Confused about VCD

[andi1872]

Hi there, sorry if this question has been asked before but with the hundreds of topics it gets confusing.

I recently burned an mpeg movie on to VCD using NERO and it seems to have done a good job except when i want to play it on the computer i have to explore the files on the VCD to find the right file to play. When i do this it plays fine. My current home dvd player is old and doesnt support cd-r or cd-rw so i cant test it to see what will happen. My question is - when i buy my new dvd player which supports cd-r's vcd's etc will it just automatically play or is it likely to do the same thing as it does on the PC and in which case can you tell me what ive done wrong please?

Many thanks in advance

Andi

[mats.hogberg]

recently burned an mpeg movie on to VCD using NERO

This is where you went wrong. OK, some versions of Nero might work (but who can keep track of Nero versions?) for VCD authoring, but the ones I tried didn't make VCD's that played in my standalone.
Use VCDEasy to author, and possibly Nero to burn the VCD image (cue/bin).
But tell me, how did you try to play the VCD on your computer (when it failed)? Only "main stream" applications that can play VCD, is software DVD players, like WinDVD and/or PowerDVD. Most other media players play media files (like you did when you explored and found the file to play), not media discs.

/Mats

[andi1872]

Hi Matt,

I used Power DVD to play the vcd. I expected it to boot straight away but it didnt and then i had to explore the disc to find the file and then it played fine. I burned it useing Nero 6.[/quote]

[mats.hogberg]

Well, I just pop the VCD in the DVD reader and press Play in PowerDVD (I don't think it autoplays VCD) to play a VCD on my computer. So it might be that PowerDVD doesn't like Nero authored VCDs.

/Mats

[dinesh]

Hi andi1872,
Which option of Nero did you use? Check if you burned as VCD or as ISO 9660 ? Check if you have the folder VCD in the disk root and files INFO.VCD, etc under that folder?

Regards

[andi1872]

Hi andi1872,
Which option of Nero did you use? Check if you burned as VCD or as ISO 9660 ? Check if you have the folder VCD in the disk root and files INFO.VCD, etc under that folder?

Regards

Hi Dinesh,

now im really cunfused! Ok i used Nero 6, when i put the vcd in to computers dvd drive it instantly opens and shows these folders: CDI, MPEGAV, VCD, EXT and SEGMENT. In the VCD folder is: ENTRIES.VCD, LOT.VCD, INFO.VCD and PSD.VCD

Does this tell you anything?

Thanks

Andi

[mats.hogberg]

This tells us that you have indeed authored as VCD, and it should play, using some kind of VCD capable player. If it hadn't been for the fact that Nero (at least some versions) does something (or doesn' do something it ought to) that makes the VCD it spits out not to play. Last time I tried (and failed) Nero was still in v 5.x.y.z, but as old problems (along with new ones) seems to appear, disappear and reappear randomly in Nero releases, it wouldn't surprise me if this is your problem.

/Mats

[andi1872]

So should it still play in a ordinary dvd player? It does still play on my puter but i just have to find the file. I have just downloaded VCDeasy as you recommended. Maybe i should just do it again with VCDeasy and see what happens?

[andi1872]

Ok, clearly i am really stupid although i dont know why it didnt work before......Since explaining all the files on the vcd i closed it down and then started PowerDVD and pressed 'play'. This time it openned straight away and just started to play the movie! Im really sorry, i dont know what ive obviously been doing wrong but it seems to be ok now.

Thanks guys for your help, its really appreciated

[RabidDog]

have you thought about "auditioning" a dvd player in the shops .. with your VCD disk. Also use cdrw for testing purposes till you get it right.
And use Vcdeasy for burning VCD its better than Nero 5.5+ (not sure how good Nero6 is). Nero is great for other things.
Oh and use 99min CDr for extra length.

[Gazorgan]

PowerDVD plays what you tell it to play. It has Disk mode and File mode. Mine never autoplayed, and I had to browse VCD/SVCD. Only DVD's worked in disk mode. However, I have the older version with AC3 (the new version charges for AC3 support).

Actually I use Media Player Classic , since it plays anything quickly with little overhead.

[Devanshu]

You have to browse through the files becuase you're playing them in WMP or something like that, correct? Download something like WinDVD or PowerDVD and they play the file automatically. About the new DVD player, if it says it plays VCD's, it means factory compressed VCD's not home burnt. You want it to play CD-R or RW whichever you use. Hope that helps. I use nero and not vcdeasy and it works fine for me.

Devanshu

[andi1872]

I am useing Power DVD and since my last post i have tried to watch the vcd with power dvd but it jumps really badly. I couldnt get VCDeasy to work so have given up with that and i am now trying to convert the original movie with TMPenc to vcd. I never thought this would be so damn hard!

[overloaded_ide]

I never thought this would be so damn hard!

Yea, right!
Just wait till you decide to get a DVD burner

At least a CD R IS a CD R! You don't have too much to worry about in choosing what disk to buy!

I've only done a few Vcds and they were with Nero, and worked fine as far as I could tell. BUt I have no idea what version that was?

[andi1872]

Yea, right!
Just wait till you decide to get a DVD burner

Dont say that, that was my last ray of hope

[Devanshu]

Yea, right!
Just wait till you decide to get a DVD burner

Dont say that, that was my last ray of hope

Its true. I like vcd's better because they're cheaper! Yes the dvd's are "better" and you can do fancy stuff but vcd's arent as complicated and believe me, once you get your first one done, it'll be a breeze from then on. I remember having a million problems when I started too but through this site and forums, I eventually solved them all.

[mats.hogberg]

i am now trying to convert the original movie with TMPenc to vcd. I never thought this would be so damn hard!

You can't use TMPGEnc to create a VCD. A VCD is a CD with video data on it in a special format. TMPGEnc can produce the mpeg file(s) needed for the creation of a VCD. Then comes authoring, and lastly burning. These last 2 steps are best done with VCDEasy.


/Mats

PS! If creating VCD/DVD was as easy, thsi site wold never have been! We do it 'cause we like challenges, right? DS

[broadway]

My question is - when i buy my new dvd player which supports cd-r's vcd's etc will it just automatically play or is it likely to do the same thing as it does on the PC and in which case can you tell me what ive done wrong please?

Many thanks in advance

Andi

I have a Cyberhome CH-500 which plays VCDs, and when I put my VCD into the player, it will automatically start playing.

If you are looking for something other than Nero, try VCDImager with the GUI frontend. It works great.

Check out Michael Tam's website
http://www.vcdimager.org/guides/

[andi1872]

I guess i must have read the guides on the left wrong............i was under the empression that you have a movie file, convert said movie file to mpeg and then burn to cdr. Is this wrong?

[mats.hogberg]

have a movie file, convert said movie file to mpeg and then burn to cdr

You're almost there - between "mpeg" and "and then burn" it should read: ", author to VCD (mpg1) or SVCD(mpg2)".
TMPGEnc just takes care of the "convert said movie file to mpeg" part.

/Mats

[andi1872]

Well that is what ive done so really it should'nt be a problem then, i must just be me. Thanks to everyone for all your help

[overloaded_ide]

I think I captured to mpeg1 directly with the correct settings, then just drop that file into Nero VCD and it worked well.

If the files are VCD compliant then Nero doesn't do anythng to them, but the slightest thing and Nero wants to encode them.

You'll get better results taking the long way, but for quick cartoon VCDs and such, I have done that in a hurry. I never made many VCDs though.

[Double]

I am useing Power DVD and since my last post i have tried to watch the vcd with power dvd but it jumps really badly.

I noticed jumping and freezing watching my VCD's with Power DVD as well. Since then I just use WMP and no problems.

-D