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Friday December 9, 2005 3:00 pm
Calling Out Major Nelson: Xbox 360 Supports MP3 But Not Divx?
Any Xbox fanatic knows of Major Nelson (also known as the mild mannered Larry Hryb,) the cool Xbox Live employee who manages a blog and podblogcast show. Recently, he let everyone know that we shouldn’t expect Divx support from the Xbox 360 using the Media Center Extender function - ever. Why? Well, he eludes to the fact that there has not yet been one commercial DVD release in Divx format, and therefore, there is no reason to support it on the Xbox 360. He went on to say that Divx is primarily used as a method to “back up” DVDs, and Microsoft doesn’t want to get into any hot water on that front.
We have a much different stance on this issue…
Okay Major, I can begrudgingly accept the fact that Divx support is a touchy subject - if it wasn’t inconsistent with the rest of the Xbox 360’s functionality. Check it out - I have yet to see a commercial release of a DVD in MP3 format. I have yet to pay for DRM music content in MP3 format as well. WMA and AAC, sure - but not MP3. If Divx is primarily used to “back up” DVDs, then what would you say that the MP3 format is primarily used for?
The fact is, by choosing not to support Divx in the Media Center Extender, Microsoft is taking a two-faced approach. It is okay for music, but not okay for video? Guess what, Roxio’s latest release of their Easy Media Creator software touts Divx as one of their big upgrades. Roxio’s software is probably the most popular for the average consumer - it is in Target, Costco, and the almighty Wal-Mart. Of course, Roxio isn’t the only company bringing Divx to the consumer. Over the next couple of years, you are going to see people using Divx - not Windows Media Video - to save space on their hard drives from all the projects they are doing. I have seen plenty of independent bands release music videos on the Divx format. Hell, a video we had produced for us after our Mind Camp event was made available to everyone in the Divx format. Now here is the kicker - that Divx file plays perfectly, without a hitch, on our Windows Media Center 2005 PC - in the Media Center application!
So, the Windows Media Center software recognizes and plays Divx, but it won’t stream that same file to the Xbox 360 - yet, I can fire up that new G-Unit joint that I just downloaded from a Russian MP3 site for $0.75 USD, and the Xbox 360 plays it without a problem. Wow.
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Comments:
MP3s are used for legitimate reasons much more than divx files are. In addition, divx isn’‘t a strong selling point.
There’s no point in offering something that won’t move machines and who’s nearly-sole purpose is illegal content.
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Wait - how are MP3s used for legitimate purposes much more than Divx files are? Do you know how many video press kits we receive that include a divx format for us to provide to readers?
Divx and MP3 are in the same boat - they are both non-DRM multimedia files. That’s it. One is for music, and the other is for video.
One is playable on the Xbox 360, the other isn’t.
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That’s obsurd. Divx has even more legitimate uses than MP3, IMO. Divx has quite a bit of hardware support with many independant players and it’s becoming more popular. Divx also offers it’s own VOD service. Both are proprietary & patented codecs, yet MP3 has an open source functionality and Divx does not. With Microsoft so up in arms about DRM, I’m suprised they would support that and not the other.
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Again, DivX is not a selling point. For the most part, it would be used to play illegally obtained movies, and you all know that. There isn’t any reason for the Microsoft to support it.
MP3s, however, are a very strong selling point. While they are often used just as DivXs are (illegally downloaded music), chances are that people will be transfering music they have from their MP3 players (which is often legally bought music) to their Xbox 360.
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MP3s are often legally bought music? That is far from the truth.
If Microsoft doesn’t want to support Divx, then they also need to disable MP3 support, opting only for AAC and WMA. Even those can be illegally obtained, but the de facto standard in illegal music is MP3.
This would be the same stance from the video arena, as they stream WMV and the like.
By the way, for anyone with a high-definition display, the video streaming is a much stronger selling point than the audio. This post is in regards to the Media Center Extender functionality - not that of simple connecting an MP3 player to the unit.
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That’s not really relevant what it’s “normally” used for. Actually, I would argue that Xvid is more widely used as a codec for pirated movies than DivX, since it is open source and free to use. As Andru mentioned, MP3s are definintely more widely used to encode ripped audio tracks than any other codec.
Microsoft could make Divx a selling point if they explained what it was and the potential uses. They have a huge market hold and including it in their hardware could make the brand name more widely known and thus popular. Very few other brands than Divx have taken an video codec so far as to have legitimate VOD services for non-adult features that plays on hardware enabled Divx players.
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Divx support is a huge selling point. I would not buy any DVD player that did not support Divx/Xvid.
Roll on the modders who will fix this stupid decision.
Nex gen?? my backside!!!
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*eagerly awaits widespread H.264 support*
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Why don’t they support DiVX? Simple… Microsoft only supports Microsoft Formats.
The exception is made for MP3 since it’s so prevalent that they have no choice.
What if everyone “backed up” their DVD to WMV instead? What would be Microsoft’s answer then?
According to Major’s flawed logic, they should support Quicktime and Real since people don’t back up DVD’s to those formats.
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Why not bypass the xbox altogether? Just connect your computer directly to your tv. There is no need to stream anything , but if you must get an slingbox they’re cool and you can control your tv from the internet remotely. I cant wait till they drop the price on the xbox 360 but i will probably buy a ps3 first.
Reply to this: comment | thread
Well guys check this out…
http://www.divx.com/hardware/detail.php?p=220&mainhwpromo=pentaxs6
Pentax has now started to add DivX encoding to the latest Optio digital camera.
Since so many major companies now have DivX support in many DVD players. We will most likely see companies like Sony, JVC, Panasonic and others (that already have DVD players that support DivX) add DivX encoding to many models of Digital Cameras and Digital Video Cameras. So don’t worry, if Microsoft really want’s to keep up, they won’t have any choice than add the functionality in the very near future. Just too bad they can’t see the future like most other companies do and add it now and make it a selling point.
Just imagine if the PS3 has Media Center functionality and support DivX, I can only think that Microsoft might just change there minds on the subject.
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Lets just prey that XBox will support divx.
http://thegratisguide.blogspot.com/
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Blah. They don’t support Divx because no one sells divx files and there is the *slight* possibility of some litigation from someone, somewhere. They now support MP4 files using the H.264 standard because Apple has set the precedent by using it. If users are already ripping their stuff to put on their iPod, Microsoft can argue, then the XBox is only supporting that group, not trying to set their own precedent. It may be flawed, and personally I wish they’d support Divx/Xvid too (most market DVD players support it), but I guess they feel like they’re a bigger target if Universal decided that the reason everyone is ripping their movies and sharing them was because they could play them on their XBoxes. Better to let Apple be the front runner on that one.
I put video on my iPod all the time, so personally I’m thrilled it supports MP4. I’d rather use it anyway.
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