with the 2.00 firmware update, some people noticed that divx/xvid files were now viewable, but not playable, in ps3's xmb (as opposed to "unsupported data" before). It seems that this seemingly insignificant update was actually indicating something larger happening.

http://kotaku.com/gaming/hell-yes/divx-confirms-ps3-divx-support-322015.php 

 For all of you who seem to nail sony for all their proprietary formats, i think you owe them a tip of the hat for this move. esentially people will soon be able to play divx files (a very, very popular format for downloaded movies/tv shows in particular) on their ps3 or streamed via their computer to their ps3. very interesting stuff.

Yea, I saw that and am very excited for this access. :) It will be awesome for me to stream vids of Family Guy to my PSP while at an airport to help waste away the time waiting for my flight. :)

BTW, I absolutely love the remote play abilities with the PS3 and PSP. Truly awesome! Even from many states away, I'll be able to access my PS3 and stream my.. ummm... adult library from my computer. :)

Divx support in games. I think developers just gained one hell of an upgrade for audio. Divx = one of the best audio formats available.

Ogg Theora > DivX in performance, quality and freeness.

Why do major companies keep supporting locked, proprietary formats?

ok, dude with the ubuntu avatar. sony is going to let people play divx files on their ps3's. do you realize that this will enable people to play very likely pirated movies and tv shows, some of which are sony's property?

please explain to me how ogg playback on ps3s over divx/xvid given the pletora of content already out there in xvid would be beneficial to consumers. why would a consumer want ogg playback over xvid playback?

do you have a bone to pick with "major companies" or do you really think consumers would want ogg playback instead of xvid/divx playback?

Because of the performance, quality and freeness.

And Xvid is fine, it's also free, open and better quality than DivX.

Sigh!

You're wrong, again ... !

DivX is no audio format, it's just a video codec and maybe an "unpopular" container format.

The "best audio format available" might be aac or my favorite, mp3 !

p.s.

Back in the days of divx 3.11, the codec included a "divx audio codec". It was, like 

the divx 3.11 video codec, a hacked microsoft asf derivate and has nothing to do with the current company and product divx.

xvid/divx are extremely similar.

"because of the performance, quality and freeness"... that's fine. how about availability?

i'm part of a private music torrent website and by far the least popular format is ogg. infact, there are something like 50 albums available in ogg while there are *THOUSANDS* available in FLAC. this ogg sounds like a niche open source format that's never really taken off and has zero mass appeal. yet you want sony to implement it in the ps3? that's sure to help them move consoles. alright, atleast we're on the same page now.

Ideally, I'd like to see the PS3 play *all* video formats, open source and non-open source - everything from FLV to WMV. In practice, there are some thorny licensing issues to resolve...

Well, I'll concede the popularity aspect, but I'm saying that companies such as Sony should do more to embrace open source codecs like Ogg Vorbis and Ogg Theora and reject DRM/proprietary/restrictive formats, for the benefit of consumers everywhere. This particularly affects me as a Linux user because MP3, WMA, AAC, and other files will not play purely licenses to do so require royalties.