Pronunciation: [dˈɪvks] (IPA) 
The word "DIVX" is a combination of the two words, "digital" and "video express." The spelling of this word is often confusing due to the combination of letters and the absence of vowels. The IPA phonetic transcription for "DIVX" is /dɪvɪks/. The first syllable "div" is pronounced with a short "i" sound, and the second syllable "x" is pronounced as "ks." Overall, the spelling of "DIVX" reflects its digital and technological context.
DIVX, which stands for Digital Video Express, is a now obsolete digital video format and proprietary digital rights management (DRM) system developed in the late 1990s. Launched by Circuit City, the American consumer electronics company, DIVX was designed to allow customers to rent movies on DVD-like discs and view them on DIVX-compatible players.
The DIVX format utilized MPEG-4 compression technology, allowing for efficient storage of video content while maintaining acceptable quality. However, what distinguished DIVX from traditional DVDs was its unique business model. Rather than purchasing movies outright, users paid a lower price to rent the discs, which were equipped with a DIVX player chip. This chip tracked the duration of time for which the customer watched the movie, before requiring additional payment to continue viewing it.
The primary purpose behind DIVX's development was to provide Circuit City with a new revenue stream and combat the competitive rental market for movies. However, the format proved unpopular due to several reasons, including the additional costs, limited availability of DIVX discs, and the requirement for a specialized player. Consequently, Circuit City discontinued the DIVX format in 1999, leaving customers with unsupported discs.
While DIVX did not succeed commercially, it serves as a significant case study in the evolution of digital video and the challenges posed by proprietary DRM systems.
