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  1. Member
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    Many of my family members are not computer literate, they never use computer before. They don't know even how to operate computer. So, they need a software which is easy for them to learn to operate.

    So, I want a user friendly and free VCD playing software. The software MUST have the following features:
    1. Easy to play VCD disc by just a single command (does not require me to select the MPEGAV folder or .dat file).
    2. Completely free, not trial version.
    3. Easy to switch audio channel (Left/Right/Stereo)
    4. Easy to switch VCD track/ chapter without opening the playlist.
    5. Optional feature*: support DVD videos.
    6. Support VCD disc which contain Menus.
    7. Must have built-in VCD codec.
    8. Support Windows.

    *Optional feature means the feature which the software may or may not have it.

    I do not accept the following software:
    - VLC (Not easy to use, have problem with playing VCD, I have to select the MPEGAV folder to play.)
    - Media Player Classic (Switching audio channel with this software is not easy).
    - MPlayer
    - Trial version software.


    Is there any software meets my requirement?
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  2. Member AlanHK's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by csh
    VLC (Not easy to use, have problem with playing VCD, I have to select the MPEGAV folder to play.)
    No you don't.

    Make (or copy) a shortcut for VLC. Then open properties and add options to the command line, like this:

    P:\VideoLan\vlc.exe vcd://x: --fullscreen

    Obviously, the location of VLC, and the drive (x: on my PC) , will be different for your machine

    One click on this and it starts playing the VCD in fullscreen mode.
    Right click for navigation, etc.
    (For DVDs, just change vcd://x: to dvd://x:, though it should detect the kind of disc automatically anyway.)

    But I'd look for a stand-alone VCD player myself. New ones are cheap, used ones dirt cheap, and a lot more user friendly than a Windows PC for the uninitiated.

    But doesn't Windows "Autorun" start up a player when you insert a VCD? I've disabled that myself. Investigating this option might give you an "insert and autoplay" operation.
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  3. Member
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    Originally Posted by AlanHK
    Originally Posted by csh
    VLC (Not easy to use, have problem with playing VCD, I have to select the MPEGAV folder to play.)
    No you don't.

    Make (or copy) a shortcut for VLC. Then open properties and add options to the command line, like this:

    P:\VideoLan\vlc.exe vcd://x: --fullscreen

    Obviously, the location of VLC, and the drive (x: on my PC) , will be different for your machine

    One click on this and it starts playing the VCD in fullscreen mode.
    Right click for navigation, etc.
    (For DVDs, just change vcd://x: to dvd://x:, though it should detect the kind of disc automatically anyway.)

    But I'd look for a stand-alone VCD player myself. New ones are cheap, used ones dirt cheap, and a lot more user friendly than a Windows PC for the uninitiated.

    But doesn't Windows "Autorun" start up a player when you insert a VCD? I've disabled that myself. Investigating this option might give you an "insert and autoplay" operation.
    With VLC Media Player, if I play VCD by clicking File --> Open Disc --> Disc --> Disc type set to VCD --> Ok, it does not play the video and sound. Even if it successful play, the sound have problem. Plus, enter the command line like vcd:// is easy for me but difficult to my family members.
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  4. Member
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    Originally Posted by CobraPilot
    You might find something here:

    www.geocities.com/lalimvcdplayer/index.html
    Thanks for your reply. Lalim VCD Player is good, but it has some problem with full screen. I'm using 19 inch wide screen LCD monitor. In fullscreen, the video size being scaled according to the resolution of my monitor and replace the black border. So, anybody have other suggestion?
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  5. Member Krispy Kritter's Avatar
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    All of the video players function basically the same and assume the person using them has basic pc knowledge. For what you are trying to do, you will need to do some custom scripting or switch your OS to XP MCE.

    Of course all you really need is a cheap standalone DVD player with VCD support as pointed out above.
    Google is your Friend
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  6. Banned
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    Originally Posted by csh

    Is there any software meets my requirement?
    No. As you have discovered nothing that is free is easy to use. Playing these on a PC is always going to be a problem for your computer illiterate family. Just buy a cheap VCD player as AlanHK suggests and connect that to their TV.
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  7. Member AlanHK's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by csh
    Plus, enter the command line like vcd:// is easy for me but difficult to my family members.
    Which is why I said for you to create a shortcut icon. They only need to click on it.
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  8. Try KMPlayer.

    The following command line (modify a shortcut) will start playing a VCD in drive K: fullscreen:

    "C:\Program Files\KMPlayer\KMPlayer.exe" K: /cd /fullscreen
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  9. Member
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    I appreciate all your replies. Thank you very much.
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  10. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
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    Roxio's (aka Adaptec's aka Cequadrat's) VCD player is copyrighted/licensed (so you have to have bought the software that supplies it), but once you've done that the distribution is free (to the end users). It can be supplied on-disc with the vcd itself, it can be set to autorun (if you understand how to script autorun.inf), it can do the full VCD 2.0 spec (including menus, branching, hotspots, chapters, etc), it can switch between normal and full-screen, and it doesn't require any more codecs than the standard stock/default Windows MPEG1 install (i.e. EVERYWHERE ALREADY).

    It can probably even be found floating on the net as "VCD_PLAY.EXE", but it's better to actually get the software because of legal reasons, and also because of the fact that the newer/newest versions are more bug-free.

    Much less hassle than any of these other alternatives...
    (I speak from experience)

    Scott
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  11. Member
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    Many thanks. Your comments will be take into consideration.
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