DivX partners with Google Video, Pioneer

LAS VEGAS--Video technology company DivX is partnering with Google to make Google Video accessible on a variety of consumer electronics devices, the companies announced Friday at the Consumer Electronics Show here.

The DivX video-codec video compression technology offers DVD quality at 10 times the compression of traditional MPEG2 files, enabling a full-length film to fit on one CD or eight films to fit on one DVD.

DivX also announced that Pioneer Electronics will introduce a new line of DivX-certified DVD players and recorders in the U.S. and JVC will introduce a new line of DivX Ultra-certified in-car DVD receivers in North America.

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More than 50 million DivX-certified devices are on the market worldwide, San Diego-based DivX said.

In addition, DivX said Zoran's Vaddis processors are DivX certified and ADS Tech's DVD Xpress DX2 audio/video-capture device supports DivX digital video technology.

Further strengthening its ties to Hollywood, DivX announced that Christopher McGurk, former Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer chief operating officer, has joined the DivX board of directors.

DivX does for video what the popular MP3 audio standard does for music, allowing people to create and play copy-protected video that's small enough to be easily distributed over the Internet and played on a variety of devices. The company's latest DivX 6.0 technology is designed for storing high-definition personal movies and allows distribution of commercial movie releases.

"First-run movies still have not made it to the digital realm," DivX Chief Operating Officer Kevin Hell said in an interview with CNET News.com. "The timing is hard to predict. It's based on buzz and the perceived market-opportunity and sometimes based on politics."

[Dead Soulman]

What???

DIVX was/is goood. MPEG2 has better "screen size:file size" ratio. Sure you can fit an entire movie onto a cd-r. But, the quality would be equivalent to MPEG4.

I'm not saying that DIVX is bad for movies. With the abundance of portable video units, iPods and many of other manufacturers, now would be a great time for them to show their full potential. DIVX is a great option for encoding movies to have on portable units as well as the inevitable car-movie entertainment system.

I hope they have a great comeback plan.

[David Arbogast]

DivX Problem

My biggest issue with DivX is that, once encoded, any further manipulation of the file results in terrible loss of quality. A DivX file is clearly best suited for *final* delivery to the consumer... not to the consumer's wide range of devices that require reencoding.

[BMR777]

Google > DivX > Claria/Gator!!!

Yes, DivX is popular, but in order to make DIVX movies you need a program such as DivX Pro, which, last time I checked, is still bundled "free" (there is no such thing as free anymore) with Claria's Adware Gator.

So, basically, all of these companies such as Google and Pioneer are helping spread a format who is supported by an adware app, and thus they are spreading the adware with their dollars.

I don't trust any company that distributes adware, nor do I trust their partners. Perhaps I should remove Google as my homepage? I never thought I'd see the day...

DivX - Clean Up Your Act.
Brandon Rusnak
http://www.rusnakweb.com

[czdurham]

or maybe not

DivX hasn't included Gator since 2003.

[skeptik]

nonsense

You only need the decode the distributed files, which is a free codec, without adware. If you want to create a DIVX file you can use the free codec or spend a few bucks to get the full program. You're not forced to install any adware.

[technewsjunkie]

Why proprietary Divx over a Standard MPEG-4?

Anyone?

[technewsjunkie]

I meant H.264 (MPEG-4)

To be more specific.

[Earl Benser]

DIVX is a waste of time aand dollars....

MPEG-r andor H.264 are already available. Divx in not needed, not
can Divx add anything new to the deal.

DivX works, WMVs don't

Perhaps the reason that Google is partnering with DivX is because their DRM works while Microsoft's doesn't. I have successfully rented and downloaded DivX movies and played them on my DivX capable DVD player on my HD set. I've yet to get a DRM'd WMV file working on it even though it is supposed to work. As for quality I have successfully encoded HD content much faster and better looking than with WMV 10. Good for the underdog!