Should you avoid DIVX dvd players?

[HDTVMan]

Lots of sites pushing Divx DVD players as Hot Buys but should you avoid the temptation?

If you just plan on playing DVD movies or converting your existing to divx then its a good deal but here is something to consider.

DIVX 6 is out.
if you buy a DIVX dvd player today can you update the firmware to play DIVX 6?

Those movies your getting wont stay version 5 for long.

Posted here because I see some hot deals on divx dvd players but looking at the specs they are 3/4/5 but not 6 capable at purchase.

 

[Pabster]

Just FYI, for example, the Philips DVP642 does play DiVX 6 files. It just doesn't support the menus and custom features, but it will play the feature just fine.

 

[HDTVMan]

Originally posted by: Pabster
Just FYI, for example, the Philips DVP642 does play DiVX 6 files. It just doesn't support the menus and custom features, but it will play the feature just fine.

Thats great to know.

So DIVX 6 codec is functionally DIVX 5 with Menus?

 

[Carazariah]

Originally posted by: HDTVMan

Originally posted by: Pabster
Just FYI, for example, the Philips DVP642 does play DiVX 6 files. It just doesn't support the menus and custom features, but it will play the feature just fine.

Thats great to know.

So DIVX 6 codec is functionally DIVX 5 with Menus?

General Hardware anyone?

(Hot deal related still isn't a hot deal)
Still good info though. . .

Thank you!
C

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: HDTVMan
Thats great to know.

So DIVX 6 codec is functionally DIVX 5 with Menus?

For the most part, although their have been other changes to the codec. So long as you encode DiVX 6 files with the 'Home Theater' profile as you would with DiVX 5 the DVP642 will have no issues. (I can't say about other DiVX set-top units as I haven't tried them)

 

[driveeuro]

Originally posted by: Pabster
Just FYI, for example, the Philips DVP642 does play DiVX 6 files. It just doesn't support the menus and custom features, but it will play the feature just fine.

I have that player. I can't confirm DivX 6 playback though. I haven't downloaded a DivX movie in about 1.5 years. All DVDs for me.

 

[BladeVenom]

What about Xvid? It seems to be almost as popular as Divx now. Do most also support it?

 

[Pothead]

You sure do seem to like to say:

Posted here because Tivo's are a hot buy lately and not sure if this should effect purchasing decisions.

Posted here because I see some hot deals on divx dvd players but looking at the specs they are 3/4/5 but not 6 capable at purchase.

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=40&threadid=1661991&enterthread=y

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Originally posted by: driveeuro

Originally posted by: Pabster
Just FYI, for example, the Philips DVP642 does play DiVX 6 files. It just doesn't support the menus and custom features, but it will play the feature just fine.

I have that player. I can't confirm DivX 6 playback though.

same thing about Divx 6 but anything i have put into it has worked.

 

[pibb]

Originally posted by: BladeVenom
What about Xvid? It seems to be almost as popular as Divx now. Do most also support it?

yea what about xvid??

 

[Wallysaurus]

Originally posted by: BladeVenom
What about Xvid? It seems to be almost as popular as Divx now. Do most also support it?

The Philips DVP642 does, but i'm not sure about other players.

 

[Samus]

The DVP642 plays anything that follows MPEG4 spec, including DivX 3/4/5 (and 6) and XviD. The compression algoriths are all different but the decoding methods are identical. The decoder doesn't care about how the file was compressed (DivX/XviD, anything in-between, including MP4) it just wants to know what formula to use to decode each frame. The same formula works for each specific compression method because all MPEG4's have things in common, such as a standard header which contains the bitrate and audio track sync marker.

Any DivX DVD player will look at any MPEG4 file and see a bitrate and a keyframe and be able to decode anything from there. Interesting thing about MPEG4 is it has no traditional 'keyframes' because the bitrate is used to determine how to sync video/audio and to search through frames in the file and keep everything smooth and artifact-free. This also makes it streamable presuming you compressed it with the ability to stream (must have presumtual header information encoded, an easy option to turn on)

DivX 6 adds new compression methods such as tri-cubic, a better 'movie-mode', grit removal and higher bitrates. It also features the ability to embeed menus and 5.1 channel audio, but this is not a feature of the format itself, just additional information the DVD player will disregard. It will still play the initial video stream and 2 channels of MP3 audio.

-Tim

p.s. The DVP642, and many others, are firmware flashable. If you look at divx.org you'll see these are officially licensed DivX players, and it is in the DivX organizations' best interest to have these players support the new formate's features. DivX 6 menu and 5.1 support will be added to the DVP642 (and others) in the future. BET ON IT.

All in all, this thread is as much a scare tactic to thrawt people from buying DivX-DVD players as much as Bush's War in Iraq. It's a lack of information. HDTV MAN, although I have nothing personal against you, is warning people about what he worries about, a worry that only exists because of his lack of knowledge over the MPEG4 format. There is no worry man, MPEG4 is here to stay, and was built to be universally portable. It's already 8 years old and even the earliest codecs can still read the newest XviD 1.1.3 files and DivX 6 with near-perfect decoding quality/performance.

 

[HDTVMan]

Not trying to scare anyone just make those aware before they run out and buy buy buy because it dropped $5.00 in price. There is nothing worse than thinking you got a great deal that just cant be used tommorow as technology evolvs.

Sometimes price drops like we are seeing in the Direct HD units is just liquidation of outdated materials you dont want to get caught with in stock as Items become obsolete. Sorry I think those jumping on the HD receiver bandwagon espeically the higher end units are going to get the screws in the end. Direct TV wont care about .01%.

Thankyou for making us all more aware of the DIVX/MPEG4 specifications.

DIVX 6 PLAYBACK = MPEG4 Same as DIVX 3/4/5

 

[unclebud]

"You sure do seem to like to say:"

i was thinking that also
enjoyed the thread/info though

 

[labgeek]

Originally posted by: HDTVMan
Posted here because I see some hot deals on divx dvd players but looking at the specs they are 3/4/5 but not 6 capable at purchase.

Well I surely don't see ANY in THIS THREAD...

 

[Vallybally]

Samus, nice informative post. But can you leave your own personal political viewpoints and agenda out of it as this isn't the proper place for it. We get enough Bush bashing from the popular media.

 

[Greg04]

Originally posted by: labgeek

Originally posted by: HDTVMan
Posted here because I see some hot deals on divx dvd players but looking at the specs they are 3/4/5 but not 6 capable at purchase.

Well I surely don't see ANY in THIS THREAD...

Maybe they're under the spider.

 

[Jbog]

Originally posted by: Vallybally
Samus, nice informative post. But can you leave your own personal political viewpoints and agenda out of it as this isn't the proper place for it. We get enough Bush bashing from the popular media.

Funny, you don't say anything about this thread not being in the proper place. If you can't include your own personal political viewpoints and agendas in this kind of thread, where can you.

 

[chinkgai]

i can confirm it plays divx 6 with stuff i've encoded

 

[foolish501]

Both my divx players (norcent and lite-on) play divx 6 files

 

[RedChief]

Originally posted by: Pabster
Just FYI, for example, the Philips DVP642 does play DiVX 6 files. It just doesn't support the menus and custom features, but it will play the feature just fine.

I have one of these but there are some DivX movies that end up pixalated. I checked the encoding on the movies and there was nothing uncommon with them.

Any advice on this?

 

[HDTVMan]

Thanks chinkgai & foolish501 for confirming these will play files encoded by Divx 6.