DivX VP "not very happy" with the Xbox 360's codec decision

by Xav de Matos { Jan 19th 2009 at 3:30PM }

In an update that predates Microsoft's NXE, the Xbox 360 gained the ability to playback DivX formatted video but according to VP Jerome Vashist-Rota of the DivX Inc., his company isn't exactly happy with the route Microsoft took. Speaking with TechRadar the DivX VP of creative, brand and community praised the Xbox 360 for its DivX support but expressed frustration that the Xbox 360 uses third-party software and not the official codec provided by his company.

"It's all about branding," Rota said. "And branding can work both ways, so it is not just us losing out with the Xbox 360's lack of official certification." It doesn't seem to be a sticking point with consumers, or Microsoft for that matter, so only MS knows if changes are afoot. Currently, Sony has a partnership with DivX and uses the official codec for video support.

[via 1UP]

Tags: divx, xbox-360-dashboard

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Taylor Barratt @ Jan 19th 2009 3:50PM

I think you guys are forgetting that DiVX was originally a hacked copy of Microsoft's own MP4 codecs.

I'm guessing they're holding a grudge.

I don't care. Haven't had a problem playing a divx file yet on my 360. Still can't get them to play on my PS3 (but not really stressing over it either).

xenocidic @ Jan 19th 2009 3:55PM

yea, I lent a MMD to a friend who has a PS3 and she can only play a handful of the movies on there. they worked fine on my 360.

what gives?

jolan @ Jan 19th 2009 4:03PM

Wah Wah, give us money -- DivX

Slow news day -- 1UP/X3F

MrMuggs @ Jan 19th 2009 4:14PM

You hit the nail on the head. It's all about the money. DivX wants MS to license its codec so they get paid.

Gtag o Infinite101 o @ Jan 19th 2009 5:59PM

Sounds like divx is just being
a whiny baby. All divx codec is mainly used for boot legged videos. I haven't had any problems streaming videos from my laptop with divx movies.

Phawx @ Jan 19th 2009 4:06PM

I actually prefer that MS doesn't fully support Divx like the PS3 does. We can play Xvid and the PS3 can't.

mike @ Jan 19th 2009 4:21PM

yes it can

Anyway who care what divx says the codec is open source anyone can write a decoder thye should just stop whining the divx brand is pants anyway xvid is much better

Phawx @ Jan 19th 2009 4:40PM

I should rephrase that. I can play *my* Xvid videos. Tested through Gspot and almost ALL of my xvid files DO NOT play on a PS3 to stream from a network.

Phawx @ Jan 19th 2009 4:44PM

Can should be "Can't"

joeybeast @ Jan 19th 2009 4:22PM

All these codecs are so confusing.
I can't be bother with whether or not my xbox support the official codec or not.

maddox @ Jan 19th 2009 4:25PM

what this really means is that you can kiss the idea of MKV goodbye. the 360 will probably never see it now. Thats a shame.

Phawx @ Jan 19th 2009 4:41PM

While I do like the MKV container. I'm sure it would only support the Divx Codec inside that container.

So than the MKV is only really good for having multiple streams of Divx and audio in one MKV. Not terrible, but its still a slight

D dogg @ Jan 19th 2009 4:46PM

Does Divx really matter when you can stream movies to your Xbox 360 for $9/mth!?

Other than lowering the price to free, what does a company have to do to stop people from pirating movies!?

I just don't get it. Actually, I do somewhat get it. It makes guys get boners in school when they can see Spiderman 4 before it's released in the theater and no one else in their immediate group can.

... whatever

Pyrii @ Jan 19th 2009 4:58PM

DivX has been commercialised stolen code for ages, and even tries to take over playback of XviD, doing a poor job in the process. In my experience, XviD is free, more professional and in the right hands gets better results.

At the end of the day, DivX thinks it can get money and exclusivity from Microsoft, which it can't. And if WMP12(it's in windows 7 beta, supports divx/xvid/h264/etc on a clean install) is anything to go by, Microsoft is looking to finally step up format support in it's media applications, which hopefully will translate to 360.

yolarrydabomb @ Jan 20th 2009 4:26AM

hope so

I sick of installing 3rd party codecs.

Also Win7 supports ISO burning. Thank god they finally making life easier.

JB @ Jan 19th 2009 6:16PM

The thing that sucks about the 360 playing Divx is you have to be online to use the media update and watch videos.

Jeramy @ Jan 19th 2009 10:33PM

dude, clearly you downloaded it on an old rrod console and it's just exhibiting the same drm signs as xbla games and all other dlc. just download it again and it will work offline. i hardly ever sign in when i watch shows off my 360.

JB @ Jan 19th 2009 11:05PM

I think It has something to do with me recovering my profiles, I think I have to make a new one to make it work offline.

ypod @ Jan 19th 2009 6:22PM

It's not a really big deal, as long as we consumers can still play our media. I'm all for adding more codec support, especially MKV. I do not think official codec branding impacts most consumers purchases.

Nick @ Jan 19th 2009 7:16PM

I gave up on codec support on any of the systems. The 360 versus the PS3 is subpar with programs like TVersity.

I can take an MKV file and have it fully playable with 5.1 sound on the PS3 within minutes, to do that for the 360 takes enough fiddling to milk a cow and in the end it still sounds like I'm flying a jet engine, just what I want to have when I'm watching a movie.

I gave up on these systems for 100% enjoyable playback. I have a PS3 for games and Bluray, my 360 for games and I'm getting a Popcorn Hour to use as my main and only media device.

Now that's a piece of hardware that knows what it's doing.

Also - for anyone going on about the $9/month - that's only if you're in the US. I'm not saying that Canada should get 100% of the coverage that the US does, but what about countries like the UK as well?

I would have paid for the service because of its convenience, however thanks to being snubbed, it's a no go.

So be it then, I guess.

Startingline13 @ Jan 20th 2009 9:03AM

Nick,

When was the last time you used Tversity to stream to your PS3? It stopped working with June's PS3 update buddy. Many users (Such as myself) were forced to switch to Twonky in order to stream items to the PS3. Tversity still works fine on my 360 though, I've never had any problems with it. Perhaps your connection is slow??

Luay @ Jan 20th 2009 12:34PM

yea but thats not really Microsofts Fault its more Netflix who don't support Canada/UK.

If there was a competing service in Canada/UK i'm sure Microsoft would do it. It would be cool if Microsoft and Rogers worked out a little deal since Rogers already has Rogers on Demand, that would be interesting.

As for TVersity works great for me, I however have just been putting shows on a USB and playing them straight from the USB device with no problems. If I do experience a show/movie which won't work then i'll just use TVersity to get it working and so far i've had no problems whatsoever

Nick @ Jan 20th 2009 1:18PM

Oh, TVersity works fine on my 360, however what doesn't work fine is MKV w/ 5.1 surround sound. There's no MKV2Vob program for the 360.

So if I want to have video and sound, the 360 isn't the proper choice.

And I'm not faulting MS for not providing the service, at least they HAVE video available to Canada, unlike the PS3. That said, I'm not going to deal with the way MS handles their points for Canada.

With the PS3, $1 for an item is $1, and with the Canadian dollar, I make out nicely. With the 360, the points are all based around the US dollar and we get shafted. So there's no way I'm going to pay an extra few dollars to get a movie through the Xbox marketplace. Funny thing is that in Canada, far more people have high-speed connections, so there may be fewer people in total, but the majority are all on connections that would be able to perfectly stream this content.

Sigh. Ah well, it is what it is. Regardless, HD media for me goes to my PS3 until I get my Popcorn Hour up and running, my 360 is games only.

Dragod @ Jan 19th 2009 8:14PM

DivX? I'm past that... Give us MKV and H.264 support.

It seemed like as soon as we got DivX on Xbox, I discovered the magic of an H.264 MKV.

Graeme Q @ Jan 19th 2009 9:52PM

Yeah, exactly what I was thinking.

MKV and H.264.

I could understand if we were on 56K modems but we're not.

Do you lot not understand quality ;)

DivX is so 90's

yolarrydabomb @ Jan 20th 2009 4:28AM

56K and Satellite Internet.

People still using them

Like me (satellite)

Hopefully obama's internet plan will kill 56k.

XzaR @ Jan 20th 2009 10:43AM

Did not Xbox 360 already support H.264 with mp4 or something?

b8am4xx @ Jan 20th 2009 3:48PM

From my experience, avi's that i've tested on both PS3 and 360 seem to all play on 360, but some don't play on PS3. Could be variations in codec (divx/xvid/etc), but oh well.

I have no problem streaming them to the 360 either through TVersity or WMP11 or Windows Media Connect, so the guy who had the problem with that, I just don't understand.

I'm sure the PS3 can play some of the avi's that have failed for me, but maybe only through TVersity (transcoding) or similar methods.

The 360's codec is apparently a lot better, IMHO.