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This is a copy of a message I sent to a mailing list some time back. They are the guidelines I use when updating my Windows system.

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Some tricks -- mostly born out of antipathy and paranoia -- on dealing with Windoze Update:

• Never accept the default update selections as, in true Micros~1 tradition, they're always wrong. Deselect everything and then select only those pieces you want/need.
• Never download HW device drivers from Microsoft. Always get them from the HW vendor. The vendor knows more about supporting their own hardware than MS possibly could, so it makes little sense to get them from MS. MS might also take it upon themselves to slip in copy protection measures, which you don't want.
• Don't update DirectX through Windows Update; it does not and never has worked. Instead, download separately the very large DirectX update package from Microsoft and install it by hand.
• Don't install the next major version of Internet Explorer, as it's sure to disrupt your system. EXCEPTION: If you're using IE5, you should patch to IE v5.5. IE5 had boatloads of bugs (quelle surprise) which have mostly been addressed in 5.5.
• Don't install the next major version of Windows Media Player. This is where Microsoft's copy protection and usage monitoring measures will first appear in earnest, which you don't want to support. Also, it's not a very good player; there are better free ones available.
• Do download security updates, but be wary of such updates for Windows Media, as Microsoft are trying to change the definition of the word, "security."

Other things you might want to do:

• Unless you are using the calendar/scheduling system, there is absolutely no reason for you to be using Outlook/Outlook Express, and every reason not to. Delete it. With extreme prejudice.
• Download and install Mozilla. It rocks.
• Download the DivX ;-) video codec. You can also install their player, but you don't need to; the codec is usable by any application.
• Download and run RegClean.exe. It's a bit tough to find, but it's a good tool for cleaning the fluff out of the registry from time to time.
• Download and install VirtuaWin, a virtual desktop manager for Windows. This increases the utility of the Windows desktop ten-fold. I hate to tell people about it since it makes Windows tremendously more useful. (It's so nifty, I expect Microsoft to "invent" it in the next major Windows release.)

Although I mostly live in Win2K (when I'm not in Linux or BeOS), I have a Win98 partition that's still working fine without a single re-install. Basically, if you take a minimalist approach, and presume Microsoft to be an untrustworthy/unreliable source, you can greatly extend the life of your Windows installation.

Schwab

Um, DivX 5.06 for Mac?

Ok, don't use it myself (OSx doesn't run on any of my boxen). But I've never had a problem with Mplayer. Ocassional teething problems in compilation, but if your on Mac hardware, those nice people behind Fink have taken care of all that.

If there's something you don't like about mplayer, you could look at xine. Might be more to your tastes.

if Microsoft pulls the plug my music collection evaporates a month after it stops

Oh, that will never happen (remembering the flame wars between pro and anti DIVX folks where the DIVX opponents were saying all of those silver DIVX disks would one day be useless and the pro DIVX folks saying they were full of shit).

I think the final thing when DIVX went under was that those silver DIVX discs would only play for another year or something...

(Awaiting flames from 13 yo /. readers too young to remember DIVX and not understanding the difference between DIVX and DivX...)

Gator is spyware that is included in some software as a way of "paying" for that software.

An example is DivX Pro

I don't actually use Linux, so I can't answer that completely, but the DivX site does have a codec available for download. As for what you use to play it, like I said, I don't know. But I bet there are a few thousand other people on this site who do know and can recommend something... Anyway, here is the DivX.com link for the Linux codec:

DivX for Linux

According to the Divx page the version on the right is entirely free.

All the episodes, in both Divx and QT, can be found here.

If you go to divx.com and download the one the doesn't say "PRO bundle" there is no spyware. Here's a direct link - no spyware included:

DivX 5.05

Because DV video (similar to motion JPEG) uses the same DCT as MPEG-2 and can be made to run off the same ASIC?

Because MPEG-4 royalties are much higher than MPEG-2 royalties?

Because Sony and the other studios are scared of MPEG-4?

There is one, and only one reason that there is a market for Windows Media Formats... They are based on MPEG-4, but Microsoft charges about half the licensing fees for it's use.

Since /. won't accept my submission, I had to post it here.

The next version of Divx (Divx 5.0.3) is out. You can read more about it on Divx Website

ZDnet is also carrying a story about the new version of Divx.

The San Diego-based company on Wednesday released DivX 5.03, technology that helps deliver full-motion video over IP (Internet Protocol) networks and now also onto DivX-compatible consumer electronics, including DVD players and handheld devices. The code, popular for encoding video files on the PC, is compatible with MPEG-4, an emerging standard for multimedia delivery on applications ranging from downloadable Internet video to satellite radio.

"DivX users can now encode content once using the appropriate profile and be assured that their video will play back on their DivX certified DVD player or portable device at the highest possible quality level," Kevin Hell, the company's managing director, said in a statement.

Divx and DivX are not the same format.

First, contact the EFF. They may be willing to help you fight any court battles.

If the EFF isn't interested in helping you, then re-encoding may be the way to go. If you still have the original, uncompressed video, that's definitely the way to go.

Use the DivX codec; it's free to use and produces good output. (Use the free version, not the "Pro"; you won't need the extra features.) Stick a link to DivX's web site on your page. I'd also include a note that MPEG isn't friendly, and that Acacia sucks. :-P

These days, Divx is an MPEG-4 encoding/format thingy pushed by DivxNetworks. It has no relation to the Circuit City version.

To make matters worse, there was a cracked Microsoft MP4(?) codec floating around a few years ago that was called DivX or DivX :) or something; it's not related to either of the other Divxes AFAIK.

26 letters in the alphabet = 456,976 different 4-letter combinations, and all of those clowns had to pick the same 4 letters in the same order. grrrr

Not quite. DivX ;-) with the smiley-wink is to prevent confusion. Not many bother with it though, not even the "official site".

divx

My roommates and I have been PC PVR'ing for about a year. It quite hard to get it setup even for a software guru, but once you do its pretty cool.

One tip I've learned is to get good software. ATI's in the box PVR software is in currently pretty bad shape. It crashs all the time, and generally just sucks.

The best PVR software I've found so far is iuVCR: It's nice because it lets you choose the codecs and it uses the win2k scheduler so it works. It also is very stable.

If you combine that with PICVideos MJPEG codec at setting Q19 then it looks pretty good at 2GB/hr.

And then if you want it small then use VirtualDub to post-process recompress it with DivXNetworks's Divx v5.02 at 600bps to get it down to 0.35GB/hr.

If you like to automate it you can use the scheduler to run a batch file VirtualDub and pass in cmd line args to make it automatically recompress all AVI files from one dir and output them to another. Just run vdub and setup the settings the way you want, and "Save Processing Settings" to a file called settings.vcf (say) then run this at night:

start /wait virutaldub /ssettings.vcf /b"d:\in\","d:\out\" /x /r
move d:\in\*.avi d:\in-done

Good luck

I finally broke down and built a TV machine last summer.. I mainly used it to play Divx movies--both ones I ripped from my DVDs myself and ones I downloaded from Morpheus.

Remote Control:

1. I bought an IRman and got it working with Winamp's VidAmp..
2. At first, I kept no mouse or keyboard on the box. I opted instead to use the remote,
   TweakUI-configured auto-login, and VNC (from my laptop already wired-up in the living room.

1. I tore down a mid-tower case and buffered all of the metal joints with duct tape as I built it back up.
   This eliminated any inherent case rattle.
2. I layed the side and reconfigured my entertainment center's shelves to accommodate it.
3. The case had a interesting configuration of fans (combinations of Thermaltake "smart" fans and things)
   to try to keep the AthlonXP 1700+ and three Maxtor drives (one 30GB and two 80GB) cool.

What have I learned?

1. I *have* to have TiVo functionality and soon.
2. Morpheus/Kazaa and other online sources of movies are dying.
3. Drives fail quickly if not properly cooled.
4. Drives tend to fail anyway or have the remote possibility of very quickly losing 100 of your
   hard-earned movies in the event of failure.
5. Almost no matter what, a TV PC is going to be too loud to enjoy having in the living room.

What will I do differently next time?

1. I will build two different boxes--one bare and quiet set-top box or something in the living room and the other a
   nasty, tricked-out, noisy system to handle all of the grunt-work in another room.
2. IDE RAID. 'nuff said.
3. Linux--as much as possible. I will actually make the full effort to get away from Windows and build
   On-Screen Display menus and things.. One of the bottom lines of my experience is that Windows/FAT32
   *kills* drives.
4. I *have* to have TiVo/PVR/DVB/DVR/VDR functionality.. I could theoretically
   have one DVB card in the
   STB to add pause-live-TV functionality. For the setup and recording of other scheduled TV programs and movies, the "big box" in the other room that will have somewhere in the
   neighborhood of 4 or 5 DVB cards. This is fine for Digital Cable.. If I had a dish, it would
   likely be very different.
5. Rip, rip, rip. Get those DVDs archived onto file and quit letting other peoples' copies be sufficient.
   I really didn't do all *that* bad.. I had ripped somewhere around 60 of the DVDs myself.
   I've really got to say this--AVI-archived DVDs beats the friggin bug juice out of any multi-DVD player.

Here are some more related links..
LinuxDVB
VDR

The only threat here is if the Office files themselves (and things you want to do on the Internet, etc.) require Palladium. But that would lock out more than just Linux users, it would lock out anyone without a Palladium PC, Palladium Windows, and Palladium application(s). So for Palladium to effectively kill open source in general and Linux in particular it will have to become so ubiquitous that everyone needs it even more than they today need Office or IE compatibility. And that will not happen until everyone who is currently happy with their PC, OS, and applications find a good reason to replace them all with Palladium versions, and that won't happen untill Palladium becomes ubiquitous enough to effectively require it, etc. It's a classic chicken-egg problem, and I fail to see the Killer App that's going to make everyone throw away perfectly good computers and upgrade to Palladium systems. It's either everyone upgrades overnight or it fails to take hold.

Even if every new PC sold from now on is Palladium-compliant, what do you do about the installed base? What Killer App makes them all upgrade? If my bank requires Palladium, I'll switch banks; enough folks do that and the remaining banks won't switch to Palladium. If all new CDs require Palladium, the most they can expect of me is that I'll buy a DRM-compliant CD player and use the analog output to "pirate" the music for my car and computers. Lots of people forget that today's cheap analog is far better than the best you could buy at any price 20 years ago; if you don't have super-d-duper amps and speakers you won't notice the difference; you certainly won't notice it in your car at 60 MPH. Hell, most MP3's introduce more distortion in their compression than you'd get taping the analog outputs! Don't fear analog, folks.

So unless you can show me the Killer App, I predict Palladium is as dead as Digital Video Express (Divx, not DivX).

2) Is there a decent, free alternative for Windoze that people here would recommend for video files?

Back when I was using windows I remember trying to find the same thing. My result was over and over again finding video players that in fact were little more than front ends for windows media player, in the same vein as the many browsers for windows that are little more than a new gui around internet explorer. Great player in any case though, which I rank ahead of media player both in usability, gui design and handling broken or odd files.

One alternitive might be sasami2k. Great player, but I'm not sure just how wmp free it is. At the very least though they're not just writing a gui and throwing in some directShow code, their updates show a lot of very specific work being done.

DivX.coms player is pretty good at this point as well. Pretty unstable in Linux right now, but I think the windows version is a lot more stable.

Or... You could get the DivX codec (v. 5) from divx.com and then convert to MPEG 4 in QT.

Warning: it is Alpha, and I have not tested it on QT 6. I currently use vlc to play DivX and have not come across a file that it cannot play.

Supposedly Quicktime 6 supports MPEG-4... but that is presumably in the QuickTime file format.

Any word on whether it will play back MPEG-4 movies in the AVI file format (aka DivX 4 and 5, OpenDivx, etc)? Those are quite common, and I have many.

I'd like to use the QuickTime player rather than the WindowsMedia player on Windows, and this support would allow me to do that...

What exactly is a DivX game? Do you know about the DivX video format? That's what we're talking about.

Usually, people (like myself) burn DivX movies (AVI files encoded with the DivX video codec and typically MP3 audio, made from DVD's and shared on the 'net) onto CD-R's for storage purposes.

This would be extremely useful if those CD-R's could be put in an Xbox and the movies could be played. :)

I don't know what you mean by "make copies of Xbox DivX games" because it doesn't make sense... DivX is not a game, and they're already copied widely. Hence the DivX format.

It was a rumor that it was a cracked microsoft codec. An untrue rumor at that. Look here for more info.

Sure if it's your own recorded media you can make a backup before it's too late, but if it's a commercial video, sorry pal, be seeing you again at the video store soon (and your little wallet too)!

The days of Tape/VHS cassettes were glorious for the record and movie industries. They'd sell a cassette, and the customer's tape deck or VCR would promptly munch it. Back to the store where you're obviously not going to get a refund for mangling the merchandise. Instant repeat revenue.

Then CDs and DVDs were born. Cheap, durable, and reliable. TOO durable and reliable. Sure if you're a moron you can scrape them up, but if you're a moron you can scrape up your nose picking it too. Careful and responsible owners were no longer victims of freak munchings, and the industry never forgave themselves for not making the damn things shatters inside the players (most of the time... hey, remember those gimmicky ads for 100x players back before DMA66?).

Right now, the movie and record industries are salivating all over themselves trying to figure out how to sell you the same damn thing over and over again (like teeny pop and the late 90's onslaught of natural disaster cinema). Like Circuit City's DIVX (the scam disc format, not the codec) was one of the first examples. Now the music industry wants to let us buy digital music, in multiple proprietary formats, and pay for it for each playback device we own, even when we've already bought the physical album!

D-VHS probably will and should replace Beta, et.al. in the professional sector, but I don't think it would have ever seen the light of day in video stores if the media was as durable as some of the new high capacity DVD/optical technology coming out.

But maybe I'm just biased against magnetic media because of all the data I've ever lost!

Contrary to popular perception, the primary problem with DivX support on macs is not lack of the proper codecs. There are actually three different DivX codecs for mac (the 3ivx, DivX, and ffmpeg projects - however windows media audio, which some files use, is only indirectly supported via DivX doctor). The real problem is quicktime's inability to read AVI files with variable bitrate audio encoded into them (vbr support was not part of the original official spec, and microsoft has since declared the format "obsolete" in favor of windows media). This has been a problem with quicktime for years, and they STILL haven't fixed it in QT6 preview, despite rumors to the contrary. The only solution is to extract the audio and video tracks and stick them together in quicktime format, using one of a variety of tools (see the sites above). DivX.com claims to have come up with an elegant hack around the issue, but they have yet to release it. Video LAN client claims to be able to play back DivX avis without doctoring, but doesn't work well at all yet.

The good news is you can play back just about any DivX file out there. The bad news is you're going to have to do a little more work than just downloading Quicktime and expecting it to play - You have to go get and install the DivX codecs yourself, and turn all your DivX AVIs into MOVs with the proper tools. I can only assume the Quicktime crew could have fixed this vbr AVI problem if they wanted to a long time ago, and possibly did - but for undisclosed reasons, they choose not to or aren't allowed to release or work on it.

Contrary to popular perception, the primary problem with DivX support on macs is not lack of the proper codecs. There are actually three different DivX codecs for mac (the 3ivx, DivX, and ffmpeg projects - however windows media audio, which some files use, is only indirectly supported via DivX doctor). The real problem is quicktime's inability to read AVI files with variable bitrate audio encoded into them (vbr support was not part of the original official spec, and microsoft has since declared the format "obsolete" in favor of windows media). This has been a problem with quicktime for years, and they STILL haven't fixed it in QT6 preview, despite rumors to the contrary. The only solution is to extract the audio and video tracks and stick them together in quicktime format, using one of a variety of tools (see the sites above). DivX.com claims to have come up with an elegant hack around the issue, but they have yet to release it. Video LAN client claims to be able to play back DivX avis without doctoring, but doesn't work well at all yet.

The good news is you can play back just about any DivX file out there. The bad news is you're going to have to do a little more work than just downloading Quicktime and expecting it to play - You have to go get and install the DivX codecs yourself, and turn all your DivX AVIs into MOVs with the proper tools. I can only assume the Quicktime crew could have fixed this vbr AVI problem if they wanted to a long time ago, and possibly did - but for undisclosed reasons, they choose not to or aren't allowed to release or work on it.

I also wonder why MPEG-4 is ".mp4". ".mp3" isn't for MPEG-3, after all.

this is nothing new. The people over at DivXNetworks have been using the mp4 extionsion for mpeg-4 for just about as long as they've been around. it has less restrictions than the avi file format does.

I just wonder if they are as "ISO compliant" as Apple's gonna be, heh.

DivX is just a codec, most of the media stuff I download is using it. But I do agree that there will be a "second coming" in the tech sector. Some of the reasons are covered by THG on the MS WinHEC conference. MS is going to move longhorn GIU, connect the PC to the TV and a few other in-home multimedia devices. This will bring out a new generation of higher power graphics cards (the 3Dlabs card yesterday possibly first in that series). MS is going to try and make use of UPnP and later IPv6 will add to that. In less then 4 years you might be upgrading the firmware for your microwave, coffee maker, and main kitchen controller over the internet. Let's throw in a big screen TV, DVD writer/recorder, 500 disk DVD changer, and some voice recognition household stuff. Might not happen tomorrow but it's far from over.

The AVI problem comes from the fact that there are actualy 2 versions of the avi format. There's the windows version, and then there is the short lived mac version (which is the only one of which there is a mac CODEC). Anyways, as for Divx if you check this site
Divx 5.0

Or play DivX movies on your Sega Dreamcast with DCDivX I promise theres no spyware on that

"Today, the multimedia program was no longer available from CNET. According to a copy of the download page cached by the Google search engine, over 750,000 copies of RadLight had been downloaded from CNET as of February 2002."

I feel bad for those who downloaded this program. They obviously don't know about WinAMP. Also, why not check the DivX website for players that support DivX and not spyware .

"Radlight software indeed checks for the default Ad-aware installation path, and then removes all files that are not currently in use, upon its first execution."

It seems that it checks only once, so reinstalling Ad-Aware wouldn't be much of a problem. OR you could just install into a different directory than the default.

"Newsbytes has confirmed that installing RadLight version 3.03 deletes Lavasoft's Ad-Aware program, as promised in a warning in the software's 1,100-word license agreement."

Not too many people I know read EULA's unless they are looking for something specific, especially when it's 1100 words.

the best DVD backups to DivX i've seen used DVD::Rip and transcode under linux to rip the .vob (mpeg-2) and then Virtual Dub with the new DivX 5.01 encoder under windoze to encode. Bit of a long way round, but the improvement in quality between divX4 and 5 is amazing. Looking forward to the linux DivX5 encoder so can dump windope completely.

a) It is not possible to transfer all copies of a secured media file to another' computer. Programs that would allow doing so are illegal under the DMCA (17 U.S.C. 1201). It is not possible to give away an legally purchased file. First Sale is dead.

b) Future innovations like portable MP3 players will not be possible as it will not be possible to rip an MP3 without Recording Industry pre-approval. (The RIAA sued Diamond over their Rio portable MP3 Player and lost, because people have a right to space-shift music they purchase)

But some people picked up the opendivx code and kept developping it.

I'd say xvid is about up to par with divx5 now. (Save b-frame support, which is still divx5 only.)

New.net is "bundled" with other software, most notably "imesh" (file-sharing).

I work at an ISP, and we see a fair share of problems from this Trojan Horse.

You're correct -- no one forces anyone to put new.net on their machines. But the most frequent scenario I encounter is the patriarch of the family calling about the "family system." When Add/Remove programs reveals the presence of IMesh and New.net, invariably the statement is, "I guess one of the kids..."

This is legally very precarious ground. Kids are not old enough to make contract agreements, so unless there is some sort of age-check performed, these Trojans are coming in a backdoor with no legal agreement involved.

This is especially dangerous where no "opt-out" is offered. DivX Nteworks is currently offering an "ad-sponsored" version of their new codec, DivX 5.0 (otherwise a nice piece of software) -- we are already getting calls about "where are all these pop-ups coming from?"

I installed the DivX package and guess what?

1. There is no choice in installing it, if you want this package, you must install the advertising software.

2. It doesn't just deliver ads. It provides detailed information about your net activities to a server that then decides what ads to deliver to your system.

3. Uninstalling DivX does not remove the service that it adds to an XP machine. DivX Networks claims in its forums that it uninstalls with their software, but no user has yet agreed with them on this point.

So, when "Junior" installs DivX on the family PC, the entire family gets spied upon, with no one of legal age having consented.

This is a lawsuit waiting to happen. DivX Networks in particular stand to lose a great deal in terms of community resect/user trust, if not in cash.

Here ya go.

If you don't have the DiVX 5 codec, Get that here.

Have fun.

It looks like Divx5 is released, and DivXnetworks are resorting to implanting spyware (or charging $30 for the pro version) to offset the licensing costs. This might have some effect on the XviD (open sourced derivative of DivX) though, but looks like it will go the same way as the LAME MP3 encoder, as discussed in this thread

OK, I have a question... I keep hearing MPEG4 is not a codec but a container format (like QuickTime). How then is DivX related to MPEG4, especially since it uses AVI as it's container format?

Actually you can rent DivX movies online. DivX.com links to several companies that are offering DivX rentals. Check out the DivX Showcase page.

The rentals are offered using a system developed by DivXNetworks.

:bez

They'll last untill some rocket-scientist figures out that some bizzare combination of fishoil and hairspray will neutralize the selfdestruct mechanism....which will take place 4.36 days after they get to market.

But really...who cares. Between broadband, DivX;-), the dropping costs of DVD writer/rewriters and the media, hardware DivX;-) cards (I know one or two have been announced) and the social acceptance of Napster....The MPAA is in the process of shitting itself.

Well at least until they get enough senators in their back pocket to pass that SSSCA shit.

virtros

Q: Is the OpenDivX(TM) codec the same as the DivX(TM) codec?

A: Yes and no. Yes, they are both versions of DivX compression technology. The OpenDivX codec was launched as an open-source project on Project Mayo in January 2001. Today, the project continues as a collaborative, educational development effort, focusing more on improving visual quality than optimizing performance. The latest generation of the DivX codec (version 4.x) was released in July 2001. The new DivX codec is technically completely different from OpenDivX, and is built from a different codebase. It has been optimized for greater performance and visual quality and has more features than OpenDivX. It's important to note that the two codecs produce compatible formats, meaning content encoded with OpenDivX can be played back with DivX, and vice versa. The DivX codec will from now on be the version with the most new features and widest compatibility across platforms, so this is the version we recommend you use.

Q: Is DivX(TM) video technology a hack of Microsoft code?

A: Absolutely not. A lot of people seem to think we're not making ourselves clear here, so pay attention: the DivX(TM) codec is a patent-pending (as in, patents owned by DivXNetworks) technology created from scratch (as in blank screen, blinking cursor) by DARC (the DivX Advanced Research Center) and the team at DivXNetworks. We hope this puts that issue to rest.

How does the DivX compare to the first Ogg Tarkin ideas?

How does the DivX compare to the first Ogg Tarkin ideas?

That movie was made mostly by two guys. Total crew for everything was around 8. They used good consumer level equipment. Editing and special effects were done on Macs using about $2000 worth of software. It's only their second attempt at a movie, too.

And guess what? Duality looks as good as anything in the original Star Wars.

I think we are entering a phase where the resources required to make a top notch movie with full special effects are going to go way down. So maybe it is true that it won't be possible to get a $200 million budget for a major movie...but I don't think anyone will need a $200 million budget anymore.

How will this affect things such as DivX which use MPEG4 in their CODEC(s)? Wouldn't such a fee system preclude them from giving away the encoder/decoder (or atleast the encoder)?

For those of you following at home, that's Divx the doomed DVD format, not DivX the video codec.

Microsoft owns the start page, the defaults, the windowing environment, and the content standards. It turns out they also own the traffic, the audience management, and if you're watching closely what they're doing with Windows Media, they're going to force you to pay licenses to show your own content on-line.

..and they're not the only ones. Seems royalties are due often when a particular codec is used to make or even use a digital video file for a business. Yes, DivX too.

Now, I'm sure most companies would buy a product to make digital videos with a particular codec, but the thought of writing a check to a third party in order to use a particular file format seems just a bit much, especially when the contents of that file are 100% owned by that company.

Speak of the devil, DivX 5.0 is out and uses ogg technology for video!

http://www.divx.com