Xvid encoded video reports as DivX

[trumpy81]

GDay All,

First off, I'm new here and new to video encoding in general, so forgive me if my questions sound silly (I probably am silly, but that's another issue altogether ... lol) 

When I use Avidemux v2.6.6 (32Bit Windows) to re-encode a file I choose Xvid asp etc. but the resulting file always shows as being encoded with DivX and NOT Xvid. This causes a problem for me in the sense that the file will not play on my Panasonic TV because the Panasonic refuses to play ANY DivX file.

Is this just a simple matter of changing the FourCC or is there more to it?

Any help would be appreciated.

[AQUAR]

Yes, thats all there is too it.
Writing library is xvid.
Not sure why the 4CC code has been fixed to divx, but possibly for general increased compatibility.

[trumpy81]

Thanks Aquar, I was hoping that, that was all there was to it.

If Xvid encoding is used then I wonder why the FourCC would be set to DivX instead of Xvid. Perhaps avidemux was written when DivX was all the rage?

These days, Xvid seems to be the most compatible, just behind mp4.

Is it possible to change the FourCC in avidemux?

[AQUAR]

I think the fourCC code is just metadata in the avi container.
There are a few free utilities that lets you change this data, eg  AVI FourCC Changer.

Xvid and Divx are codec programs that both produce MPEG4 part 2 compliant video streams.
So basically the compressed video is the same and the fourcc is just a "codec hint".
Most players don't care if that hint is divx or xvid but some do (and divx is licensed!).

mp4 is a container for holding the video, audio and other streams.
Its popular now for holding video compressed with AVC. 
Just like avi was popular for holding video compressed with xvid.

[trumpy81]

Thanks again Aquar.

If it wasn't for my Panasonic TV rejecting DivX it would not bother me but you hit the nail on the head with DivX being licensed, obviously Panasonic were too stingy to pay the licensing fee ... lol and my old Samsung wanted me to register or something, but it played DivX regardless.

Do you know of a good metadata reader/writer for avi's?

I have abcAVI Tag Editor which is OK, but it does add a bit of junk of it's own. I would prefer something that removes all metadata without adding more baggage ... lol

[AQUAR]

My understanding is that the avi container must have the fourCC code.
Just set it to whatever codec hint is acceptable by your media player.

Never looked the field/tag for "user data" but I suppose you could blank out any garbage in there.
Maybe try MPEG4Modifier to edit this "user meta data"?