XVD a new japanese codec?

[Lobuz]

There's a demo version of XVD codec here (http://xvd.bha.co.jp/download/index.html) But it's in japanese and you mast register. Anyway if someone tryed it could share some info?

Regards
Lobuz

[Dark-Cracker]

a direct link download will be nice for those who don't understand japanese :)

[Rober2D2]

From the few English words that appear in the page, XVD seems more to be a new media format than a new codec. That is, a kind of DVD.

[kaitsuburi]

Hmm...

I skimmed the info page -- it says the Japanese company BHA is developing this new codec "XVD" which was originally developed by Digital-Stream USA,Inc. linked here (http://www.ds-usa.com/). The codec includes audio compression as well as video compression and need its own player. It also says a "higher quality" version will be released this coming summer.

I am pretty skeptical, but I'd love to hear from people who have used it.

-kaitsuburi

[kaitsuburi]

Originally posted by Dark-Cracker
a direct link download will be nice for those who don't understand japanese :)

This (https://shop.bha.co.jp/ZF001600.asp) takes you to a registration form (in Japanese) in which I think you have to fill out in Japanese characters to proceed (Latin letters won't do it).

@Rober2D2 -- I think they are talking about very high compressibility (putting things on CD-R), so what I think they are trying to do is create something compressible/high quality like DivX/XviD with much more control (DRM) and standalone compatibility perhaps?

I'd have another look at it when I get home.

-kaitsuburi

[dillee1]

BHA = nero ????

BHA is a company making cd burniong software. There B's Clip is virtually the same as Nero InCD, just with a Japanese Language skin.
Is BHA a sales representative of Nero in Jap????

Nero is making nero-digtal codec, and "Incidentially" BHA now release a video codec now........:devil:

[kaitsuburi]

FYI, here (http://www.hostingtech.com/news/2003/4/25/St_Nitf_DigitalStream_USA_and_BHA_Intr_b0424021.8sw.html), here (http://www.dvdrw.com/cebit2003/presskit/mediostream2.html) and here (http://www.cdmediaworld.com/hardware/cdrom/news/0006/bha_ahead.shtml) are some results from google.

The first article is funny -- this particular line cracks me up:
DigitalStream-USA(tm), Inc. (DS-USA) is the pioneer of XVD(tm), the world's most advanced audio and video compression technology. This patented technology is utilized in software and hardware solutions to produce the highest quality video possible for any given bandwidth. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
As far as the strategic partnership b/n Ahead-Germany and BHA is concerned, this (http://ascii24.com/news/i/mrkt/article/2000/06/06/609363-000.html) brief snippet (in Japanese) dates it to June 2000, but strangely there is very little additional info available. Both BHA and Ahead seem to be hush-hush about it and have removed the respective press release links from their sites it seems.

-kaitsuburi

[Danzel]

here (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.asp?RelatedID=3823) is another page with a litle info on it.

the comment on there says that it looks like plain old mpeg2, but as far as i know u cant mux mpeg2 into an avi container.

ill poke those sites a bit and see if i can get at it.

Danzel.

[Dark-Cracker]

hum apparently there is a version of the "Xvd Encoder Beta Version - Build01" i have see a picture on a japanese site.

if someone find it :) ^^

Bye

[Danzel]

here is a press release from BHA on XVD (http://www.bhacorp.com/about_bha/press/2003/0425.html) (it contains more details on the codec).

i think im pulling down a sample of video encoded with xvd.

http://updater.bha.co.jp/VideoSamples/sea_700kbps.vg2 if ur interested. (its 12meg)

i havent heard of a .vg2 file before, does it sound familiar to anyone?
a quick google says its a graph file format, but that doesnt sound right..

Danzel.

[Edit] Okay, i got the file down and *gasp* have no way to play it.

however you can listen to samples of the audio compression on the japanese page ( http://xvd.bha.co.jp/download/ ).
doesnt sound to bad..

[Edit2] you can also view video samples on there too at here (http://xvd.bha.co.jp/showroom/128kbps/index.html)
desnt look bad at 128kbit considering the bitrate.

[Danzel]

Okay, i've watched the 40kbit 128kbit, 700kbit and 1.5mbit clips.

at 40kbit it looks pretty good for such small size.
at 128kbit it was better (less blocky)

i was disapointed with the results at 700kbit and 1.5mbit though, these looked rather poor compared to an XviD (or even DivX5 ;)) encoding at a similar bitrate. (IMHO)
the sound was nice at 64kbit.

maybe someone else can get hold of the encoder / player and we can give it some real testing :D

Danzel.

[kaitsuburi]

Hi folks

I created an account with BHA online shop and I've got the trial encoder file and the player file (ca. 1.4Mb each) in my Yahoo Group here (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kaitsuburi/).

-kaitsuburi

[Danzel]

i got the encoder and player down, but i cant figure out how to encode anything with the encoder...

any ideas?

Danzel.

[csr2000]

Just pull the avi into the XVD icon :D

[iwod]

i can't even download the file.

Just click on it??

[midiguy]

I can't get the file either :eek:

[Danzel]

you have to sign in with your yahoo ID and join the group.
(atleast thats what i did)

Danzel.

[Danzel]

thanks csr2000.

Done a few little tests with XVD.
unfortunately my dvds were all stolen last week, so i havent got a nice selection to test from. :(

i cant get it to encode a long clip, just a short one :/
it gives a divide by zero error on a long (20min) clip.

At 700kbit video with 32kbit audio, encoding a 1:30 Anime Source. (512x384)
The audio doesnt... uh work. there is random noise in noisy scenes and no noise in quiet scenes. (i also tryed 64kbit audio, same result)

Compression seems to take about 4mins per pass no matter what my resize settings are.

Video is pretty disapointing in 1pass, plenty of blocks.

2pass was quite a bit better (as with most codecs). still a few blocks and the colors seem to lose detail at edges.
3pass looked just like 2pass.

Overall... its not going to replace MPEG4 for me, but I havent tested it at higher bitrates yet so i dont know if i would use it inplace of SVCDs for playing on a standalone (although with MPEG4 playing on some standalones these days, this may be a lost battle anyway).

Danzel.

Specs:
Athlon 1800+
256mb DDR Ram
Windows 2000

[bot]

Newer version, and a site in English:

http://www.bhacorp.com/

[lexor]

ummm... I have this weired de-ja-vu (spelling?) feeling, I distinctly remember a huge discussion on the subject of XVD, I somehow I have Doom9 Forum's colour scheme in my mind's eye associated with the discussion. Am I the only one? Or some1 else remembers this?

p.s. I recall a lot of bashing.

[Danzel]

Bring out your thread, bring out your thread.

lol, man this is an old thread.

I'll pull down the trial of the new XVD and give it a thrash.

I think your thinking of a different forum, I dont remember that.

Danzel.

Edit: Maybe your thinking of EVD ?

[mf]

Originally posted by lexor
p.s. I recall a lot of bashing.
I think you mean DVX. It was bashed alot because of the .NET framework.

[thop]

OT: It's deja vu (~ already seen).

Isn't dvdshrink from japan as well? Seems ahead has an office there or sth. like that.

[CruNcher]

nahh dvdshrink is from good old europe (germany) as ahead themselves

[stax76]

funny in what context DVX is mentioned here. It is true DVX was heavily bashed because it's build with .NET. I'm noticing a slightly downward tendency of this sad situation, slowly people are understanding the future is .NET, .NET and nothing but .NET. At least this is the current situation at Microsoft (Win32 only supported for backward compatibility in Longhorn, new API's are all .NET only and can only be used with .NET enabled languages), Borland (support for compiling native dropped in Delphi 8, only .NET is supported), Gnome (from C to C#, Mono is keeping making big steps). No .NET for KDE and Macintosh yet but I'm sure sooner or later many of their developers will get tired of C++ and objective C

[MfA]

Gnome switching away from being C centric? :)

[stax76]

Gnome is implemented with C, most popular and up-to-date bindings/API to Gnome will be Mono, most programmers that program for Gnome are very happy with Mono. Of course this is only my impression. I read all .NET and Mono related articles at OSNews (http://www.osnews.com/) and there are a lot of them (the guy who runs OSNews (http://www.osnews.com/) is a big Mono/.NET fan :D )

[JaTeMaTec]

I got a direct mail from BHACorp to download a trial version of this newish XVD codec, which now (as they say) seems to be ready for marketing with advertice : "2 hours of high-quality video on 1 CD! Over 13 hours on 1 (4.3G) DVD!"
(Link : http://www.bhacorp.com/products/xvdplus/plus.html )

I decided to download the free player (with DX-filters) and a demo of the encoder. So i tried it with low bitrates (converting out of HQ DV-AVI) and i was really surprised with the results at 800kbps video / 64kbps audio. It looked (and sounded - i have good eyes & ears) better than same trying with Dr. DivX 1.04 at 1200 (+MP3@160kbps) and 3ivx at ABR 200 with same audio quality and the filesize was compared to divx 25% smaller and with 3ivx D4 4.5.1 Plus 35% smaller still showing better with quality (with my eyes, not used any video ABX apps).

With the free player installed decoder filters i was able to watch (and listen) the results with wmp9, divx-player and MPC so that made the comparing more easy.

Now i just wonder do i hesitate to buy this codec ($29.99/€27,99) - what is it's future within all the popular codecs and will it belong to them some day?

I know it's good codec for archiving to own purposes and the portability is easy : just install the small player package and the files can be played at other pc's with at least wmp7-9 installed (or the own player) ...

But i do have divx-capable MPEG4 player at my home theater and there it is impossible to get them played (made a test by burning 1 minute of XVD at the end of one of my divx music video CDs - it freezed the whole player...!)

So some more opinions of this one or just let this be as a comment.

The latest release (and demo) is v1.00.03 and expires in 30 days + throws a XVD logo under all the encoded files....

And p.s. welcome all to my pc - this seems to be my first post here after 'suffered' the 5 days non-posting period (if not counting the test thread i made to that section to see my rights :) )

JaTeMaTec

[Sagittaire]

Not very good quality for me. Less good than VP6, RV10, WMV9 or XviD 1.0 ... :devil: