DivX has come full circle, what started out as a reverse engineered version of Microsoft’s non-compliant implementation of MPEG-4 Version 3 over ten years ago with DivX 
3.11 is now a full-featured product based on H.264 (aka MPEG-3 AVC) with the release of DivX 7. It sounds like DivX 7 is a full featured H.264 application, including support for advanced file formats such as Matroska (.mkv) which has been growing increasingly popular for online video distribution as it allows for packaging of multiple video, audio, subtitle, etc, streams in one file.
Along with the new player and new feature support comes a new DivX certification, the DivX Plus Certification. Hardware vendors who certify their products at this new level will support the new DivX 7 formats, while older DivX Certified products will likely only go as far as the DivX 6 equivalent.
The press release:
Jan 6, 2009 08:00 ET
DivX Announces Release of Next-Generation, H.264 Based DivX® 7 Software
New Release Enables High-Quality, HD Video Experience on PC and Devices
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — DivX, Inc. (NASDAQ:DIVX) , a digital media company, today announced that the latest version of the Company’s flagship video software package, Version 7 of DivX® for Windows, is available for download on the company’s newly redesigned website at www.divx.com.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081124/LA48153LOGO)
The new release of the popular video software is based on the cutting-edge H.264 video compression standard, which allows for high-performance, high-quality digital video at up to 1080p HD resolution. The software is available in two versions, the free DivX for Windows download which supports DivX video playback, and the DivX Pro for Windows download which enables DivX video creation.
The DivX Player, which is included in all versions of the DivX software download, offers free support for H.264 files that use the popular .mkv file extension. The DivX Converter, which is available in the DivX Pro package or as a 15-day free trial in the free DivX for Windows download, enables easy one-step conversion of digital video files into the new DivX Plus™ format, which is based on H.264 video and the high-quality AAC audio format.
The Company also announced the launch of the DivX Plus™ Certification program, which will enable consumer electronics manufacturers to add support for the new format to a variety of devices, including DVD players, Blu-ray players, digital televisions, mobile phones and more. The first DivX Plus certified devices are expected to ship from major consumer electronics manufacturers by the end of 2009.
“The release of DivX 7 for Windows marks a true milestone for digital video users everywhere,” said Kevin Hell, CEO of DivX, Inc. “Eight years ago, the first DivX video software helped create the market for high-quality video on the PC. We then worked with a global ecosystem of licensees to extend that support beyond the PC to a variety of devices so that consumers all over the world could enjoy their videos anytime and anywhere.”
“H.264 has now emerged as a powerful new standard for digital video,” Hell continued, “With the release of DivX 7 and the DivX Plus HD certification program, we’re primed to extend the digital video experience even further by making it easy for anyone to create, play and share true HD H.264 video and play it back on the PC, in the living room and on-the-go.”
For more information about DivX 7 for Windows, visit www.divx.com.
About DivX 7 for Windows
DivX® 7 for Windows is a free download that provides everything consumers need to enjoy high-quality digital videos on the computer, including HD H.264 (.mkv) videos with AAC audio and videos created using all previous versions of DivX technology. Consumers can also play DivX files (.divx, .avi) on millions of DivX Certified® devices today. Look for DivX Plus Certified devices later this year that will support playback of all DivX and DivX Plus files, as well as .mkv (H.264/AAC) videos from the Internet. The DivX 7 for Windows download includes the following products:
— DivX Player
Watch HD DivX videos on the computer
— DivX Community Codec
Play DivX videos with third-party software
— DivX Web Player
Enjoy HD DivX videos in a browser
— DivX Converter (full version in DivX Pro of 15-day trial in DivX for
Windows)
Convert to DivX video in one step
— DivX Pro Codec (full version in DivX Pro of 15-day trial in DivX for
Windows)
Create and play DivX videos with third-party software
About DivX
DivX, Inc. is a digital media company that enables consumers to enjoy a high-quality video experience across any kind of device. DivX creates, distributes and licenses digital video technologies that span the “three screens” comprising today’s consumer media environment–the PC, the television and mobile devices. Over 100 million DivX Certified® devices have shipped into the market from leading consumer electronics manufacturers. DivX also offers content providers and publishers a complete solution for the distribution of secure, high-quality digital video content. Driven by a globally recognized brand and a passionate community of hundreds of millions of consumers, DivX is simplifying the video experience to enable the digital home.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature constitute “forward-looking statements.” Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding DivX’s visibility within the investment community. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause DivX’s actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to: the risk that customer use of DivX technology may not grow as anticipated; the risk that anticipated market opportunities may not materialize at expected levels, or at all; the risk that the Company’s activities may not result in the growth of profitable revenue; risks and uncertainties related to the maintenance and strength of the DivX brand; risks associated with DivX’s ability to penetrate existing and new markets; risks regarding the effects of competition; the risk of DivX’s dependence on its licensees and partners; risks related to the effect of intellectual property rights claims; and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of DivX’s most recent report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. DivX is providing this information as of the date of this release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081124/LA48153LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: DivX, Inc.
CONTACT: media, Tom Huntington, +1-858-882-0672,
thuntington@divxcorp.com, or investor, Karen Fisher, +1-858-882-6415,
kfisher@divxcorp.com, both for DivX, Inc.
Web Site: http://www.divx.com/
