We all love seeing high definition releases but this isn't about HD

I'm interested in peoples preference when it comes to DVD rips as both have pros and cons.

I'll try to make things simple as much as I can cos not everyone understands these things.

Xvid is standard and that is known. Every player will play avi files and every newer TV can play it via USB stick. Downside is that quality is pretty much lower than DVD and increase in quality also increases size which in some cases can make rips pointless.

x264 is spreading and more and more rips are made. Mkv is standard container (lets say "file" to keep it simple) for HD TV releases but it still isn't widely supported by standalone players. With mp4 things are getting better as more and more players support it, even some TVs can play it via USB stick.

x264 is currently my choice cos it gives better quality for the same size as Xvid rip and quality is closer to the one of original DVD release. Difference is best seen in sports with really fast action and MMA has it a lot, unless Jon Fitch is on the card

I personally don't care about the format of the rip, as long as it takes up less space. VLC baby!!!!

Im with him

I mostly go for xvids because my media player is not capable of too many techy resolutions But nowadays xvids can be x264 too and as long as they are avi files I don't really look at the rest. When it comes to Fitch it might be best to just look at the results unless you need a good sleeping medicine without using drugs

XVID FTW FOREVER!
better recognise bitches...

100% without a doubt x264. xvid is outdated rubbish & like VHS it should go the way of the dinosaur. I haven't had to do download xvid in a long time & I hope i never need to. For $149 my ac ryan playonHD media player plays x264 & anything else you throw at it for anyone that is looking at a media player i HIGHLY recommend it.

On the previous comment "But nowadays xvids can be x264 too" i think you might be confused. xvid is xvid & x264 is x264. .mp4 .mkv .avi are all diff container's that are used with x264 but they have nothing to do with the codec.

x264 all the way.

x264 is clearly the winner in quality (at any given size).

The real question is compatibility. xvid has been around more, x264 is relatively newer. However, even though it took ages for xvid to appear in home TVs and Xboxes, x264 is getting there much faster thanks to Apple's adoption of x264 and mp4 (and the fact that computer video on your TV was a geek only thing back in the day). Still, Xbox still hasn't added 264, and apple devices will never support xvid.

If moderately increased compatability is more important than moderately increased image quality (and that's the real question), use xvid.

As far as MKV and mp4 *containers*: If you use xvid, it will be avi. 264 will be mp4. A single subtitle track can be in an external srt file or burned in.

A movie that must have multiple audio or video or subtitle tracks within in single file, especially with different audio encodings, must use x264 for video and MKV for it's container... which is the ultimate in advanced nerd technology. See anime rips and my custom Simpsons dvd rips with 4 audio tracks (some mono, some stereo, some 5.1) and 3 subtitle tracks within a single file... Plays on nothing less than VLC

x264 is my rip of choice im all about the quality and streaming to a ps3 anyway works great thanks either or is much appreciated.

x264 no doubt. When my tv has problems with it (with mp4 good, sometimes avi and mkv give problems), I connect laptop to tv with hdmi cable.