The DivX codec is currently the most popular MPEG-4 based codec because of its quality, speed and efficiency. As is usually the case the popular becomes more popular because… well… it’s popular! So as a result most modern DVD players and devices are now compatible with the DivX standard.

DivX is . . . → Read More: Video File Formats – DivX and H.264]]> DivX is the name of a specific video compression codec (compression-decompression) developed by DivX, Inc. The format was developed to enable users to create very high quality video with very small files sizes.

The DivX codec is currently the most popular MPEG-4 based codec because of its quality, speed and efficiency. As is usually the case the popular becomes more popular because… well… it’s popular! So as a result most modern DVD players and devices are now compatible with the DivX standard.

DivX is based on the H.264 standard which in itself is an MPEG4 variant. It is important to note that terms like MPEG2 and MPEG4 are not codecs in themselves although the terms are used in this context quite often. Both MPEG2 and MPEG4 are a set of rules or standards that dictate the manner in which particular video files are encoded and rendered (played back).

What is H.264?

To be blunt H.264 is probably the future. It is most likely that the current MPEG2 for DVD and DV avi video files types for camcorders will be phased out in favor of H.264 or something similar.

H.264 provides very powerful compression technology that delivers superior video at a low bit rate. It can run across many different types of platform and is suited to high definition production.

The H.264 standard reduces the amount of information required to reproduce a video…

How?

The H.264 encoder is able to divide each picture recorded into a set of blocks, it then searches the pictures in the video stream before and after the picture being encoded. It detects the changes between the before and after pictures as compared to the current picture and carries out what is called “motion estimation.” That’s just a fancy was of saying it makes a calculated guess as to what the changes are.

H.264 inspects the before and after pictures down to the level of one quarter of a pixel pixel for this motion search resulting in quite amazing quality.

Once it has done that it now “knows” what is the same and what is different and simply put, it throws out everything that is the same and only keeps what is different.

When the file is played back the decoder in the playback device will hit the picture in the example above. It will display a little of the total picture from the information in the file but mainly it will go to other pictures (before and after the current one) to find the rest of the information it needs to show the complete picture.

That is how it manages to achieve such small video file sizes.

It is a common misconception that H.264 is a format with only a single form. Not true. Mov files are H.264 and very often you will find that files you see that are marked as MPEG4 are actually H.264. H.264 can occur under a number of guises displaying a wide range of parameters.

For a complete look at this style of compression you can take a look at this post here under MPEG2 and MPEG4 Editing software or here for Video File Formats Explained.

As a video file encoding format H.264 represents probably the best quality for file size trade off on the market today and the DivX implementation of H.264 represents the best of the best.

The Downside

Like all highly compressed video file formats DivX was not designed in any way as an editing format. It is what is called a distribution format and is intended as the video file format to be used in the final product. Editing DivX files can be a nightmare and the reasons for this are explained in the links above in this post.

Compatibility with Other Video Editing Software

Because DivX is a specific codec it is easily implemented into your existing video editing software. All you have to do is download the codec from www.DivX.com and install. From that point forward when you choose to render a final video file of a project DivX will appear as one of the choices for file output.

Each type of video editing software will have a slighly different place in which you will gain access to imported codecs so just check your particular software documentation for details.

As I mentioned in the first post of this series on how to choose the best video editing software for you one thing to keep in mind during the selection process is, “What is it that I am REALLY going to do with this software?” There is absolutely no point in spending extra money on software that handles all sorts of exotic video file formats because it seems cool to be able to have that capability . . . → Read More: Video Editing Software – Video Formats]]> Video File Import and Export Choices

As I mentioned in the first post of this series on how to choose the best video editing software for you one thing to keep in mind during the selection process is, “What is it that I am REALLY going to do with this software?” There is absolutely no point in spending extra money on software that handles all sorts of exotic video file formats because it seems cool to be able to have that capability if you are never going to use it.

Many video file formats available today are owned by software companies and this involves paying a license to use their technology. Paying all sorts of license fees that are included within the video software package that you have no need for makes no sense at all.

Similarly, incurring extra expense for High Definition Video features or Blu-ray features when you you don’t have a Blu-ray burner or player and don’t have a High definition TV or camcorder is just wasting money.

In choosing the correct video editing software for you probably the first point to consider is (realistically),

“What will be the main video format (or formats) of the raw video files I will be importing into the program for editing?”

Secondly,

“What will be the main video file format that I will be producing so as to playback, store or distribute my final productions?

Here is a quick round up of the current video formats you are most likely to be using as input into your video editing projects:

1. Standard Definition (SD)

DV.avi
This is the video format recorded to mini DV tapes on many camcorders. As a format it is still very popular because it is a virtually uncompressed video format and provides the best quality in standard definition video combined with the greatest suitability for editing. The video format itself was developed specifically for this purpose which is why it is so video editor friendly. It requires the least amount of computer resources of all the various video file types.

MPEG2 video recorded to mini DVD either on a camcorder or DVD recorder.
MPEG2 video recorded to an inbuilt hard disc drive on a camcorder or DVD recorder.

MPEG2 was originally designed as a distribution video file type for the DVD standard. It was never designed to be edited so of course as soon as it became available on the original Sony DVD camcorders…everyone wanted to edit with it!

What ensued was about three years of heartbreak and a lot of whining and moaning from the public until the video editing software engineers finally got the format sorted out and presently this is the easiest of the compressed video file formats to edit.

It is reasonably easy on resources but because of the compression involved can be a little twitchy if your computer gets stressed. Provided you don’t keep re-copying and re-compressing the files the quality will maintain pretty well.

MPEG4, H.264, H.263, .MOV, .WMV, .FLV, DivX, Xvid and on and on and on!
This group represents the rest of the pack and all fall under a general heading of highly compressed files most often used for distribution online (YouTube etc.) or for replay on a computer monitor. They produce tiny files and considering the size of the video files they can produce some excellent quality.

The main point to remember with these files is that they were specifically designed to be video distribution formats, the final product after you have used a more video editor friendly input format. There is nothing in their design specs that included how to edit them. So it is important to note that editing with these formats will always be a hit and miss affair and should be avoided if possible. (See the note at the end of this post.)

2. High Definition (HD):

HD MPEG2 recorded to mini DV tape on a camcorder. This format is called HDV and is kind of like MPEG2 on crack! Of all the new HD formats this one has proven to be, by far, the most conducive to video editing.
AVCHD (an MPEG4 variant) usually recorded to inbuilt hard disc drive on a HD camcorder.
AVCHD recorded to DVD on a camcorder.
AVCHD recorded to solid state (flash etc.) memory on a camcorder.

AVCHD in any format and from any device is the baby of the bunch and is currently the bane of the video editing forums. It’s day will come but for now is beset with editing problems and requires huge processing ability from the computer.

On to output formats:

DVD.
This will be in the form of MPEG2 files authored (organized and written) to DVD in standard definition. It is possible to write a high definition video file structure to a standard DVD and have a High Definition player and HDTV handle it however compatibility at present is is not widespread.

Completed projects or edited material written back to the original recording device. E.g. A completed project written back to a tape camcorder for archival purposes in the original format.

High Definition material written to a Blue Ray disc or what is called a “hybrid” disc. This is an AVCHD file and file structure that can be played back on a Sony Playstation connected to a HDTV.

Finally, any of a number of very highly compressed formats for viewing on computers, hand held devices or loading on to internet services such as YouTube.

As an added note here you also need to be aware of the various sound recording and playback formats. If your particular recording device, camcorder or DVD recorder uses Dolby Stereo (AC3) or 5:1 Surround or you wish to output these audio file types, a license for that technology is needed. Check the software to see if it is included in the purchase price or whether it must be purchased as an add on.

A note on video compression.
The term compression when speaking of video files tends to give an incorrect impression regarding exactly what is happening to your files. You would think that what is happening is that your video file is being squashed in some way so as to occupy less space. Nothing could be further from the truth! The truth is that the compression software is throwing away a large part of the original information and it is this point that causes the problems in video editing.

Of course if the software marketers called it video trashing, or data dumping I don’t think, somehow, it would convey the hi-tech sexiness that they are trying to promote!

So, your first task in deciding on what video editing software is suitable for you is to work out what your most common source files will be and what your most common output will be. That represents the core of what you will be using the software for and should be your main focus. After that look through any other formats you may need to narrow down the choice.

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