AVI

AVI has become the most popular container file format used for watching video on the PC. AVI files can hold different types of video and audio streams inside, and with the help of DivX® video compression technology, they can display incredible video quality while maintaining a small file size.

Let's get technical. What's AVI, really?

AVI is the container file format used by DivX video versions 3 through 6. It has become the most popular file type for sharing high-quality video on the Internet, and it's common to see these files with either an .avi or .divx extension. The AVI file container itself has been in use since the days of Windows 3.11, with various modern extensions being added through the years, including by DivX. AVI files support a range of video and codecs, and many AVI files shared today are DivX files — that is they specifically contain DivX video paired with MP3 or AC3 audio. AVI is an acronym for 'Audio Video Interleave', which describes the manner in which the audio and video streams are broken down into 'chunks' of data and arranged so that audio and video chunks representing any particular moment of time appear near each other in the file. This allows the file to be read linearly during playback, which would not be possible if streams were written in their entirety out one after the other. This makes a critical difference for optical storage solutions like CD, DVD, and Blu-ray, where seeking back and forth can be extremely slow.

What's the difference between .divx and .avi?

Technically speaking, .divx files are based on the .avi container, but may include extra features like Xsub subtitles or chapter titles. DivX Author can also create .divx files that include DVD-like menus that can be enjoyed in DivX Ultra Certified® devices or in DivX Plus Player. DivX Certified devices will play DivX video regardless of whether they're in a .divx or .avi container.

How do I play DivX AVI files?

Installing DivX Plus Software for Windows or DivX 7 for Mac is the best way to watch your DivX AVI files. The free DivX Plus Player (DivX Play er for Mac) can play AVI videos with extended features, such as accessing multiple audio tracks as well as multiple subtitle tracks.

DivX software also include the DivX Codec, enabling free DivX video playback in popular media players like Windows Media Player or Media Player Classic.

Can I embed DivX video (.avi, .divx, .mkv) in a web page?

DivX software for Windows and Mac include the free DivX Plus Web Player, letting you publish high-quality DivX video on the Internet, embedded in your website or blog. All you need to do is upload your DivX file to any standard web server and copy a code snippet from our code generator into your page. Viewers can then watch the video directly in your site, in a pop-out window, or even full-screen.

The DivX Plus Web Player uses progressive playback technology so that you can watch the file while it's downloading, much like a streaming video experience but without the expensive server infrastructure. Additionally, once the file is fully downloaded anyone can save it to their computer to watch later in the DivX Plus Player or to transfer to a DivX Certified device for playback on your TV (this feature may be turned off by the webmaster).

Where can I play DivX files?

At DivX, we've made it our business to help consumer electronics manufacturers create devices that can play your AVI files right out of the box. This is the main advantage of DivX AVI files over other formats — they are compatible with all DivX Certified devices, meaning you can simply burn your AVI files to a disc or transfer them to a USB stick to watch on a DivX Certified DVD player, Blu-ray player, digital TV, PlayStation® 3 and more.

How can I make my own AVI files?

Because DivX is a popular and well-supported format, there are dozens of tools available that let you convert your digital videos into DivX. We offer the DivX Plus Converter for easy drag-and-drop conversion or the DivX Plus Codec Pack for more advanced users working with third-party applications. Both tools allow you to create DivX files in different resolutions, like mobile, standard definition, 720p, 1080p.