What Is the R5 Line in Xvid?
Xvid is an open-source video format that uses MPEG4 video compression, similar to the DivX and MP4 formats. Some Xvid video files may be noted as "R5" in the file name. These Xvid files have that notation to distinguish that the video was encoded from a DVD released in Region 5.
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Region Coding
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Because movies have different theatrical release dates around the world, some movies may be released on DVD in one country before being released in theaters in another country. To prevent the loss of ticket sales from movie viewers buying imported DVDs, movie studios have the discs specially coded for the particular region, designated by numbers, where they are released. A region-coded DVD will only play in a DVD player that is from the same region. Often, the region coding is abbreviated with the letter "R" followed by the region number.
Region 5
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Region 5 or "R5" designates DVDs that are released in countries on Eastern continents, such as Africa and Asia. Areas with the R5 region coding include Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, India, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Central and South Asia, Mongolia and North Korea.
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Xvid Conversion
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A Region 5 DVD can be converted to an Xvid video file through a process known as "ripping." An Xvid video file that is encoded as a Region 5 file is not subject to the same playability issues as Region 5 DVDs. Any computer with a video player and the Xvid codec installed will be able to play these files. However, DVD players that offer AVI and MPEG4 file playback may not be able to read the files.
Quality
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Region 5 or R5 DVDs are typically of much lower quality than standard DVDs. This is due to the fact that the final digital mastering process used to improve the visual appearance of the film transfer is not completed on Region 5 DVDs. Because of the rampant piracy and bootleg releases of movies in these countries, DVDs are rushed to release as soon as possible to beat the unauthorized copies to market. The final mastering process is skipped over to save time. Also, these movies typically will have subtitles that cannot be removed from the video.
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References
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