Xvid vs H.264, H.265 and AV1: Should You Keep or Convert Your Old AVI Files?
A plain side-by-side of Xvid against H.264, H.265 and AV1, with a simple keep, play or convert table for anyone sitting on a folder of old AVI files.
CODECS.COM articles
Guides and News on Codecs and Multimedia
550 guides and news articles on codecs, media players and the tools around them, newest first.
Android 17 Added H.266 Playback - Most Phones Still Cannot Use It
Android 17 recognises H.266 video but supplies no decoder of its own - why most phones still cannot play it, and what to do instead.
Is IPTV Legal? How to Tell a Real Service From a Pirate One
Seven warning signs that separate a licensed IPTV service from a pirate reseller, plus what viewers risk now that fines reach users too.
How to Install Windows 11 in VMware Workstation Without the TPM Error
Windows 11 refuses to install in a new virtual machine until VMware supplies a TPM chip, and here is exactly where that setting hides.
How to Dual Boot Windows and Linux on the Same SSD
A full dual-boot walkthrough for one SSD, including the BitLocker check, the Fast Startup switch and the GRUB line that makes Windows reappear.
PotPlayer for Android - Is It Available? And What to Install Instead
PotPlayer is Windows-only and the store is full of apps borrowing its name - here is who really makes them, and the five Android players worth installing.
How to Use FlyOOBE to Debloat Windows 11 After Installation
The five-minute FlyOOBE pass that removes the preinstalled apps, Copilot and Recall that Windows 11 setup gives you no way to decline.
How to Copy Multiple ISOs to One USB Drive and Boot Any OS with Ventoy
Set up one USB stick that boots any ISO you drop onto it - the Ventoy install, the step that erases the drive, and the Secure Boot screen.
Xvid Codec Download for Android? Why There Isn't One
There is no Xvid codec download for Android, and Xvid APKs are often fake. Install VLC for Android instead and your Xvid AVI files play right away, free.
AV2 Is Final - What the New Codec Means for Your Videos
AV2 is finished and nothing you own can play it - what the new codec promises, and how long AV1 suggests the wait will be.
How to Run ChromeOS Flex from a USB Drive Without Touching Windows
Boot ChromeOS Flex from a stick to test an old laptop without touching Windows - the Rufus steps, the BIN file trap, and what is not saved.
How to Play Xvid Files on Android - No Codec Needed
Which free Android players open Xvid AVI files without any codec, how they compare, and why no Xvid codec APK exists for Android.
How to Open ProRes and ProRes RAW Files on Windows
ProRes opens on Windows today and ProRes RAW does not - how to tell the two apart, and the three free routes that open the one that refuses.
How to Create a Bootable Ubuntu USB Drive - and Rescue Files from a Dead PC
Build a bootable Ubuntu stick with Rufus and use it to boot a dead PC and copy the files off - every Rufus setting, plus the drive letter error.
How to Open and Save AVIF Files in Photoshop - With or Without the Plugin
Current Photoshop opens AVIF with no add-on - how to check your version, save AVIF files, and install the free plugin on an older copy.
Firefox 156 Uses Up to 20 Times Less Memory on Big JPEG Photos
Firefox 156 now shrinks big JPEG photos as it decodes them rather than after - what that saves, and the cases where it quietly does not apply.
AV1 Upgrades Android Video with VideoLAN's libdav1d Codec
The 2024 decoder swap that made AV1 video play smoothly on ordinary Android phones, and what it means for your device now.
How to Create a System Image in Windows 11 - and Actually Restore It
The five-step walkthrough for imaging a whole Windows install, plus the restore half most guides leave out and the folder mistake that quietly breaks it.
How to Install foobar2000 Components (and Fix 'Failed to Load DLL')
The one-minute way to add foobar2000 components, plus why a 32-bit add-on will not load in 64-bit foobar2000 and what to do instead.
How Microsoft Turned Windows 11 Setup Into an Endurance Test
One year on from the announcement that made Windows 11 setup longer, there is finally a button to skip the wait - and one step that got harder instead.
Latest comments
AllInteresting development with the Fire TV Stick 4K — losing Kodi sideloading is a big deal for a lot of users. For those ...
News: The New Fire TV Stick 4K Can't Run Kodi - Here's Which Fire Stick Still Can 3 commentsThanks genius, it worked for me. v2.4.149.0 on windows 10
Guide: How to Download HEVC Video Extension for Free 181 commentsXMediaRecode gives only the option to Copy (No convert) in Audio Mode drop down. I am trying to convert/recode the EAc3 ...
Team replied Guide: How to Convert EAC3 Audio to AC3 or AAC With XMedia Recode 1 comment