MPEG-4 is an MPEG standard for multimedia compression that features a high degree lossy compression that maintains perceived media quality.
The most popular open source implementation of the MPEG-4 standard is the XviD codec, however due to patents on MPEG there has been some controversy over whether or not XviD is in violation.
A common format for MPEG-4 is the AAC audio encoding format. AAC is in wide use as it is Apple’s preferred format for the iPod. Open source projects exist for encoding and decorating AAC as well, notably FAAC – an AAC encoder and FAAD2 – an AAC decoder.
open-source: del.icio.us tag/open-source
Software
dvd
conversion
open-source
open_source
MPEG-4
system:has:for
open-source: del.icio.us tag/open-source
Java
applet
decoder
open-source
media
player
mpeg
video
Applications
MPEG-4
DivX is a codec for full motion video that uses lossy MPEG-4 compression to compress large video files to much smaller sizes.
DivX has its origins in a codec from Microsoft which was hacked, to create a codec called DiVX ;) – this was later cloned by an open project, which later became a closed corporate project which took over the name DiVX and now makes a business around the codec.
In response to the closing of the codec, a rival open source project has taken over for open MPEG-4 development, and has competitive quality and features to DiVX: this project is called XViD (divx spelled backwards).
HandBrake is a multiplatform, multithreaded DVD to MPEG-4 ripper/converter. HandBrake was originally available on the BeOS, but now has been ported over to MacOS X and to GNU/Linux. A Windows port is in development.
Also see MediaFork – a fork of HandBrake that seeks to continue development on the project.
dvd
linux
x264
handbrake
MPEG-4
License:GPL
mpeg
video
osx
convertor
XviD is an open source MPEG-4 video codec, written in C with assembler optmizations for quality and speed (including MMX, SSE, and 3Dnow! code for i386 and AltiVec for PowerPC).
The XviD project’s origins are in the OpenDivX project that sought to create an open and legally unencumbered MPEG 4 alternative to the DivX ;) codec. When the OpenDivX project moved development to closed source, the XviD project was formed to continue open source development on the project. The OpenDivX codec, now closed and licensed under commercial terms has been renamed simply DivX—it is the main competitor to XviD.
XviD has long since surpassed the original DivX ;) codec in quality and features that include b-frames, lumi masking, and H.263 support.