PlayStation 3 already plays DivX, but with limitations

PlayStation 3 already plays DivX, but with limitations 4

The PlayStation 3 update has just arrived that allows you to play video in DivX format (as we told you last month). We are talking about a very widespread format on the Internet that allows offering videos in conventional resolution or high definition with a reduced size (thanks to the H.264 codec and the MPEG4 compression system ). However, this firmware update for the new PlayStation has as its main drawback the limitation in the size of the videos, a maximum of 2 gigabytes .

This limit is not a major drawback for most conventional resolution DivX videos , which rarely take up more than 1 gig of space. The problem occurs when we talk about high-definition DivX videos , which are significantly larger. The point is, the more a video is compressed to reduce its size, the more image quality we sacrifice as well .

PlayStation 3 already plays DivX, but with limitations 4Speaking clearly, with 2 gigs we have enough space to compress chapters of teleseries in DivX in high definition and with good quality. But as you increase the length of the video , for example with a 2 - hour movie , the room for maneuver is reduced .

Why this limitation when the DivX on the PlayStation 3 is officially certified by DivX Inc ? Well, because this certificate is not complete, but limited. Only certified Ultra (on this page you can see a list of certificates) allows more than 2 gigabytes of space and other options such as the inclusion of subtitles or menus interactive .

The funny thing is that the Xbox 360 , which was also updated to play DivX very recently, allows you to play videos of up to 4 gigs without having any kind of certificate (see more details from the Xbox developer team ). A space that does not force us to sacrifice so much quality in DivX files that contain high definition movies. Curious, right?

PlayStation 3 already plays DivX, but with limitations 4In any case, these updates only begin to accept the format, but they still do not fully open the doors to playing the videos that we have saved on the computer's hard drive on the consoles. Of course, then you have to dive a bit into the whole multitude of codecs and containers , to find out if a certain video is compatible or not (for now, it seems that both the classic AVI and the XviD work without problems).

They still make it too difficult for us. And this is something that shouldn't come as a surprise either, as the battle between Blu-ray and HD DVD to become the next optical disc standard is up in the air , with Sony and Microsoft each pushing their format. In addition, there are the implications of these firms with the Hollywood industry and the issue of copyright . In this context, it would not be wise to open a high definition open bar without going through the box. And less on a product that you make yourself, in this case a video game console.

More details on PlayStation 3 Firmware Update 2.10 : The Controlled