How to Convert AVCHD to DivX Online
- Upload Your AVCHD File: Drag and drop your
.mtsor.m2tscamcorder recording, or click "Add Files." Batch upload is supported, and files process on our servers — no sign-up. - Pick Quality Preset or Bitrate: Default is "Quality Preset → Very High (Recommended)." Switch to "Constant Quality" and set CRF (1–31, lower = better, default 5), "Constant Bitrate" (default 4 Mbps), "Variable Bitrate" (target 4 Mbps, min 2, max 8), or "Specific file size" to hit a fixed MB target.
- Set Resolution and Trim (Optional): Under Video Resolution, keep original or pick a Preset Resolution (144p–4320p), enter Width × Height, or scale by Resolution Percentage. Under Trim, switch from "Unchanged" to "Time Range" and enter start + duration in seconds or
HH:MM:SS.sss. - Convert and Download: Click "Convert." The output is an MPEG-4 Part 2 (ASP) stream in an AVI container with
.divxextension and MP3 audio by default — playable on DivX-certified DVD players and most desktop media players.
Why Convert AVCHD to DivX?
AVCHD is the HD camcorder format jointly developed by Sony and Panasonic in 2006, recording H.264/AVC video (Main or High Profile, Level 4.1 or 4.2) with Dolby AC-3 or linear PCM audio at up to 24 Mbit/s (28 Mbit/s for AVCHD Progressive) and a 1920×1080 maximum resolution. DivX is a family of MPEG-4 codecs from DivX, LLC; the original (and most widely supported) variant is MPEG-4 Part 2 / Advanced Simple Profile, the format that powered the "DivX-certified" DVD-player era of the mid-2000s. Converting AVCHD camcorder footage to DivX gives you a file that older standalone hardware can actually read — a standard DVD player cannot decode H.264 or read AVCHD discs at all.
- Play camcorder footage on a DivX-certified DVD player — no DVD player decodes AVCHD or H.264 natively. A DivX-certified standalone player loaded with a data DVD or USB stick of
.divx/.avifiles is the typical path for living-room playback of older Sony, Panasonic, or Canon camcorder tapes. - Stay within the Home Theater profile resolution cap — DivX-certified DVD players in the Home Theater profile only decode up to 640×480 at 30 fps. Downscale 1080p AVCHD with the Resolution Percentage slider or pick the 480p preset; otherwise the file may not play.
- Cut a long camcorder clip into shareable chunks — use Time Range to extract a five-minute highlight from an hour-long wedding or recital recording, then convert just that segment to DivX for email or USB sharing.
- Send footage to family on legacy hardware — older relatives often still own DVD players with DivX/Xvid logos but no streaming. A
.divxdata disc remains the most reliable way to deliver HD camcorder content there. - Reduce file size for archival USB drives — AVCHD's H.264 is more efficient per bit than DivX, so DivX output isn't always smaller; but pairing CRF 5–8 with a 720×480 downscale typically yields a 3–5× reduction versus the original 24 Mbit/s
.mtssource. - Edit in legacy NLEs — older versions of Sony Vegas, Pinnacle Studio, and Windows Movie Maker handle AVI/DivX more reliably than
.mts, which often required AVCHD-specific import plugins.
For modern playback on phones, web players, and streaming devices, convert AVCHD to MP4 instead — H.264 in MP4 is universally supported and far more efficient than DivX. For Apple-ecosystem editing, convert AVCHD to MOV keeps the H.264 stream intact in a QuickTime container.
AVCHD vs DivX — Format Comparison
| Property | AVCHD (.mts /.m2ts) | DivX (.divx /.avi) |
|---|---|---|
| Container | MPEG-2 Transport Stream | AVI (or.divx wrapper); DivX Plus uses MKV |
| Video codec | H.264/AVC (Main or High Profile, Level 4.1–4.2) | MPEG-4 Part 2 (ASP) for classic DivX; H.264 for DivX Plus HD |
| Audio codec | Dolby AC-3 (64–640 kbit/s) or linear PCM | MP3 (default), AC-3 or AAC on Home Theater+ profiles |
| Max resolution | 1920×1080 (no 4K in spec) | 1920×1080 (HD 1080p / Plus HD profile); 640×480 (Home Theater) |
| Max bitrate | 24 Mbit/s (28 Mbit/s Progressive) | Profile-dependent; ~4–8 Mbit/s typical at SD |
| Year introduced | 2006 (Sony/Panasonic) | 2001 (DivX 4); MPEG-4 Part 2 lineage |
| Standalone DVD-player support | None | Wide on DivX-certified players from the mid-2000s onward |
| Modern relevance | Legacy capture format, mostly displaced by MP4/H.264 | Mostly displaced by H.264 in MP4/MKV |
Quality and Bitrate Quick Guide
| Setting | Use when | Typical output |
|---|---|---|
| Quality Preset → Very High | Default for archival; preserves camcorder detail | Variable bitrate, near-source quality |
| Constant Quality CRF 1–4 | Maximum fidelity, large file | Visually transparent vs source |
| Constant Quality CRF 5–8 | Recommended balance for DivX | Good quality, ~3–5× smaller than source |
| Constant Quality CRF 10–15 | Tight space budget | Visible compression on motion |
| Constant Bitrate 4 Mbps | Predictable file size for burning to data DVD | ~1.8 GB per hour |
| Variable Bitrate 2–8 Mbps | Mixed content, motion + still scenes | Adapts to scene complexity |
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my DivX file actually play on my old DVD player?
Only if the player carries a DivX-certified logo and the file fits the certification profile its hardware was built for. Most living-room DVD players from the mid-2000s shipped with the Home Theater profile, which decodes up to 640×480 at 30 fps with MP3 or AC-3 audio. Higher-profile players (HD 720p, HD 1080p) appeared later, mostly in Blu-ray decks. Downscale to 720×480 (NTSC) or 720×576 (PAL) with the Width x Height fields if you're targeting a typical certified DVD player — the Preset Resolutions list sets height alone and lets the width follow your source's aspect ratio.
Why is my DivX file not smaller than the AVCHD source?
H.264/AVC (in AVCHD) is roughly 1.5–2× more efficient per bit than MPEG-4 Part 2 (classic DivX), so re-encoding to DivX at equivalent visual quality often produces a similar or larger file. To genuinely shrink the output, downscale the resolution (1080p → 480p) and raise CRF to 8–12, or set a target bitrate of 2–3 Mbps.
Should I pick DivX or MP4/H.264?
DivX only if you specifically need a DivX-certified hardware player to read the file. For everything else — phones, smart TVs, web uploads, modern editors — AVCHD to MP4 gives smaller files at higher quality because H.264 is dramatically more efficient than MPEG-4 Part 2.
Will DivX-certified players also play Xvid AVI files?
Usually yes. Xvid is an open-source descendant of the same OpenDivX project, and most DivX-certified players decode both. A few certified models advertise Xvid support explicitly; many don't but play it anyway. Test a sample disc before committing a long burn.
What audio codec does the output use?
By default the AVI container uses MP3 audio, which is what classic DivX Home Theater profile players expect. AC-3 and AAC are valid on Home Theater profile and above per the DivX certification spec, but compatibility on individual hardware varies. MP3 is the safest universal choice.
Can I convert.mts and.m2ts files the same way?
Yes. AVCHD camcorders write .mts to the SD card and import tools usually rename to .m2ts after copying to a computer; both are MPEG-2 Transport Stream containers carrying the same H.264/AC-3 streams. Drop either into the uploader.
How do I keep multi-channel audio?
Classic DivX in AVI typically downmixes to stereo MP3. To preserve the original 5.1 AC-3 stream from your AVCHD source, use a container that supports it natively — try AVCHD to MKV or AVCHD to MP4 instead, then re-encode only if you really need DivX for hardware playback.
Why does AVCHD record in multiple files for one continuous shot?
AVCHD camcorders that use FAT32-formatted SD cards split a single recording into separate .mts segments at the 4 GB FAT32 file-size ceiling, which corresponds to roughly 30 minutes at 17 Mbit/s or 22 minutes at 24 Mbit/s. Stitch the segments back together before converting, or trim and convert each segment individually — xconvert keeps each upload as a separate output.
Is there a file size limit?
Files are uploaded over an encrypted connection and processed on our servers — there is no fixed file size cap. For very long camcorder recordings (multi-hour weddings, performances), trim to the segment you actually need first using the Time Range option, which speeds up conversion considerably.