny new DivX-Ultra DVD player I'll bet he won't use Matroska for now :).

[crnagora]

My concern is the codec chain. If I install Xvid after DivX, won't that make Xvid the default handler for all MPEG4 (DivX-like) streams since, from my understanding, Windows just steps through the chain from first installed (registered) to last? Edit: Okay, that's backwards. What I meant was will the Xvid installer "take over" the handling of divx files.

So should I install Xvid before I install DivX if I want to make sure DivX handles everything and Windows will only resort to Xvid if DivX refuses?

It doesn't matter. You just have to configure both properly.

I have both installed and it works fine. XviD Decoder plays XviD stuff (And only XviD) and DivX plays only DivX stuff.

Looks like this:

XviD ->

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/520/xviddecoderxx0.jpg

DivX ->

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/2796/divxdecoderhm0.jpg

If you check the "Support decoding generic Mpeg-4 Video" DivX takes over XviD. Uncheck it and XviD decodes "his" stuff.

Same thing can be said about XviD (FourCC Support).

So you can choose you're destiny :p .

[Zach]

Oh, yeah, it's been so long since I've done a fresh install that I forgot about the FourCC option checkboxes in xvid's setup. *slaps forehead* That is exactly what I was hoping for! :)

Thanks, guys!!