If you've been surfing the Internet for a while, you'd be well aware that there is a digital video format called DivX.
DivX
is a special compressed video format which compacts your video into a very
small size while retaining good video quality (almost DVD quality).
It's something like the "MP3" format of the digital video world.
A full-length movie in DVD quality used to
take up about a few GB of hard disk space. With DivX, you only need about 700
MB. It's an amazing technology.
This article gives you some tips on converting video to the DivX format and special stuff you need to take
note of.
Tip 1: Why Do You Need To Convert Your Video To DivX?
The first question I'd pose before continuing is to ask you why you want to convert your video files to DivX. Is it to save space? You should be aware that there are other alternatives to convert video (e.g. you can just burn the video out to a physical DVD). If you are absolutely sure you need to convert to DivX, then read on, my friend.
The DivX video format is extremely compact and very popular
Tip 2. Obtain A Good DixV Conversion Tool
The next tip I have for you is to obtain a good DivX conversion tool. The best software I know of is
Dr DivX - this is the official software program made by the creators of DivX technology. It has all the options you need for controlling video / audio encoding and compression.
Tip 3: The XviD Format
You should also be aware that there is a
XviD format (essentially "DivX" spelt backwards) which also allows you to compress digital video to a similar degree. Some say XviD is an even better technology than DivX. If you want to produce XviD videos, you can check out
this guide here
- which is a solid, encyclopedic reference.
Tip 4: Playing Back DivX Videos
Please after you've converted your DVD movie into DivX, you can't just burn that DivX file into a DVD, pop it into the DVD player and expect to view it on the TV. To do that, you need to have your movie in its original (un-converted) DVD format unless you have a DivX compatible DVD player.
A sample D-Link player that streams DivX video
Yes, there are in fact DivX compatible DVD players out in the market - if you convert a lot of videos to DivX, you should consider investing in one. The other option you have is to stream your DivX video to your TV using some kind of wireless video streaming device, which you can
read about here (I've been meaning to get myself one of those).
Tip 5: Be Careful About Distributing Your DivX Movies
If you're converting your copy of The Fantastic Four to DivX, ensure that you keep that converted DivX file for your own use only. Because DivX is a great compression technology, many pirates use it to distribute files illegally on the Internet (mostly through BitTorrent sites).
So make absolutely sure that the converted DivX movie stays on your home PC, away from any BitTorrent site, in case you get sued by the MIAA.
Conclusion
And that's it - now you know some good tips on converting your digital videos to the DivX format. The DivX format is a great piece of technology, you just need to be clear on how to make the best use of it. That's all from me - until next time, have fun with your digital video!
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