Oddity Archive

Oddity Archive: Episode 288.6 – Ben’s Junk: RCA RC5230Z DIVX/DVD Player (More “Deadware”)

Added 2025-03-26 15:38:24 +0000 UTC

Back in 2016, after finishing the "Disposable DVD's" episode, I started looking for the particular DVD player my family got back in early 1999 (our first). It was unique in that it was compatible with the short-lived "DIVX" (DIgital Video eXpress) pseudo-format, which we actually used! It's only taken nearly a decade, but I've managed to get my hands on...one model off from the one we had. Good thing, the one missing feature was irrelevant to this discussion.

It only dawned on me just how exhausted I sounded while editing this one, so, admittedly, this is gonna be a slow, rambly one (even by my standards). I have done my best to polish it up with some extra demos and a truly ridiculous side-experiment. Of course, if you need a more proper history lesson on DIVX, revisit the old "Format Wars" and "Disposable DVD's" episodes.

Otherwise, the current plan is as follows:

Next week will be a "State of the Archive" chat and/or a Mail Day video. I am working on the next regular OA episode, but my progress will determine whether or not the aforementioned two videos come out at or near the same name or if I split them over two weeks.