Xvid is an open source video compression/decompression codec developed in 2001. Codec is short for “coder/decoder,” and describes Xvid’s ability to encode and decode digital video. Xvid codec is used to compress or reduce the size of video files while maintaining picture quality. Smaller files mean faster transfer and better storage on removable devices like disks. So is Xvid safe to download and install? We will show you the potential risks associated with Xvid and how to circumvent such problems.
Xvid began as a part of OpenDivX, an open source multimedia project. The source code of OpenDivX was under a restricted license, however, and went on to become the proprietary DivX codec. Some of the original developers continued to work on the open-source code, and OpenDivX became Xvid. Today, volunteer programmers from all over the world continue to develop Xvid codec. If you’d like to find out more Xvid codec, read our what is Xvid codec? article.
Xvid is distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License. The program is open source, which means it is free to download and free to use. You can even change the source code or use it to produce a better product. Open source also means cross platform, allowing you to use Xvid codec on all operating systems. If you are a developer and would like to be involved in the Xvid project, visit Xvid’s official site at www.xvid.org for more details.
Is Xvid Safe? – The Risks
So is Xvid safe? Some users have reported that antivirus programs flag the Xvid download as a Trojan or virus. Xvid is available for download on many websites, and some of these websites bundle Xvid with malware, spyware and viruses. That’s why it’s important to download Xvid directly from a safe source like Xvid Codec download page. Xvid IS safe and does not contain spyware, adware, malware or viruses.
You may still get a warning message from your antivirus when downloading from the official website, but this is an error with your antivirus, not Xvid. Your antivirus definitions may be outdated or broken. Wait for your definitions to be updated and report the error to the antivirus provider.
Is Xvid Safe? – How Codecs Work
If you’re familiar with the file compression utility WinZip, you’ll have an idea how a codec works. Files are compressed for easy upload/download and afterwards extracted. Think of Xvid codec as a ZIP program for digital video files. There is a difference between the two, however. Files compressed with Xvid are not identical to the original files because Xvid removes unnecessary information in the encoding process. But the difference is visually imperceptible. In other words, you get a smaller-sized video with basically the same picture quality as the original.
Uncompressed digital video is a monster. It takes up around 100 gigabytes of space per hour of film, whereas the same video compressed with Xvid takes up just 500 megabytes per hour. Imagine shrinking a 5 GB digital video to a 700 MB file and still retaining the quality of the original file. That is an impressive 200:1 compression ratio.
Is Xvid Safe? – Xvid Features
Many devices support the Xvid codec. Home users can use Xvid to compress digital video for archiving purposes and to back-up CDs and DVDs. Playback is also supported on compatible DVD players, digital cameras and camcorders. Xvid can also be used with mobile devices. You can compress hours of video into a USB and transfer videos to MP3 players and tablets for entertainment on the go.
You can also use Xvid in a professional setting. Have a presentation that you need to stream? Compress the video with Xvid and upload the file to a hosting site like YouTube. Network transfer is also breeze with the small file size and fast download/upload times.
Xvid allows you to watch streaming video from websites that use the Xvid MPEG-4 ASP format. If you get a prompt that the codec is not installed, simply download Xvid from here and install it in your system. Refresh the web page, and you should be able to watch the videos. This should answer your question “Is Xvid Safe?“, but if you have any other concerns, feel free to ask us about it via our contact page.