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The Short Answer: DivXTM is, in a nutshell, mpeg4
compression. It's the exact same compression that the bastards who
createDVDs use. I own over 500 DVDs so I feel I've earned the right to use
and download DivX. What does this mean for you, the cheap son of a bitch who doesn't want to buy or rent a DVD? It means that now, for the first time, you can download full-screen, full-motion videos from the Internet that actually look and sound like what you get from your television or DVD player, and are not the size of postage stamps. With DivX compression technology, you can download and watch high-quality video on your television set or other convergence devices. [No not your palm pilot..yet] The Long Answer: DivXTM is a new format for digital video, much like MP3 is a format for digital music. DivXTM is the brand name of a video compression technology created by DivXNetworks, Inc., (also known as Project Mayo). The DivXTM codec (short for compression-decompression) is based on the MPEG-4 compression standard. This codec is so advanced that it can reduce an MPEG-2 video (the same format used for DVD or Pay-Per-View) to ten percent of its original size. Video on regular VHS tapes can be reduced to about one hundredth of their original size. Before now, video's bulky file size has slowed the proliferation of Internet video distribution. Moreover, compressing video down to a size where it could be transferred over the Internet normally meant the end result looked like a pointillist painting done by Seurat's evil (and very untalented) twin brother. DivX compression technology solves these problems with unmatched compression ability and visual quality virtually indistinguishable from a DVD. The result? You can download a full-length, full-motion, full-screen, DVD-quality feature film using a standard broadband connection in about the time it takes to have a pizza delivered. In essence, DivX compression technology makes it possible for you to download and playback high quality digital movies on your PC and other devices. Compaq's PocketPC now supports DivX videos, and soon you'll be able to get DivX content on your television, via your set top box, game console, and other convergence devices. What DivXTM is Not: Now that you understand and can verbalize to your not-so-techy friends what DivXTM compression technology is, it's time you learned what it isn't. When we say "DivX," we are not referring to the Digital Video Express (DIVX/DVE) service previously marketed by Circuit City. If you need information about Circuit City's DIVX, you might try the DIVX Owners' Association. Second, the alpha version of DivX 4.0 is not currently compatible with earlier versions of the DivX compression technology (version 3.11 alpha and earlier). Backwards compatibility is a hot topic and may be added at a later date. If you install DivX 4.0 alpha, try to play a "DivX" movie, and get a message about the correct codec being "not found," then you probably need the older version of the codec. DivX 4.0 and later is a joint development effort of DivXNetworks with the assistance of the open source community. The open source version of DivX ("OpenDivX") is headquartered at Project Mayo. You may think of Project Mayo as the "alter ego" of DivXNetworks. It is comprised of an enthusiastic community of open source developers, technologists, and videophiles working on DivX to achieve the following goals:
To find all the tools you need to see and make DivX videos, visit our Download Section. If you have further questions about DivX compression technology, check out our frequently asked questions list. This rundown on what DiVX is, was borrowed
for the most part, from the guys at divx.com. Not the entire thing but I
don't like to borrow chunks of text without giving props to the
originator.
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