Open XVID File
The XVID Codec is an open and free (GNU GPL) video compression codec. When used as a file name extension, XVID denotes the generic XVID (MPEG-4) compressed video format and file type. Thus, XVID is an independent application of MPEG-4 as an Advanced Simple Profile (ASP) video compression method, available as a Codec library for multiple platforms.
As mentioned above, files with the XVID extension are mainly used for video clips and encoded movements. This allows smaller files to enjoy faster data transmission of XVID format movies over the web. A direct evolution of MPEG-4 technology is XVID4 which supports a standard compression based on the discrete cosine transform.
XVID files use a variety of ASP functions and features, including motion compensation, custom quantization matrices, luminescent masking, and frames. The XVID file format is compatible with most operating systems and platforms.
The most notable technical characteristics of the ASP, compared to the Simple Profile, are:
- Support for MPEG-style quantization.
- Support for interlaced video.
- Motion compensation.
- Global motion compensation (GMC).
It is important to note that an XVID file is normally contained within AVI (Audio-Video Interleaved) files, and it is a mistake to assign the XVID extension to such .AVI containers. AVI containers must have the AVI extension, regardless of the Video Codec used. Even though many manufacturers have opted to support the XVID extension natively it may still be necessary to change the XVID extension to AVI.
Programs that support XVID file extension
The following list contains programs that open XVID files, some are already equipped with XVID4 technology. XVID files can be found on all system platforms, including mobile, but there is no guarantee that each will properly support such files.