XviD is a GPL open source MPEG-4 video codec. Originally based on OpenDivX , XviD was started by a group of volunteer programmers after the OpenDivX source was closed.XviD features MPEG-4 Advanced Simple Profile features such as b-frames, quarter pixel motion compensation, global motion compensation, lumi masking , Trellis quantization, and H.263, MPEG and custom quantisation matrices.
Some of these features are believed to be covered by software patents in a number of countries (notably US or Japan). Because of this, XviD 0.9.x versions were not licensed in countries where these type of patents are enforcible. With the 1.0.x releases, a plain GNU GPLv2 license is used with no explicit geographical restriction. However the legal usage of XviD may still be restricted by local laws. (See mailing list discussions [1], [2], [3].)
XviD's main competitor is DivX. While XviD is open source, DivX is available as either a freeware binary, or the commercial version DivX Pro , which claims significantly better compression and speed.
1 History
In January 2001, DivXNetworks founded OpenDivX as part of Project Mayo, which was intended to be a home for open source multimedia projects. OpenDivX was an open-source MPEG4 video codec based on a stripped down version of the MoMuSys reference MPEG4 encoder, however the code was placed under a restrictive license and only members of the DivX Advanced Research Centre had write access to the project CVS. In early 2001, DARC member Sparky wrote an improved version of the encoding core called encore2, which was updated several times before, in April, it was removed from CVS without warning. The explanation given by Sparky was "We (our bosses) decided that we are not ready to have it in public yet".
In July 2001, developers started complaining about a lack of activity in the project: the last CVS commit was several months before, bugfixes were being ignored, and promised documentation had not turned up. Soon after, DARC released a beta version of their closed-source commercial DivX 4 codec, which was based on encore2, saying that "what the community really wants is a WinampWinamp is a skinnable, multi-format music/ media player made by Nullsoft that currently can be used only on the Windows operating system; it is available for free, although a "Pro" version with additional features is available for a small payment to cover, not a LinuxThis article is about Linux-based operating systems, GNU/Linux, and related topics. See Linux kernel for the kernel itself. See Linux (washing powder) for the Swiss brand of washing powder. Tux, a plump penguin, is the official Linux mascot Linux is the n". Some people accused DivXNetworks of starting OpenDivX for the sole purpose of harvesting other people's ideas to use in their DivX 4 codec, some were disappointed that the codec had stagnated and wanted to continue working on it, while others were angry at the way DivXNetworks handled a so-called open source project. It was after this that a forkIn software, a project fork or branch happens when a developer (or a group of them) takes code from a project and starts to develop independently of the rest. The term is also used more loosely to represent a similar branching of any work (for example, th of OpenDivX was created, using the latest version of encore2 that a few people downloaded before it was removed. Since then all the OpenDivX code has been replaced and XviD is published under the GPL.
The current stable release is 1.0.2 (released August 30August 30 is the 242nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (243rd in leap years), with 123 days remaining. Events 1574 Guru Ram Das became the Fourth Sikh Guru/Master 1813 Battle of Kulm French forces defeated by Austrian- Prussian- Russian alliance, 20042004 is a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 2004 calendar), and has also been designated the: International Year of Rice International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition Elections are to be held in 73 co).
