DivX support finds its way into HP, LG HDTVs

There's no other way to say it, DivX is on a roll in 2008 (that small Stage6 stumble is already a fading memory). If support from Blu-ray players and videogame consoles wasn't enough, DivX Certification has snaked its long arm directly into HDTVs, with "over 80 models" from HP and LG slapping on a sticker indicating users can simply plug a USB drive in and play their entirely-legitimately-owned content. Expect that number to grow, since DivX is also working with AMD, Chips and Media, Broadcom and Trident to include support in other chipsets powering digital TVs near you. Now how about we see some of that content?

[mac @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:50PM]

And to think I was excited by being able to play my video files through my laptop via VGA cable...if done at all well, this is even easier.

[Chebwa @ Apr 23rd 2008 12:54PM]

I'd like to plug a USB key with a DVD rip on it into my TV and have it play.

Not that this is bad, but THAT would be good.

[Kilton @ Apr 23rd 2008 4:03PM]

is that not exactly what this is?

"over 80 models from HP and LG slapping on a sticker indicating users can simply plug a USB drive in and play their entirely-legitimately-owned content"

[Pochi @ Apr 23rd 2008 4:06PM]

They were joking. DivX is a popular format for piracy.

[Lowest Ranked @ Apr 23rd 2008 1:08PM]

Surely, a feature such as this would be easy enough to integrate via a WiseLink USB firmware upgrade?

Right Samsung?

Right.

[phanbouy @ Apr 23rd 2008 1:17PM]

too bad divx doesn't hold a candle to x264

[Lowest Ranked @ Apr 23rd 2008 1:21PM]

But its much easier to find on the torrents ;)

[KEROLiUKAS @ Apr 23rd 2008 1:46PM]

A little birdy told me that DivX Is working on a x264 based divx codec....

[phanbouy @ Apr 23rd 2008 1:54PM]

really? that's awesome. i can't wait till they take an open, well-adopted standard and add tons of commercial overhead on pointless middle-man-isms

[phanbouy @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:01PM]

@lowest, maybe so, but just netflix it. even a standard def DVD will beat a 1.3GB let alone 700MB divx copy. and any HD content encoded to divx or xvid is a joke.

[Magallanes @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:09PM]

@phanbouy

Even a "every-must-be-left-uncompress" puritan can't find a difference between a original dvd and a proper xvid ripper.

[phanbouy @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:17PM]

@mag

i'm not talking about ripping the dvd uncompressed. i'm just saying why steal it off bittorrent when you can get it on the cheap from netflix and enjoy higher fidelity? if you're that obsessed with having a good backup of it, rip it and transcode it yourself to x264. it'd still take less time than downloading it.

and give me numbers. i stand by my assertion that a 1.3GB xvid/divx will look inferior to the original MPEG2 DVD. however, that same size file in x264 will look just as good as the DVD source. go google it, there's plenty of screen grabs comparing xvid/divx to h264 at equiv. bitrates and the compression artifacts and image quality are dramatically better on the latter case.

[Magallanes @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:31PM]

@phanbouy

Of course if you own a ultraexpensive hometheatre then it's pointless to bargain for a divx/xvid movie but many customers don't fit in this profile and don't complain even to see a screener cam movie for free.

[phanbouy @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:37PM]

ultraexpensive? my 24" Soyo M-PVA panel I got for $300 as my display for everything shows a night and day difference between the two codecs at a typical 700-900 MB size. upgrading from using my 15" laptop monitor as my primary display has been my main motivation for purging my drives from xvid content.

i guess if someone's a diehard bittorrent kiddie or has a really weak CPU, i can see shunning h.264.

[AkumaX @ Apr 23rd 2008 1:23PM]

I miss Stage6 :(

[doctorSpoc @ Apr 23rd 2008 1:29PM]

will someone please put a knife into DiviX once and for all... it's a crappy outdated format and the faster people start using H.264 an forget about that garbage format DiviX, the better off everyone will be... increased DivX support is a step backwards...

this is not a good thing... it's a bad thing... get a clue HP!. get a clue LG!

[Wwhat @ Apr 23rd 2008 4:35PM]

You are taking the wrong pills?

[Oinquer @ Apr 23rd 2008 1:37PM]

i would support H.264 ...but its hard to find good movies in that format...
so i keep getting Divx versions...
my room dvd-player has memory card reader and usb ...i normally stick the USB in it and pay divx movies with the subtitles i want...

[phanbouy @ Apr 23rd 2008 1:45PM]

"and pay divx movies..."

Freudian slip there?

[Matthew @ Apr 23rd 2008 1:43PM]

I'm really enjoying DIVX on my PS3. Who needs on Demand? This is My Demand.

[phanbouy @ Apr 23rd 2008 1:46PM]

yer not in marketing, are ya?

[Matthew @ Apr 23rd 2008 1:56PM]

And I supposed you think "It's Comcastic!" is better? =P

[L255J @ Apr 23rd 2008 1:59PM]

Divx as well as all other .avi codecs just need to die off and make way for MPEG4.

[Magallanes @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:18PM]

AFAIK MS launched a "so called" ms-mpeg4 codec, later divx hack'n crack it and rebranded as a new codec.

Today Divx is mpeg 4, xvid is mpeg-4 (p2), and h264 isa mpeg-4 (p10).

[doctorSpoc @ Apr 23rd 2008 3:04PM]

DivX is a container format and an extension of the .avi that specifies MPEG-4 as the video format

[doctorSpoc @ Apr 23rd 2008 3:09PM]

..and H.264 is an extension of MPEG-4 that has much better compression than MPEG-4 proper i.e. much better image quality for file size. so if have money to burn buying hard drives to hold your videos go for DivX

[TavisJohn @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:05PM]

I keep hearing how H.264 is "better" than other formats... However I do not see any problems with Divx. It is really easy to make Divx vids anyway, thanks to Dr Divx.

I want easy to use, decent quality, and widespread compatability. So that makes Divx the winner! It works on XBMC, my DVD Players, LIfeDrive... And many other devices!
(If only the ZUNE software or the ZUNE itself supproted it...)

[phanbouy @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:10PM]

"want easy to use, decent quality, and widespread compatability"

huh? there are plenty of apps that do drag and drop conversion to h264 if you'd be bothered with the 5 minutes learning curve.

the only drawback to x264 is higher cpu utilization per bit, which is becoming less of an issue.

i used to be into divx. they have great marketing and filled they "ease of use" niche that was lacking. but now freeware and tons of portable devices have picked up the slack and support h264 natively. divx' days are numbered.

[TavisJohn @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:58PM]

I have seen many apps that brag that they are easy to use to convert vids, however I have yet to find one that works as smoothly as Dr. Divx for me.

And as for Divx having numbered days... People have been saying that about MP3 ever sense OGG and other "better" formats have been developed. Why has MP3 stood the test of time? Becuse it is everywhere! My cellphone, Lifedrive, DVD Player, XBMC, Zune, even my GPS Navagator supports MP3! Wich ones of those support OGG, XBMC, Lifedrive... That is it...

I have seen the same vid converted into Divx and H.264... And I can not tell the difference on my laptop, TV, or even on my HDTV... So I plan on sticking with MP3 and Divx. It works for me.

Yes there will always be something better arround the corner, something will come up that will put H.264 to shame. And there will still be people loyal to Divx, and to H.264.

[doctorSpoc @ Apr 23rd 2008 3:15PM]

TavisJohn.. sure you can get DivX to as good a quality as H.264 but not at the same file size... if you have a library of any size you're going to be eating up more hard drive space for nothing...

also if you're watching your videos on a computer screen you'll be hard pressed to see the difference even at the same files size... play a DivX(MPEG-4) and an H.264 of the same file size on a 46 inch flat screen and you'll be able to see the difference pretty easily...

[TavisJohn @ Apr 23rd 2008 6:34PM]

My point is Divx is good enough for me. I do not have a 46" HDTV (And I doubt I will be getting and HDTV that large). And hard drives are not THAT expensive. (However I do burn most of my stuff off on to DVD or DL-DVD)

There will alway be better codec's out there. But as I stated before Divx is good enough for ME. Everyone has different needs and wants, and that is why there are soo many codecs out there...

[Homeboy @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:09PM]

I never thought of this. Very clever idea. Final nail in the coffin for HD-DVD??? Can't wait to buy a TV with this feature and hook up a hefty 750GB drive to it and re-watch The O.C season 1.

[Lowest Ranked @ Apr 23rd 2008 3:07PM]

I can think of a billion better uses for this than using it for The OC...

[Chebwa @ Apr 23rd 2008 3:32PM]

I can think of a billion better ways to injure myself than watch the O.C.

[BlowURmindBowel @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:14PM]

With a name like phanbouy, I just have to ignore you...

At least you are living up to your name (h.264 is sooo great, blah blah blah)

[phanbouy @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:18PM]

great argument, i'm sure you're right. yay, ignorance!

[phanbouy @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:21PM]

btw, i'd rather have a fun ironic name instead of literally being named after shit. matches your post pretty well, though

[BlowURmindBowel @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:27PM]

Hahaha, clownshoes!

[PH @ Apr 23rd 2008 3:38PM]

I totally agree with phanbouy, why steal and watch crappy divx rips when you can watch all the original dvds and blurays you want legally for like $10-$24 a month with Netflix ...

[Wwhat @ Apr 23rd 2008 4:36PM]

Because the money goes to sony?

[Wwhat @ Apr 23rd 2008 4:37PM]

Divx doesn't even support 64 bit OS's, perhaps they should work on that before branching out huh.
Or perhaps engadget should just call it xvid support, or mp4 support