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DivX 6.0 is Out
mattspammail writes "DivX 6.0 is out. Even Tom's Hardware has an article on it. According to TFA, this should be a big step up in compression and features. DVD-style menus are now an option."
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I hope this release addresses some of the problems plaguing previous versions. It is time to concentrate on a single codec that has interoperability options to it that allows for better tweaking to a media stream's needs so that we can forgo this silliness of multiple codecs and file formats.
One thing that TFA doesn't appear to go into is compatibilty with previous versions and third-party (ie ffmpeg) decoders. Anyone have information about that?
VLC is probably the best movie viewer for windows that I've ever seen, just because of the fact that it plays practically everything you can imagine without having to download random codecs here and there (most of the time anyway). Can DivX 6.0 do the same?
Do we *really* need a new container format, or is this just a case of "not invented here" syndrome?
We already have AVI, Ogg, Matroska, Quicktime, ISO MPEG, Real and ASF. Why do we need Divx Media Format (DMF)?
For you folks pointing out that its an "option". "Option" == "must implement" to us programmers.
I for one hate DVD menus. For one, I don't wan't to watch a repetitive scene over and over and over again just because I clicked on "> More" or " Back". I just sit there and and dream of strangling the programmer of the menus.
Is this done for performance? IN other words, are the programmers kicking off a thread to show a scene while the other menu loads? Is it a way to distract the viewer to the slow loading speeds of the DVD player?
Other than for that reason, I think DVD UI devs are morons.
Now, I know that there were some "hacks" to give you surround sound with DivX before, but this release's best new feature is the MP3 surround sound support (in my book).
With MP3 surround sound, we'll no longer be wasting space with AC3 files (at 120MB per hour!)- meaning that the days of the 2CD rips could be over!
Well, I guess I can't say that - I don't know how small the new format can do surround sound, but I'll sure be looking for it. And... we'll have to wait for hardware support, I'm sure...
I'm willing to bet that the new method of encoding files is far more friendly and less time consuming as well. Just a guess...
Huzzah! Go progress!
Video Game News, FAQs, etc
Everyone else is currently left out in the cold.
(Ref: http://www.divx.com/divx/mac/divx6.php).
No word on versions for any other platform either.
Personally, if I had my way more people would just use H.264, and then I wouldn't have to care.
Yaz.
So, it sounds like this is both a new format and a new compressor.
Well, the immediate questions are:
* How good is the compressor? Say, relative to Xvid, for example? Is it still fully MPEG4 compatible?
* Is the DMF format open, closed, or even patented?
No spyware?
I made the mistake of installing DivX once from their web site. Damn thing installed gator spyware that was a MAJOR hassle trying to get rid of even after removing DivX. Never will I support this crap compny again.
This was the only spyware that I ever had, and it was because DivX was so prevalent that I trusted them. Never again.
Spyware me once, then screw you forever.
DVD menus are absolutely horrible for handicapped users. They should be optional with a required logical declaration as to what titles on the disc are for what. Maybe some sort of XML document that declares the main feature, soundtracks, subtitle tracks, etc.
At what price learning? At what cost wisdom? The price is a man's peace of mind, and the cost is his life.
OpenDivx/Project Mayo was NOT an extension/enhancement of DivX :-), it was written from scratch. If is wasn't, I think Microsoft might just be breathing down DXN's neck rather heavilly right now.
Worst. Signature. Ever.