DivX 6 for Mac released

DivX today released , an update to code and software for video compression. The digital media software suite lets users easily create and play highly compressed, high-quality DivX video, which is compatible with millions of consumer electronics devices. DivX 6 for Mac includes the DivX 6 codec for QuickTime and the new DivX Converter, a one-step video creation application that represents the first official stand-alone DivX encoding program for the Mac platform. DivX Converter is a lightweight, drag-and-drop application that enables users to create high-quality DivX videos from a variety of sources in a single step. DivX videos created using the Converter can then be played back on any DivX Certified consumer electronics device. The DivX codec is available for free as part of the 15-day DivX Converter demo download. Registration is $20.

The release also includes the standalone release of the DivX 6 codec for Mac, a QuickTime plug-in that lets Mac users easily playback and export to DivX video from any QuickTime-based application, including iMovie and QuickTime Pro. DivX 6 has been available with Roxio's Toast 7 Titanium software, since it was released earlier this year. "With extremely fast performance and advanced encoding options that enable DVD-quality video at file sizes 7-10 times smaller than MPEG-2/DVD, the DivX codec for Mac offers the best combination of speed, quality and compression on the market," according to the company.

Although the codec offers similar performance to its Windows counterpart, the Mac lacks the interactive features released in version 6.1 version of the Windows codec. These include DVD-like features such as interactive video menus, multiple subtitles, multiple audio tracks, and more. The company did not specify a release date, but said with its recently increased Macintosh team, the software would be availble "sooner rather than later." In addition, a version optimized for multiple processors is in development.

“DivX technology offers the easiest way to move video off the Mac onto not only portable devices but directly to the living room on affordable, widely available DVD players from major manufacturers,” said Jordan Greenhall, co-founder and CEO of DivX, Inc. “This is the most significant and full-featured DivX release yet for Mac users, who can now easily create DivX video using our software or any Quicktime-based application that is interoperable with an entire ecosystem of platforms and devices.”

The conversion utility offers a set of profiles optimized for different devices, such as PDAs and cell phones, and offers access to advanced features not available in the Windows version of the converter. The advanced software controls are also available to users who download the codec under QuickTime Pro and other QuickTime-compatible applications. The codec is not yet available as a native plugin to Final Cut Pro users, but is available via Final Cut's QuickTime integration.

QuickTime or DivX

DivX told MacNN that there have been more than 200 million downloads of its DivX codec to-date, and that its codec offers several advantages over the H.264 adopted by Apple in QuickTime 7. While H.264 is a digital video codec standard that is noted for achieving very high data compression, it requires a lot processing power and playback is not support by millions of consumer electronic devices that already shipped and are available. The converter is also up to 60 percent faster than QuickTime when encoding video, according to the company.

DivX 6 for Mac is compatible with QuickTime 6/7 and Mac OS X 10.3 or later. The software is available as a trial download or for $20 in German, French, Japanese, and Enligh versions. The free version includes a 15-day trial of the DivX Converter and a 6-month trial of the DivX Codec for Mac with Pro features (however, the ability to play back DivX videos does not expire).

by MacNN Staff