Version History:
- 15 July 2005: Updated parts of the article based on feedback from DivX.com (including some quotes from Gej).
- 20 June 2005 : First version of the guide for the new DivX version.
Select the DivX 6.x Codec (where x is the sub-version number) in the codec selection section of your video conversion/encoding software. Press the Configure button or whatever button that let you configure the codec settings, and you should now have access to the configuration options described below (see screenshot below).
We'll now go through the three major encoding methods (1-pass, 1-pass quality-based and multi pass encoding), and press the links in the steps to find out more about the configuration option.
1-Pass Encoding :
1-pass encoding is the quickest way to encode your video in the DivX format, at the expense of some quality - it allows you to set a fixed average bit-rate to use for the entire encoding (the average bit-rate will be matched over the length of the content). 1-pass encoding is great for when encoding speed is an issue, and also when compatibility on DivX Certified equipment is required. The steps for 1-pass encoding are as follows :
- Configure the Certification Profile settings
- Set the Encode mode to 1-pass
- Set the Encoding bit-rate
- Go to the Codec tab
- Adjust the Codec Performance options and Advanced Tools options
- Go to the Video tab
- Adjust the Video Settings
1-Pass Quality-Based Encoding :
1-pass quality-based combines some ideas from multi-pass encoding with the quickness offered by single pass encoding - you get to select the quality of the output (using a constant quantizer setting), as opposed to the bit-rate (which will be adjusted accroding to the quantizer you've selected and the source video). This mode is not recommended for DivX Certification, and content encoded in this mode will more than likely fail with certified devices. This mode can be used for video capturing, since it has relatively good speed and maintains high enough quality for re-encoding later on. The steps for 1-pass quality-based encoding are as follows :
- Configure the Certification Profile settings
- Set the Encode mode to 1-pass
- Set the Encoding bit-rate
- Go to the Codec tab
- Adjust the Codec Performance options and Advanced Tools options
- Go to the Video tab
- Adjust the Video Settings
Multi-Pass Encoding :
Multi-pass encoding is the best way to achieve maximum quality with the DivX format, at the expense of encoding speed. The passes of a multi-pass encoding gathers information regarding the source video and then the subsequent pass use this information to dynamically adjust the size of the output, to get the best ratio between the specified output file size and video quality. Multi-pass encoding includes at least 2 passes. This is the most recommended mode for encoding, as it combines compatibility with high encoding quality (although it will take longer than the previous two methods, and cannot be used for video capturing or realtime tasks). The steps for multi-pass encoding are as follows :
- Configure the Certification Profile setting
- Set the Encode Mode to Multipass, 1st pass
- Set the Encoding bit-rate (note that some tools like GordianKnot sets this for you automatically)
- Go to the Codec tab
- Set the Codec Performance options and Advanced Tools options
- Go to the Video tab
- Adjust the Video Settings
- Go back to your encoding software and either start the encoding, or prepare to setup the next pass options
- Set the Encode Mode to Multipass, nth pass
- Set the Bitrate Modulation setting
- Go to the Codec tab
- Set the Codec Performance setting (Optional)
- Leave all other settings unchanged (or rather, make sure they match the same settings you used for Multipass, 1st pass above)
DivX 6 Codec Configuration Reference
Main Setup :
Certification Profile :
Profiles are pre-programmed settings for the DivX codec that conform to standards set by DivX.com, hence ensuring maximum compatibility with DivX devices. This will make sure your encoded video files are compatible with DivX enabled devices that are available on the market (like standard DVD/DivX players). By turning certification off, the risk is that the file you have encoded will not playback properly on certified DivX devices, and can only be avoided if you knew exactly which settings are supported and not supported by specific certified devices.
To select a profile, choose a setting from the Certification Profile drop down menu.
The four profiles currently available are Handheld, Portable, Home Theatre and High Definition, and a description is provided for them when you select a profile.
If you set the option to Unconstrained, this will basically allow you to have access to more options, but at the expense of compatibility.
Encode Mode :
Choose the type of encoding method for this codec.
1-pass encoding allows you to specify an average bit-rate, which the encoder will try to achieve over the length of the content.
1-pass quality-based encoding is basically constant quantizer encoding (same quantizer used for every frame, and the bit-rate will depend on the complexity of the source), but you specify the quality of the output (using the Quantizer slider - the lower the quantizer, the higher the quality), rather than the bit-rate directly. File size, unfortunately, becomes unpredicatable as a result. This option is only available when the Unconstrained profile is selected.
