Difference Between Xvid and X264 with Definition & their Comparison Table
We explain the difference between Xvid and X264 with a table. The difference between Xvid and X264 is that Xvid is an encoder that follows the MPEG-4 part 2 video encoding standard, while X264 is an encoder that encodes video streams in H.264 format and also follows the MPEG encoding standard. -4 part 10.
Xvid and X264 are encoders. Many people find it difficult to tell the difference between the two encoders. There is a big difference in quality between Xvid and X264 encoded videos.
To clearly know the difference, one must know what video encoding really is. Video encoding is a process of converting formal source data (usually in RAW format which occupies a large capacity) into small-size Docx or H.264 format using the Xvid or X264 encoders. It can even be done by lowering the encoding parameters in the same format in which it was encoded. The source format is the final output to one or more specific encoded files.
There are some common differences between the two encoders that ordinary people who don’t know much about video encoding can understand as well.
If the quality is set the same for Xvid and X264, the video encoded in X264 will be smaller than the video encoded in the Xvid encoder. Also, if the file size is set the same for the encoders, the video quality of the X264 encoder will be better than the video quality of the Xvid encoder.
Comparison table between Xvid and X264 (in tabular form)
Xvid X264 comparison parameters
| Definition | Xvid is an open-source MPEG-4 video codec library and is not a format. | X264 is an open-source library that encodes video streams in H.264 format. |
| Encoding standard | It follows the MPEG-4 Part 2 video coding standard. | It follows the MPEG-4 Part 10 video coding standard. |
| Size | For the same size, the encoded video will be of lower quality. | For the same size, the encoded video will be of better quality. |
| Quality | For the same quality, the size of the encoded video will be larger. | For the same video quality, the size of the encoded video will be smaller. |
| Compatibility | Compatible with all devices. | Supported only on new devices that support H.264 format. |
What is Xvid?
Xvid is an open-source MPEG-4 video codec library that is distributed under the terms of GNU (General Public License). Its reason for its appearance was to compete with the proprietary DivX codec that has license restrictions and that is why it is only available to members of the DARC (DivX Advanced Research Center).
Xvid is not a format. Its basis of work includes the use of MPEG-4 ASP (Advanced Simple Profile) compression. It consists of two parts, the DivX encoder, and the DivX decoder.
Videos encoded with the Xvid encoder can be decoded again with all decoders that are MPEG-4 compliant. To be precise, they can be decoded with the other decoders which are based on the open-source libavcodec library.
Its main purpose is to compress video data to facilitate and increase the speed of online video data exchange and also to improve hard drive storage. The Xvid encoder is capable of removing video data from unnecessary stuff.
Videos compressed by the Xvid encoder can be 200 times smaller than the original source video even with the visual quality kept intact. It guarantees fast compression and exceptional quality video performance that outperforms many similar expensive products.
The codec is available for free. In many hardware, the Xvid encoder is built in from scratch. As the Xvid encoder is open-source software, its source code is publicly available. This allows the public to check it and make sure it contains spyware or adware.
What is X264?
X264 is an open-source library. It was developed by VideoLAN. Allows you to encode video streams in MPEG-4 AVC or H.264 format. It was released in accordance with the terms of GNU (General Public License). The other ways to take advantage of X264 are under the commercial license of CoreCodec and X264LLC.
The X264 encoder provides a large number of functions compared to the other H.264 encoders. It includes an API and also a command line interface. The most useful command line interface is used by many graphical user interfaces including MeGUI and Staxrip. On the other hand, the API is used by interfaces including FFmpeg and HandBrake.
It also comes with many psycho-visual enhancements like psycho-visual speed distortion optimization and adaptive quantization which is available in two modes. This improves the video quality of the video encoded in the X264 encoder.
The X264 encoder’s capabilities to achieve spectacular performance by encoding three or more 1080p streams in real-time on an end-user computer are more advanced than any of the other H.264 encoders.
Provides high-quality videos encoded with advanced psycho-visual optimizations. It also supports many features that are used by different applications, including applications such as web videos, Blu-ray, low latency, and even TV broadcasts.
Main differences between Xvid and X264
- The Xvid encoder is older than the X264 encoder. X264 has more advanced features than Xvid.
- X264 does not support older devices that cannot support H.264 files.
- For sharing files between people, Xvid is a more secure option than the X264.
- Encoding a video in H.264 format is only possible with the X264 encoder and not with the Xvid encoder.
- X264-encoded videos require less speed and offer better quality than Xvid-encoded videos.
Final Thought
The Xvid encoder is a codec library for encoding and decoding video files while on the other hand, while the X264 encoder is a software library for encoding videos in H.264 format.
X264 guarantees better video quality and also faster compression, but devices must be of the new age to support X264. Xvid is older but has a more secure encoder.
