DivX5.1.1b decoder and its advantage over XviD files!

[Tuning]

Hope everyone have tried the beta version.The decoder with this beta is improved,and can decode the generic MPEG-4 files.That includes XviD encoded files.
The question is :
Do you find any quality improvements in using this filter over XviD files ?.
I tried a simple test over a noisy XviD video.The FFDSHOW showed some grains over the noisy regions,While Nic's Xvid decoder showed good results improving noise removal,and to my surprise the DivX 5.1.1b decoder showed even better results as much of the noise was removed.And we have one more advantage,DivX5.1.1b decoder starts playing more quicly than these DS filters.

So do you think,there is a need of installing FFDHOW/XviD decoder filters(for general purpose use-i.e playing DivX/Xvid files only) if we have this new DivX filter?


PS-- Do you noticed this decoder showing "DivX Video" logo while playing XviD content.Is that required?

:) - Tuning

[DigitAl56K]

Originally posted by Tuning
PS-- Do you noticed this decoder showing "DivX Video" logo while playing XviD content.Is that required?


Good catch! I haven't tested this feature myself yet. There are a couple of issues under investigation with the new decoder but nothing that should affect quality too badly in the meantime.

In the past many people used the FFDShow decoder to handle DivX content because it had lower decoding requirements. The DivX decoder has been much faster since DivX 5.1, so it will be interesting to see how this affects opinions. Also, some popular/codec pack builds of the XviD decoder and FFDShow can't play all DivX 5 video which causes problems for people who don't really understand the DirectShow filter system. It would certainly be nice if the DivX decoder could handle all formats well and provide a simple, consistant interface.

I'll pass the logo issue on to Gej/Junto.

-Al

[Tuning]

Thanks for the info DigitAl56K.And I have another question,What is the right purpose of film effect?.Every time I use this option ,makes me feel lots of dots are there.And if you increase this the dots will get saturated.I could not find any use for this feature and bcoz,I always disable it.
Thanks.

BTW,PPL in doom9 forum beleive Codec packs are evil ;)

[DigitAl56K]

Codec packs are evil! I had to write the BigFix pack to counter-act some of their ill-effects:
http://forums.divx.com/viewtopic.php?topic=54711&forum=1
Its sort of like an anti-codec-pack, I still have much work to do on it though :(

The purpose of the film effect: Often when encoding (especially at low bitrates or with source pre-processing) or decoding with strong post-processing, the picture appears to be slighlty more smoothed than it originally was. Frequently the "warmth" in the image associated with the original film grain is lost. The film effect attempts to restore this warmth by re-applying a false grain effect. The degree to which it is best applied will vary from viewer to viewer based upon their personal preference. The grain effect naturally helps to mask artifacts slightly.

[Tuning]

Originally posted by DigitAl56K
The degree to which it is best applied will vary from viewer to viewer based upon their personal preference. The grain effect naturally helps to mask artifacts slightly.

Thanks DigitAl56K for detailed info.And I agree that it depends on personal preference.May be many ppl likes it.
Thanks.

:) - Tuning

[FreakNGoat]

Originally posted by DigitAl56K
The purpose of the film effect: Often when encoding (especially at low bitrates or with source pre-processing) or decoding with strong post-processing, the picture appears to be slighlty more smoothed than it originally was. Frequently the "warmth" in the image associated with the original film grain is lost. The film effect attempts to restore this warmth by re-applying a false grain effect. The degree to which it is best applied will vary from viewer to viewer based upon their personal preference. The grain effect naturally helps to mask artifacts slightly.

Yes, personally I like the film effect now, at about 50%. At first I didn't like it; it grew on me.

[Josip Tosic]

I've been using DivX DirectShow filter to decode XviD material for some time now, I only had to change the FourCC. But this is much, much better.

[Unregistering XviD DirectShow filter...]

[DAvenger]

Originally posted by Josip Tosic

[Unregistering XviD DirectShow filter...]

Yeah, both XviD filters sometimes crashed on me so I switched over to FFDShow. The new DivX decoder works fine. I think the resizing and stuff is even smoother than when using FFDShow ;)

[arman68]

The new decoder is excellent. It looks like they listened to my earlier topic of how to play xvid content with DivX. So to whoever introduced generic mp4 playback: thanks.

I have now removed the xvid codec from my main video playing PC (HTPC in the living room) and tested quite a few xvid encoded movies: no problem so far. Great job!

[Prettz]

Originally posted by Tuning
I tried a simple test over a noisy XviD video.The FFDSHOW showed some grains over the noisy regions,While Nic's Xvid decoder showed good results improving noise removal,and to my surprise the DivX 5.1.1b decoder showed even better results as much of the noise was removed.
This comparison is somewhat meaningless because you didn't specify the exact PP settings (I assume that you are comparing PP here) you used with each of the 3 decoders. In addition, ffdshow comes with 2 post-processing algorithms (each with their own unique settings), so you can use one of them, or use both of them one after the other. If you're going to compare PP, unfortunately you'll need to take all this into account and come up with comparisons for a ridiculously large number of settings combinations.

[Tuning]

@Prettz

You can try your own tests and find how different is DivX decoder on PP.Members posted here justifies the same(May Be).Bye

[winman]

The DivX 5.1.1b decoder is a good improvement over the regular 5.1 decoder (no more dering bug). However, it is not perfect as it did mess up a few xvid files that use advance features (qpel and b-frames) so don't throw away your other filters just yet.

I find it pretty ironic that the divx guy is calling codec packs evil without looking at themselves first. If you compare some of the available decoding solution, it is easy to see why codec packs are popular.

XviD_Nic_07162003.exe 355KB Decode XviD
ffdshow-20030523.exe 667KB Decode XviD and DivX
3ivx_d4_404_win.zip 807KB Decode Xvid, DivX, and MP4+AAC sound
DivX51Bundle.exe 5.06MB Decode DivX

Let not forget the :devil: codec packs:

K**** -Basic- 2.26MB Decode Most popular video+audio
K**** -Full- 6.70MB Decode most video+audio and more

It is pretty unreasonable to make people download a 5.06MB bundle that won't even decode some DivX properly, in fact it is just plain "evil". :devil:

If the whole DivX encoder+decoder can be brought down to 1.72MB...how hard is it to offer a 300KB DirectShow-only "Playback" package that include just divxdec.ax and config.exe file?

@Tuning
If you have a fast computer, try using a Avisynth's denoise filter in ffdshow's Avisynth tab. It surely beat most other post-processing method out there.

[dimzon]

>how hard is it to offer a 300KB DirectShow-only "Playback" package that include just divxdec.ax and config.exe file?

Right now a'm working on minimal codepack (to burn on each DivX CD) wich consist of
DivxDec.ax
MlCom.ax (MPEG LAYER 1,2,3 + AC3 Decoding)
MyOunTool (to (Re)Register Filters and configure DivxDec.ax)

I think it will be near 500K and it will be avail at next monday :)

[Prettz]

Forum member Defiler has already (long ago) authored his own minimalist codec pack, and he keeps it up to date every time a new ffdshow is released. It's got ffdshow and a few other common odds and ends. I would link to the page for it but I have no idea if he for some reason wouldn't want that.

[chilledoutuk]

I have tested the divx playback compared to my current playback setup which includes useing the ffdshow filter in conjunction with kopeis latest build with post processing switched on.

I prefered the postprocessing done by the ffdshow filter to that of the divx playback filter I have even written a guide for setting up ffdshow for the best playback of my music videos.

which can be found

here (http://www.hostultra.com/~divxmusic/Xvidplayback/Optimumxvidplayback.html) <<

Although it is handy for people that dont have the xvid codec installed it would only be usefull in this sense if teh defualt settings had it switched on hopefully it was switched off just for the beta testers.

[dimzon]

Check out my codepack
http://dimzon541.narod.ru/cp/

I use RadLight Filter Manager source code to add a little bit functionality without size increasion...

[m99]

Great dimzon, downloading it now. Have been looking for something like this.

[Owen]

I have never found the “post processing” filter to be very effective.
The alternative that I prefer is ffdshows “denoise3d” in the “Blur & NR” menu.
I find 4,3,4,HQ the best all round setting. This filter is better at smoothing out compression artifacts then any post processor filter that I have seen.
It sets a new standard.

Give it a try.

Regards,

Owen

[mf]

So, can this new decoder decode 3-warp-point GMC? That'd make solving these leecher playback problems alot easier. Currently I have this (http://mf.creations.nl/EF_maburaho/) for a solution.

[m99]

I can't get DivX5.1.1b(5.1.1.1025) to play xvid-files. Have marked the MPEG4-option, is there anything else I have to do?

[dimzon]

What decoder used to decode XviD on You PC now?

[m99]

re: dimzon

I use Nic's XviD-decoder. Uninstalled it when I tried to get DivX 5.1.1b to decode XviD-files.

[dimzon]

Originally posted by m99
re: dimzon

I use Nic's XviD-decoder. Uninstalled it when I tried to get DivX 5.1.1b to decode XviD-files.
Can you see XviD after deinstalling XviD decoder and installing DivX 5.1.2b ?

[m99]

Nope.

[dimzon]

m99
Hm... What GSpot say on your XviD file?
What happen's (crash during playback or other)

[Tuning]

Un-install the traces of previous divx codecs and re-install DivX 5.1.1b2.

[dimzon]

NuclearDivX update
DivX Decoder Updated to 5.1.1 final

http://dimzon541.narod.ru/cp/

[m99]

Sorry, been/is busy.
Yes, I didn't have DivX properly installed.
Thanks.

[Sharktooth]

BTW DivX decoder shows some artifacts on certain Xvid encoded files.
Sometimes some small green or white squares (they usually appear only in one frame then rapidly disappear) are displayed randomly.
Sometimes "edges" (for example a dark object on a bright background) are completely pixelated.
Maybe FFDShow is still better at decoding Xvid :)

[Tuning]

I just noticed the same problem, then this decoder is not so good as expected. The final decoder seems to take more starting time than beta one for playing DivX/Xvid. So I just reverted to FFDshow.

Thanks

[dimzon]

Originally posted by Sharktooth
BTW DivX decoder shows some artifacts on certain Xvid encoded files.
Sometimes some small green or white squares (they usually appear only in one frame then rapidly disappear) are displayed randomly.
Sometimes "edges" (for example a dark object on a bright background) are completely pixelated.
Maybe FFDShow is still better at decoding Xvid :)

Yes!
divxdec.ax from 5.1.1 beta 1 plays XviD fine. But since 5.1.1 beta 2 there are some artifacts (small squares)...

Now i'm downgrade my decoder to 5.1.1 beta 1.
Waiting for DivX Team Response...

Sample AVI (only 300KB) at
http://dimzon541.narod.ru/bug.zip

[chros]

What should I do, when I don't want that DivX 5.1.1 plays XviD movies ?

I prefer the own decoder filters ... Strange that before 5.1.1 , XviD played the XviD content avis. But now whenever I reinstall any XviD install exe (4 pcs, including the newest 1.0 beta), nothing happens and DivX plays the avis ...

Thanx

[Tuning]

There is a option in divx decoder to use generic MPEG-4 content. Enabling this will decode XviD too. Therefore disable it as you need XviD's own decoder.

BTW, now I prefer XviD's own decoder, Bcoz conditions have changed incase of both XviD(1.0b) and DivX(5.1.1final) decoders.

[chros]

Originally posted by Tuning
There is a option in divx decoder to use generic MPEG-4 content. Enabling this will decode XviD too. Therefore disable it as you need XviD's own decoder.

BTW, now I prefer XviD's own decoder, Bcoz conditions have changed incase of both XviD(1.0b) and DivX(5.1.1final) decoders.

Thanx for the quick answer !!!
:)

[arman68]

Strange: I switched to DivX5 to decode all my DivX3 and Xvid content a while ago, mainly because it looked better to my eyes and was less CPU intensive.

With the final 5.1.1 it seems everything goes wrong:

Decoding DivX3 content makes the CPU usage shoot up to the point that it skips frames very badly. I am now back using the DivX3 codec (from MAIA pack) which gives me very good results.

Decoding Xvid content uses more CPU as well (it used to be less), and there are lots of artifacts and wrong colours. Back to using the xvid codec there too.

Not sure what happened with the final release, but it does not say much for regression testing...

[lalo]

Hi dimzon!

mlcom.ax ver.:1.25m doesn't play ac3, only mp123 and lpcm =>
switch back 1.23. (if you think):)

[dimzon]

Originally posted by lalo
Hi dimzon!

mlcom.ax ver.:1.25m doesn't play ac3, only mp123 and lpcm =>
switch back 1.23. (if you think):)

it's wrong - it can play AC3
just set
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Elecard\Odio Dekoda\dwMiscFlags to 0x80000000 and it will work ;)

My Installer do it automatically

[dimzon]

Hmm. Seems like macroblock artifacts are not XviD-oriented. Some people view them at native DivX 5.1.1 movies too:
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&postid=408216#post408198

[Lobuz]

It looks like the bug is postprocessing in horizontal luminance deblocking thresholding. It was configurable in Kauehi version but abandoned leter.
The same parameters works with nic's postprocessing. So anyone can test that effect on configurable ffdshow by lowering X treshold from Nic's PP.
On my sample high quality anime with fine vertical curves that bug occours even with normal(X=20) settings and disappeare after setting X treshold to 26(from default 20).

Surprissingly that blocks don't occour with 3ivx decoder.

Another bug is with PP working in VDub even after turning it off in Divx config. Only lowering PP to 0 helps here.

Regards
Lobuz