MP4 to XviD Converter

How to Convert MP4 to Xvid Online

1. Upload Your MP4 File: Drag and drop or click "+ Add Files" to select MP4 (or .m4v) recordings — phone clips, screen recordings, edited exports, downloaded videos. Batch is supported; drop in a folder and each file is processed in parallel.
2. Pick Quality Preset or Bitrate Mode: Default is the "Very High (Recommended)" Quality Preset, which targets a high-bitrate Xvid encode in an AVI container. Switch to Specific file size to cap output at an exact MB target (useful for fitting a multi-episode DVD), Constant Bitrate for predictable sizing across a disc, Variable Bitrate for smaller files at the same quality, or Constant Quality for a fixed perceptual quality target.
3. Set Resolution and Trim (Optional): Under Video resolution, keep original, pick a Preset Resolution (1080p / 720p / 576p / 480p), scale by Resolution Percentage, or enter a custom Width × Height. For DivX/Xvid-certified DVD players, drop to 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL) — most legacy hardware refuses anything higher. Under Trim, choose Time Range and enter start time + duration in seconds or HH:MM:SS.sss format.
4. Convert and Download: Click Convert. Files process in your browser session — no sign-up, no watermark, no email required. Output is an .avi file with an Xvid video stream that plays on VLC, MPC-HC, DivX-certified players, and standard codec-equipped Windows / Linux setups.

Why Convert MP4 to Xvid?

MP4 (ISO/IEC 14496-14, 2003) almost always wraps H.264 (MPEG-4 Part 10 / AVC) or H.265 (HEVC). Xvid is a different MPEG-4 family member — it implements MPEG-4 Part 2 Advanced Simple Profile (ASP), which predates H.264 and trades compression efficiency for hardware decoders that exist in millions of mid-2000s consumer devices. The Xvid codec library has been GPL-licensed since 2001 and was created as a free fork of OpenDivX after DivX Networks closed their source. The output is normally written into an AVI container, since AVI is what Xvid/DivX-certified hardware expects to see.

• DivX/Xvid-certified DVD players — Standalone disc players sold roughly 2003-2012 with DivX Certified or DivX Home Theater logos decode MPEG-4 ASP from a burned data DVD or USB stick. They do not decode H.264, so the MP4 won't play directly; re-encoding to Xvid AVI is the canonical fix. Resolution must stay at 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL) on most models.
• Older PMPs and car head units — Archos players, early in-dash car video systems, and Chinese-market portable media players from the late 2000s often advertise "DivX/Xvid support" but lack H.264 hardware decoding. Xvid AVI is the lowest-common-denominator format that just works.
• Embedded systems and digital signage — Older kiosks, gym TVs, and digital-signage boxes built around mid-2000s SoCs (NXP/Conexant/Sigma Designs reference designs) ship with MPEG-4 ASP decoders. Updating them is rarely an option, so converting the source to Xvid is the path of least resistance.
• Open-source-only workflows — Xvid is GPL-2.0; H.264 and HEVC require MPEG-LA / Via LA patent licenses for any commercial use. Some FOSS projects and Linux distributions prefer Xvid for redistribution.
• Compatibility with legacy authoring tools — Older versions of Nero, AVS Video Converter, and TMPGEnc accept Xvid AVI as direct input far more reliably than modern H.264 MP4 — useful when you have to feed a workflow you can't update.
• Recovering footage for archives — Some institutional archives still standardize on Xvid AVI as their ingest format because every workstation in the building has a 15-year-old codec pack installed. Converting modern phone footage to Xvid AVI is the only way to hand it off.

Xvid vs DivX vs H.264 — Codec Comparison

MP4 vs Xvid AVI — Container & Codec Quick Guide

Bitrate Mode Guide

If you need to go the other direction, see Xvid to MP4. Already in an AVI container and just want to swap codecs? Use AVI to MP4 or MP4 to AVI. For DivX specifically, see MP4 to DivX.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Xvid the same as DivX?

They implement the same standard — MPEG-4 Part 2 Advanced Simple Profile — and both produce video that decodes on the same DivX-certified hardware. The split is licensing: Xvid is GPL-2.0 free software (a 2001 fork of OpenDivX after DivX Networks closed their source), while DivX Inc.'s codec is proprietary commercial software. Most DivX-certified DVD players also play Xvid-encoded AVI files in practice; AVForums and VideoHelp threads from the era consistently report both work on the same hardware, though Xvid isn't part of the formal DivX certification test suite.

Will my mid-2000s DVD player actually play the output?

Probably yes, if it has a DivX Certified or DivX Home Theater logo on the front panel. Constraints to keep in mind: resolution at or below 720x480 (NTSC) / 720x576 (PAL), AVI container (not MP4 or MKV), Xvid or DivX video stream, MP3 or AC-3 audio (not AAC), and total bitrate under what your model's spec sheet lists (commonly 4-8 Mbps). If you exceed any of those, the player either rejects the file or stutters. Burn the .avi to a data DVD-R (not as a Video DVD) and use the player's "Files" or "USB" menu.

Why is the output file so much larger than the original MP4?

Xvid uses MPEG-4 Part 2, the codec H.264 replaced. At the same visual quality Xvid produces roughly 1.6-2x larger files than H.264. That's the inherent trade-off: you're giving up 20 years of compression progress in exchange for compatibility with hardware that was built before H.264 shipped. If you need a smaller file, raise the CRF / lower the bitrate, but expect to see compression artifacts (blocking, ringing) sooner than you would with H.264.

What's the maximum AVI file size?

The original AVI spec has a 4 GB hard limit per file. The OpenDML AVI 2.0 extension lifts that to roughly 1 TB by indexing multiple sub-chunks, and most modern players (VLC, MPC-HC, ffmpeg) handle OpenDML files transparently. Some 2003-2008 hardware DVD players don't, so if your target device is a legacy player, keep individual outputs under 4 GB by lowering bitrate or splitting long sources with Video Cutter before converting.

What audio codec ships inside the Xvid AVI?

By default the converter outputs MP3 audio inside the AVI, which is what virtually every DivX-certified DVD player and software player decodes. AC-3 is also widely supported by hardware players (it's the DVD-Video standard) but slightly less universal across software. AAC is not generally supported by legacy DivX/Xvid certified hardware — avoid it if the target is a DVD player.

Why doesn't VLC need a separate Xvid codec download?

VLC bundles libavcodec (the same library ffmpeg uses), which natively decodes MPEG-4 ASP — meaning every Xvid and DivX file works out of the box. The codec-pack ritual of the 2000s was specific to Windows Media Player and DirectShow, which didn't ship MPEG-4 ASP decoders by default. Today, VLC, MPC-HC, mpv, PotPlayer, and Plex all play Xvid AVI on any modern OS with no extra setup.

Can I keep the original resolution and frame rate?

Yes. Leave Video resolution on "Keep original" and the encoder preserves the source dimensions and frame rate exactly. The only reason to downscale is a target device with a hard resolution ceiling — most DivX-certified DVD players cap at 720x576, and some older PMPs cap at 480p. If your end target is a desktop PC running VLC, leave it at the source resolution and let the bitrate carry the quality.

Should I convert to Xvid in 2026, or is there a better option?

Convert only if you have a specific reason: a DivX-certified DVD player, a legacy archive that mandates Xvid AVI, an embedded device with no firmware updates, or an open-source-only workflow. For every other use case in 2026 — phones, browsers, smart TVs, modern media servers, social uploads — H.264 in MP4 is universal, ~40% smaller, and easier to work with. If you're not sure, try MP4 with H.264 first and only fall back to Xvid if your target hardware refuses to play it.

Is Xvid still being maintained?

Activity is slow. The last formally tagged stable release was Xvid 1.3.7 in December 2019 from the official xvid.com project, and source-level work since has been minor. Practically, the codec ships inside libavcodec/ffmpeg, which is updated continuously, so the encoder you use is well-maintained even when the upstream Xvid project itself is quiet. For decoding, every modern media player handles MPEG-4 ASP via libavcodec.