NEWSFLASH!!!! Divx 4 Mac

Exerpt of a subscription email i recieved from the DivX Center.

DivX for Mac 5.0 Alpha 3 Released
----------------------------------

With the release of DivX 5.0 in March of this year, we provided
the first publicly released MPEG-4 compatible video codec for the
Macintosh. Since then, we've continued development work to bring
the full splendor of DivX video to our Mac users. Version 5.0
Alpha 3 of DivX for Mac OS was recently released, and it fixes
several of the issues that were affecting users of Alpha 2.

DivX for Mac OS is a QuickTime component that runs on Mac OS 8.6
through Mac OS X. Check out the new Alpha 3 release today.

* Download DivX for Mac 5.0 Alpha 3:
<http://www.divx.com/divx/mac/>

download

 

Hopefully this will work for some of our MAC friends

 

hopefully

 

No thanks... why do people insist on using DivX?

 

because it is great compression when done correctly. y wouldn't you want to use it?

 

Here's why people use DIVX... compared to Quicktime's new MPEG4 compression, you can get filesizes of the same quality down to about 2/3 of the size.

DIVX should become the new standard for video on computers because of how simply amazing the format is.

--t.toe

 

Amen! All bow down to the glory that is DivX!! Surrender now!

 

Divx is an okay codec.

The file size is comparable to the new Sorenson codec but the file properties still suck. It uses the .avi file. You cannot stream the file.

Divx is a poor man's alternative but still falls way short of Sorenson's capabilities.

 

yes.. and when Divx is done slightly wrong.. the results can be horrid.... i did it once and decided to swear off Divx

 

Ahh, but you all fail to see that the creation of the perfect DIVX file is an artistic process.

And for the record, if you're comparing DIVX and Sorensen file sizes, you'll get a horrible mess of a quicktime with Sorensen compared with what you could get on a DIVX with the same file size. I'll post samples, if you must see...

Secondly, I would gladly forfeit a lack of streaming for a 2x (at least) gain in quality. Maybe I'm just weird like that.

--t.toe

 

I didn't post this to convert people.
But there are often complaints when ppl post .avi files, coz MAC ppl can't read them.

now they can.

 

The wonder of DivX is that no one is selling it. Seems to me like it is just part of the big Linux/Open Source type movement. Programs I've used like Blender/Terragen/VirtualDub all seem to be kind of in the same boat.

Anyway, I have a question for people standing up for Sorensen(which I think is great too) why aren't DVDrips compressed with it? Seems like DivX is the codec of choice for that...

 

Well, they ARE selling DIVX. But I don't really see the point to laying out the cash for something that's almost as awesome free. Let's hope they don't go completely pay. Although they'll always be something free to replace it. ^_-

--t.toe

EDIT: Oh, I completely forgot! You have to get the pay version of DIVX if you use the codec commercially. They actually are REALLY quick at finding out if you're selling DIVX files without a license.

 

I know these threads always turn into debates, but I still had to throw in another voice for DivX.

what's wrong with the poor man's version if it works just as well as the pay stuff?

all I'm saying to Mac users is please check it out. Divx is amazing for outputting your fanfilm to a manageable size. stop hating everything avi. and give it a chance.

I would like to see some comparisons (I'm open to using sorenson myself if it makes that much of a difference.)

thanks

 

I think that realistically, Quicktime is just a more professional way of presenting media. I mean, everyone uses it, not DivX avi stuff except for us computer junkies.

 

swepisode,

Amazing it may be, but until DivX actually produce a version of the codec for COMPRESSING footage on a Mac, and not just viewing/decompressing it's all a bit moot. Even if I loved to codec I can't actually use it to compress my movies/footage, which is obviously pretty important.

Universal acceptance is pretty important if you want your movies to be viewed by all, which is why most people opt for the tried and tested Sorenson/Quicktime combo.

 

My own two cents: We did our initial compression using Sorenson -- and had zero problems with it. Not a single email ever arrived from anyone unable to view the movie (Mac or PC). Eventually, we were contacted by the people at divx.com, who offered to compress Duality for us for inclusion on their website. We agreed.

That's when the emails started flooding in -- and not from Mac people, who would just download the Sorenson version. The emails were from people trying to view the movie on their PC's, suggesting that we'd made some kind of error in compressing the movie...

 

come on MAC users, no one is asking to you 'give up your precious sorenson 3 and on2'. The writer just was posting to tell you that now you can view divx files... you should be happy not arrogant.

 

So I says to mayble I says 'bump'

 

I've been watching DivX videos on my Mac for over a year now and haven't had much trouble with them but that's because I regularly peruse the swarthy nether regions of the internet. A majority of Mac users still don't know they can view DivX. Like the others have said, Mac users still can't encode in the format. Also, the grab bag variety of audio formats used with DivX makes things difficult to stay up-to-date. QuickTime puts everything you need in one package (On2 excluded).

I won't be the first Mac user to admit that DivX does have an edge on the quality/size ratio of Sorenson. But the standardization of QT and it's codecs on multiple platforms gives it an important edge, especially for content delivery folks.

Edit- by the way WhisperingDeath, I've always wondered what was said to Mayble, thanks!

 

I've noticed that the majority of 3d animated short films available on the net are nearly all DivX. Or in the case where both DivX and Quicktime are offered, the DivX version usually looks the best. And most are usually 640 wide, and can be played backed smoothly without any glitches. The same cannot be said for On2 at that size.

 

I guess what I'm really saying is that while I realize that DIVX isn't the standard, it very well SHOULD be.

Part of DIVX's inability to saturate the computing world is due to Microsoft's keeping it down by not including it in it's auto-download-codec service, unlike MANY other codecs you can watch with Windows Media Player. And the other part of it's inability to saturate it is the lack of Mac codecs. If those two problems are remedied, DIVX is set to take over the world. ^_^

--t.toe

 

Daft,

I had no idea there's no way to compress divx on a Mac (or stream it, as mentioned above). that has to be the most insane things I've ever heard.

seriously, do the divx folks think it's the UNcreative people using Macs? I just assumed it would at least be available to export through Premiere...

I don't know a single thing about writing codec software, so maybe there are legit reasons why it doesn't work, but I figured any video codec (minus window media crap) would be written with the video creators in mind. (Macs users in particular)

This in mind I was a bit harsh a few lines ago. I take back that part about giving it a chance...





...until of course they add compression to the Mac. then you have no choice!



great format. lousy rep. even lousier implementation. way too long of a post. thanks for reading my rant.

my 3 cents.

 

you should be happy not arrogant.

I think you've missed the point here. I have been able to watch DivX movies for a while now, I downloaded and installed the original alpha codec months ago. It does seem to be a good codec for getting filessizes down and quality up - but as I said, I can't compress using it, otherwise I'm sure I would have posted something in a DivX version by now.

But just as Rive said, for me (having been on the VERY sharp end of this by using on2) compatibility is very important, there is nothing more tedious that having to answer email after email saying 'why can't I view.....' and with Sorenson everyone can view it. It is a pain to ask people to install a new codec just to watch your fim, and obviously you are cutting off a large part of your potential audience by using an unusual codec, and if it doesn't get included in Quicktime, I would consider it unusual.

Now quite why on2 and DivX aren't included as part of the standard download is another matter, but since I already have a solution for 'good quality - small filesize' I would always choose an ultra-compatible codec for a second version - Sorenson, to stop the emails. If you can't view on2, download Sorenson. And hopefully the emails stop (which they have fortunately, I haven't had one email about not being able to view the Storm Ahead trailer, which is available in on2 and Sorenson), but when Dark Skies came out, I was recieving about ten a day. Very boring after a while

DivX is another on2 as far as I can tell. And at the time of releasing Dark Skies, there wasn't even a DivX alpha decompressor around, let alone a compressor, so it would have been a nightmare, even if I could have compressed it. Bink is a really good codec, but again, it's a tricky view for most people, which is probably why more people don't use it.