Last updated, July 20/2008.

Since many people seem to have questions regarding DivX/XviD playback since the December 2007 dash update, I have compiled this FAQ.


Here are some limitations on DivX/XviD playback:
· File Extensions: .avi, .divx
· Containers: AVI
· Video Profiles: MPEG-4 Part 2, Simple & Advanced Simple Profile
· Video Bitrate: 5 Mbps with resolutions of 1280 x 720 at 30fps.
· Audio Profiles: Dolby® Digital 2 channel and 5.1 channel, MP3
· Audio Max Bitrate: No restrictions.



FAQ

Q: How do I enable DivX playback on my 360?
A: You must have the Dec 07 dashboard update (2.0.6683.0) or newer, installed as well as the optional media playback download.

Q: My dashboard is updated, where do I find the optional media update?
A: When you attempt to play a DivX file for the first time, it will tell you that you need to download the support codec. It will automatically take you to the file if you select download now.

Q: I can find the media download, but it either wont let me download it, I get an error, or I must be online in order to play back my DivX files. Whats the deal?
A: This is a known issue, with a fairly simple work around. Microsoft has bundled this codec with the previous optional codecs, so if you have downloaded it before, it can cause problems. The download is tied to your console as well as your gamertag. Simply download it from another account on the same console, this enables it to be used by any other profile on the same console. If you don't have another profile, just create a new silver account and attempt to play a DivX file while that new account is signed in. You will be prompted to install the update. Once this is done, you no longer need to be logged into LIVE to use the DivX playback. You may delete that silver profile if you want after the codec is installed. The new (as of July '08) DRM licence transfer tool may remove the need to be logged into live to playback xvids as well.

Q: I have a banned console, how can I get the codec installed?
A: While there are many ways to install the dashboard update on a banned console, there is currently no way to add DivX support in any way other than directly installing it from LIVE.

Q: That's #$%*&^@! Why can't I just download it from Xbox.com or transfer it from another hard drive?
A: The DivX codec is not free for commercial use, therefore Microsoft has to pay a licensing fee for each unique device that uses it. The only way to keep track of how many consoles require this codec is to tie it to the individual machine. It make sense from a business standpoint to not embed the codec in the dash update, which is why it prompts you to download the first time you you play a Divx file. If only 40% of consoles use this feature, why would MS want to pay the royalty for every machine out there.
If your console was banned from LIVE you have forfeited the right to obtain services from MS, free-to-end-user codecs included. A pain in the ass, maybe, a logical business move by MS, definitely. This will never be downloadable from xbox.com, in the same way that the ipod support (also licensed by MS for a fee per console) is not available for off console downloads.
Here is a quote from MS regarding the Ipod AAC codec.
Expect to see a similar FAQ about DivX as they update their site to reflect the new dash update.

Q: I managed to get everything installed, but I burnt some DivX files to a dvd, and I cannot play them. It just says Mixed Media Disc and will not let me select it. What gives?
A: You cannot launch the files from a disc when you are on the Xbox LIVE blade of the dash. You must go to the Media blade, and move down to the video button. From there select current disc, and you should see the files listed in the left hand pane.

Q: Is it possible to stream these files over a network?
A: Certainly. It can be streamed the same way as other media files, with MediaPlayer 11, Zune software, from Windows Home Server, or almost any UPnP media server (xbox1 running a current build of XBMC). Samba shares do not work.

Q: You didn't say Windows Media Center, doesn't that work as well?
A: Unfortunately, DivX through MCE is currently not supported on the 360.

Q: Other than over the network, how else can I play my movies? Can I play them from the 360 HDD?
A: The 360 will play them from a burned disc (data cd or dvd), usb thumbdrive, or external usb harddrive (formatted FAT, FAT32, or HFS+) You cannot add them to the 360 harddrive and play them from there.

Q: I have managed to get it all working, and have watched a bunch of my videos but some of the older DivX files that I have encoded do not work. What exactly does the 360 support for DivX files?
A: The optional media support is actually for Mpeg-4 part 2 Simple and Advanced Simple Profile, the DivX file must be encoded with version 5.0 or higher as earlier versions were not based on this encoding profile.

Q: Some of my videos are subtitled with a separate .SRT, .SUB/IDX or .SSA file, but when I play them, the subs do not display. Aside from learning a foreign language, how can I tell what people are saying?
A: The 360 will not display the subtitles unless they are hard coded into the avi. There are applications available that will merge your subs with your video. AVI ReComp will add hard subs for you.

Q: How do I check my video files before hand to know if they will work or not?
A: A simple freeware application, that you can use to check your video files, is called "GSpot"

Q: Is there a simple way to convert my noncompliant divx files so that they will work on the 360?
A: AVI ReComp works great for this, and is very simple to use. This may take some time depending on the speed of your computer.

Q: Is there a max file size restriction, like there is on the PS3, of 2GB?
A: The maximum file size for an AVI, MPEG-4 Part 2, and H.264 file that can be played is 4 GB. 4GB is also the maximum size of any single file that you can store on a FAT32 USB hard drive. However, Windows Media Player 11 and the Zune software do support streaming WMV files greater than 4GB. That is the official word from MS, however;

Q: When playing a vid with AC3 audio, the video seems to skip occasionally. How do I fix that?
A: This issue is being investigated in this thread. Check for details.

Q:How can I add thumbnails to individual avi's, cover art etc.. or screen grabs from the avi itself? All I see on the right hand pane is that faded film strip... and i know i've seen an image there before.......
A: Thumbs are only displayed when the media is being served/streamed by WMP11 or the Zune software. You do not get the thumbnail view if the media is on USB or streamed from a UPnP server like Windows Home Server.

Q: This all seems like a real pain in the ass. My original Xbox plays any file I have through XBMC.
A: Then keep using your original Xbox as a media center. If you want to run XBMC on your 360, then quit whining about it and help the scene with fully cracking the 360.

Feel free to drop suggestions for additions to this FAQ, and I will update accordingly.

Is there a Max file size restriction like there is on the PS3 of 2GB?

The maximum file size for an AVI, MPEG-4 Part 2, and H.264 file that can be played is 4 GB. 4GB is also the maximum size of any single file that you can store on a FAT32 USB hard drive. However, Windows Media Player 11 and the Zune software do support streaming WMV files greater than 4GB.


Thanks, I will add this to the FAQ.

Anyone else notice that the codec is broken for HD divx/xvid with AC3 audio? You might want to add that to the FAQ as the only work around found is to replace the AC3 with MP3 audio. The movie with an AC3 soundtrack will studder every 5-10 minutes and it is very annoying but by ripping the AC3 out and replacing it with an MP3 soundtrack fixes it. I have submitted the issue to MS.

Added.

In regards to the file size "restriction", you can play any size AVI file from a mac formatted USB Drive.

If you're running windows you can run Macdrive to format the USB drive mac style and voila there is no 4GB restriction, 10Gig WMVs or 10Gig AVIs work great. (As long as you're using 2ch Stereo in the AVIs, due to the aforementioned bug with AC3 5.1ch).

If you're running Linux you can format it HFS+ directly and copy over whatever you'd like to play. :-) Works like a champ. Though the irony of using a a Mac formatted drive on a Microsoft Xbox 360 isn't lost on me :-)

Septurious

QFT

forgive me if this has been answered already, but it seems worthy of inclusion in the FAQ.

how can i add thumbnails to individual avi's, cover art etc.. or screen grabs from the avi itself. cause all i see on the right hand pane is that faded film strip... and i know i've seen an image there before.......

Thumbs are only displayed when the media is being served/streamed by WMP11 or the Zune software. You do not get the thumbnail view if the media is on USB or streamed from Windows Home Server.

I just wanted to make this clear but Avi Divx Xvid can be played thru WMP11 and Zune Software? Because when I go to the Zune website it says it doesnt support them to be streamed or on the software and I can't find anything for WMP.

They can be streamed from WMP or Zune. If you want to play them using that software , you will need to install the codecs on your pc. Google ffdshow or klite.

Hahaha, I love it!!

Thanks for the informative post. I had a problem playing my avi files and followed your advice. It worked like a charm except that the sound on the new avi file I created using AVI ReComp lags behind the video. Anyone else experience this? I'm gonna keep looking to find a solution to this problem, but if anyone else has already solved it, I'd greatly appreciate the help! Thanks.

You can try making sure the audio stream is set to CBR (constant bitrate).
AviRecomp/Xbox 360 seem to prefer this setup.

-In AviRecomp open your original file that did not play in the 360.
-Set your output file parameters (path and name)
-Click the "additions" tab
-Under audio , click audio conversions
-Select "convert audio streams", then select CBR and hit "use"
-Add it to the queue and see what happens.

Otherwise you can adjust your audio sync on you output file afterwords with AviMux. (This only works if it is constantly out of sync the whole time by a fixed amount.)

i have banned console is the divx update put to the hard drive? if i take hard drive to friends 360 that is NOT banned will it let me download it on his 360 my hard drive on it? and that wont get his console banned will it? thanks

This will not work, as stated in the FAQ.

But feel free to try if you dont believe me. BTW this will not harm your friends console.

i believe you i thought of that and was wondering thanks though for help

I have heard that the new update tomorrow will either offer new codec/methods of play or remove some. Has anyone found any info on any codec updates. And I wonder if they may have fixed the Xvid 2Gig 5.1 sounds studdering issue. fingures crossed cause WMV codecs suck! And obviously MS realizes this cause they have now added xvid/divx to Windows 7! :-)

So far for me, with the NXE dash, I have been having issues with xvids completely locking up the box, that used to play fine before the update.... we will see what kind of issues arrive when more people get the dash update.