VCD 3.0 - what is it really?

[snuffi]

Sorry for the stupid question but I have a VCD-Player which says it is compliant "even to VCD 3.0".

But when i tried to look around on the internet I found that there is really no such thing as a 3.0 format. I only came up with references to a "proposed standard" but no real information about what it is and how i could use it. Neither could I find 3.0 VCDs sold somewhere...

Thought that 3.0 was probably the same as SVCD but that seems to be incorrect...

Does anybody know what exactly 3.0 is and if there is some benefit to it? And if so, can I make 3.0 VCDs myself?

[pibble]

What player is this?

They may simply mean SVCD.

[snuffi]

The player is a Kingwood, somewhat obscure brand, at least to me. But it was reasonably cheap so I thought I could give it a try. The manual doesn't give a clue that the player can play SVCD, it doesn't even mention SVCD. But it can play VCD 1.1, 2.0, 3.0 as well as regular CDDA and MP3-CDs (even self-burned ones).

I tried to find out on the net whether 3.0 was the same as SVCD but the information I found (scarce as it was) indicates otherwise... There doesn't seem to be authoring software for 3.0 around, though, so I wonder what the real use of this specification is...

[icehawk]

VCD Version 3.0 is developed & introduced by ESS Technology which mainly use for Mainland China's Educational Multimedia purpose only, where users or student can communicate with the player (unlike VCD 2.0 which only for entertainment purpose). The VCD 3.0 function has to use Version 3.0 software plus the "Real" VCD 3.0 player to activate all on-screen multimedia effect.

// Robert