Sudo apt-get install vlc-plugin-pulse install remaining Ubuntu 'restricted extras' (146 MB when installed, skip if space is critical) sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras If you are NOT already using 16.04 LTS (or later), force (manually) install the three key elements for full DVD support: sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 libdvdnav4.

1. Media Player Codec Pack

XviD Video Codec will greatly expand the number of playable video formats on your computer. Additionally, you can use the built-in compression software to save disk space by shrinking videos you've watched without negatively impacting their quality. Pros Enhanced video support: If you're encountering a video that you can't play, XviD Video Codec may help you watch it, thanks to its wide support for video formats. Fast compression: Through the software's MiniConvert feature, we were able to compress an AVI file from 50MB to 40MB in under a minute, and when we compared the two versions, we couldn't detect any drop in quality. Note that the compression feature is not compatible with all video formats; in our initial attempt at compression, we got an error while trying to compress an MP4 file.

Advanced settings: Using the dedicated Encoder and Decoder configuration apps, we were able to adjust advanced settings like the compression ratio, encoding type, post-processing, and aspect ratio. There is also a 'Restore Defaults' option, which can come in handy if you cannot undo any adjustments you might have made. Cons Uninspired interface: All control panels and settings use the same tired design we've been looking at since Windows 95. While functional, the app's interface is certainly not enjoyable.

Bottom Line If you have trouble playing a certain video you have on your PC, or you're just looking to save some disk space by compressing old movies, XviD Video Codec should be able to accomplish those tasks for you. And if you're into tweaking your codecs' performance, this open-source software will not let you down. From XviD is an open source MPEG-4 video codec designed for everyone. Its purpose is to compress video in order to allow for faster transmission over computer networks or for more efficient storage on computer disks. Hence, XviD can somewhat be seen as a ZIP archive for video. XviD removes information from video that is not important for human perception in order to achieve very high compression rates while still keeping very good visual quality.

Media Player Codec Pack

XviD is published under the GNU GPL license. That means it can be obtained free of charge. And since XviD is open-source software, everyone can review the XviD source code to check for himself that nothing malicious is included.