Creating a VCD

[jackedup]

From what I understand a VCD should be able to be played in a standalone DVD player as well as a CD-ROM computer drive. I have a CD here that a fellow wants copies of to distribute for pulicity purposes. He said it is a VCD however it will not play in any of the 3 standalone DVD players I have, however it does play in my computer drive. There is an autorun file in the root directory.

I used Nero 6 and tried creating both an SVCD and a VCD. All went fine and it plays in my standalone DVD players, as well as my DVD writer with Power DVD however does not seem to want to play in a CD-ROM computer drive. There is no autorun file on the disk. I tried playing the MPG file that is on the disk with Windows Media Player and it would not play.

Could someone please help me out as to what I need to do to create a VCD or SVCD that will play in both standalone DVD players as well as CD computer drives.

I should also mention that I tried EasyVCD and after about 20+ hours of encoding it launched TMPGE which said my trial period had expired. I selected OK and it came up and said aborted by used so that was a wasted 20 hours.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

[Sabro]

First and foremost....As with everything else (even DVD -/r) there is no 100% gar-run-tee it is going to play in every standalone, pc, dvd-rom drive etc.

This is just a fact of life that some machine love em and others hate em. It could be as simple as a media issue (your machine doesn't like TDK cdr but will work great with FujiFilm cdr) but the guy next door is totally opposite from you.

Since its VCD, why re-encode and everything your doing when you can very easily just copy the disc using the tools you already have?

Since this guy wants copies, and assuming this is all legit , just do a standard disc copy. If your problem child machines do infact support playing VCD , then it becomes a matter of finding the 'right' media to burn to for that par-tic-u-lar machine.

This site has an excellent database on players and what they do/dont support. I suggest you look in to that, check your equipment to make sure it supports VCD (true VCD/xvid/etc), then hopefully hunt & peck for the right media to burn to.

About the only other thing I can think of is he is saying its a true VCD (which your player might support) but its enfact encoded as xvid which your equipment doesn't support.

Sabro

[Sabro]

Opps, ment to say I'd do a disc copy on the copies you got to work without the autorun file on them. Then since they are working in some try different media brands.

Sabro

[ZippyP.]

From what I understand a VCD should be able to be played in a standalone DVD player ...

VCD's play on some DVD players, and usually not name brand ones. Check yours here.

[jackedup]

First and foremost....As with everything else (even DVD -/r) there is no 100% gar-run-tee it is going to play in every standalone, pc, dvd-rom drive etc.

This is just a fact of life that some machine love em and others hate em. It could be as simple as a media issue (your machine doesn't like TDK cdr but will work great with FujiFilm cdr) but the guy next door is totally opposite from you.

Since its VCD, why re-encode and everything your doing when you can very easily just copy the disc using the tools you already have?

Since this guy wants copies, and assuming this is all legit , just do a standard disc copy. If your problem child machines do infact support playing VCD , then it becomes a matter of finding the 'right' media to burn to for that par-tic-u-lar machine.

This site has an excellent database on players and what they do/dont support. I suggest you look in to that, check your equipment to make sure it supports VCD (true VCD/xvid/etc), then hopefully hunt & peck for the right media to burn to.

About the only other thing I can think of is he is saying its a true VCD (which your player might support) but its enfact encoded as xvid which your equipment doesn't support.

Sabro

I understand what you are saying about the standalone players but all 3 claim to play VCDs and all 3 are different brands so you would think at least one of them would play them if in fact they were VCDs. In addition when I run Nero to create a VCD or SVCD it says the MPG is not VCD compliant or something to that effect amd that it will re-encode it to make it compliant before burning, which is what it does. When it is done the VCD and the SVCD I created this way play in all of my standalone DVD players but don't know how to get it to play in a CD-ROM computer drive. The Nero VCD and SVCD has 5 folders and there is no autorun in the root directory. It would seem either there is something wrong with the CD he gave me and it is not a true VCD and that is why it connot be played in the standalone players, but don't understand why the Nero created VCD and SVCD won't play in a computer CD-ROM.

Maybe I am just out in left field as to how VCDs are supposed to work but I am sure confused at this point.

When you create a VCD are there any files created in the root directory and what folders are created? Do they automatically run when you put them in a CD-ROM computer drive and play in at least some DVD players?

I have to make sure the copies I give him will work in both standalone DVD players as well as CD-ROM drives. I know I cannot guarantee that the VCD will play in every single standalone DVD player however if it plays in mine and his then at least I have fulfilled my obilgation however at this point I cannot get any of the ones I have created to play in a CD-ROM computer drive. They will play in my DVD writer but not my CD-ROM drive so either something is missing from the disk or I am doing something wrong or missing something.

Thanks

[Sabro]

Been awhile since I've done the VCD deal since moving on to DVDs, however did tons of em awhile back.

Basically from what you have said you was given a non VCD complaint mpg file which you encoded to vcd complaint. Don't quote me here 100% on the specs, but that VCD complaint file is still an mpg just with vcd extentions and various other files/directories that will let your dvd player reconize it.

I have never once, in my many vcd creations, had a vcd 'autorun' when using it in a pc's cd-rom or dvd unit, but it does autorun in my standalone dvd player (APEX AD1110-W) just as a normal dvd disc would.

I forget exactly why but thats just the jist of things, however, you can still play the vcd in your cd-rom on your pc by going to the MPEGAV directory on the disc and associating/clicking/running/open with on the AVSEQ01.DAT , AVSEQ02.DAT etc files.

Depending on how you've encoded, these DAT files are the original mpg(s) file with vcd extentions and will run on the pc cd-rom just fine.

If you ever want to reencode the dat file etc, be sure to always bring it back to the original mpg file by either stripping the vcd extentions out or reusing the original non-vcd complaint file. A vcd complaint 'mpg' is not the same as a normal mpg, although it will still play as one thru media player etc.

Get the disc to run as normal in your standalone dvd players, then slap the disc in to the cd-rom on your pc, go to the MPEGAV directory and click on the DAT files....should play just fine depending on how your system is setup (ie. should launch mediaplayer or your favorite viewer by association).

Hope this helps some.

Sabro

[ZippyP.]

When you create a VCD are there any files created in the root directory and what folders are created? Do they automatically run when you put them in a CD-ROM computer drive and play in at least some DVD players?

In a VCD you need to find the .dat file inside of the mpegav folder, play that file with PowerDvd or media player. No, they don't autorun in a PC.

In an SVCD it is a .mpg file inside an mpeg2 folder that you want to play.

[jackedup]

Been awhile since I've done the VCD deal since moving on to DVDs, however did tons of em awhile back.

Basically from what you have said you was given a non VCD complaint mpg file which you encoded to vcd complaint. Don't quote me here 100% on the specs, but that VCD complaint file is still an mpg just with vcd extentions and various other files/directories that will let your dvd player reconize it.

I have never once, in my many vcd creations, had a vcd 'autorun' when using it in a pc's cd-rom or dvd unit, but it does autorun in my standalone dvd player (APEX AD1110-W) just as a normal dvd disc would.

I forget exactly why but thats just the jist of things, however, you can still play the vcd in your cd-rom on your pc by going to the MPEGAV directory on the disc and associating/clicking/running/open with on the AVSEQ01.DAT , AVSEQ02.DAT etc files.

Depending on how you've encoded, these DAT files are the original mpg(s) file with vcd extentions and will run on the pc cd-rom just fine.

If you ever want to reencode the dat file etc, be sure to always bring it back to the original mpg file by either stripping the vcd extentions out or reusing the original non-vcd complaint file. A vcd complaint 'mpg' is not the same as a normal mpg, although it will still play as one thru media player etc.

Get the disc to run as normal in your standalone dvd players, then slap the disc in to the cd-rom on your pc, go to the MPEGAV directory and click on the DAT files....should play just fine depending on how your system is setup (ie. should launch mediaplayer or your favorite viewer by association).

Hope this helps some.

Sabro

Thanks that does answer some questions. I just wish there was a way to make it autorun when put into a CD-ROM drive.

Thanks

[jackedup]

When you create a VCD are there any files created in the root directory and what folders are created? Do they automatically run when you put them in a CD-ROM computer drive and play in at least some DVD players?

In a VCD you need to find the .dat file inside of the mpegav folder, play that file with PowerDvd or media player. No, they don't autorun in a PC.

In an SVCD it is a .mpg file inside an mpeg2 folder that you want to play.

Thank you

[Sabro]

This just might answer the autorun question - > https://www.videohelp.com/autorun.htm

Sabro

[mats.hogberg]

When you create a VCD are there any files created in the root directory and what folders are created? Do they automatically run when you put them in a CD-ROM computer drive and play in at least some DVD players?

In a VCD you need to find the .dat file inside of the mpegav folder, play that file with PowerDvd or media player. No, they don't autorun in a PC.

In an SVCD it is a .mpg file inside an mpeg2 folder that you want to play.

Not quite. VCD and SVCD are played back using WinDVD or PowerDVD on a computer the same way as you play a video DVD - just insert the disc, hit play. Playing files off a (S)VCD is not the same thing as playing the (S)VCD - it's more like opening a VOB from a video DVD.

/Mats

[theDruid]

It's been quite a while since this was discussed much, but at one stage there were a lot of threads about making (non-standard) VCDs which would play in most DVD standalones, but also autorun and start to play if you put them into a CD-ROM drive. (Some people suggested that you put a media player on the CD which launches itself.)

I'm not sure if it's a great idea or not, but if you do a search you might turn up one of the old threads. I'll have a quick look and see if I can find one of them. [edit] - sorry, I missed Sabro's post with a link to the autorun page, which covers most of that. [/edit]

Of course, you then get into the problem that what works on a Windoze PC won't work on a Mac or Linux machine, and even differences between the different flavours of Windoze.

As far as I recall, you may be able to author a standard VCD and then (depending on available space) place an un-authored MPEG1 mpg file outside the VCD file system in the route of the disc, perhaps with a readme txt or html file. MPEG1 is arguablly about the closest you'll get to a 'universal' standard for computers of all persuasions.

That would probably be what I would try and do if I was aiming to create a disc with the best chances of working on anything it was put into.

cheers,
theDruid.

[the * dude]

seems to youyr mate gave you a cd with a normal mpg file with a autorun bunged onto it, burnt as a 'normal data cd' and only some dvd players can play these the fact that you got a autorun file may confuse a dvdv player though,
the question is, is the mpg file vcd comliant, if nero says no, chances are its was created as a XVCD can check this by using easyvcd & try to insert chapters into it, if so good and creat a x-vcd without re-encoding. but you should check if your dvd player does support xvcd's.

no chapters , then use tmpg mpeg tools and re-mux them making sure the the type is 'mpeg-1 vcd' if the bit rate =1024kbs audio 224, any thing else its a xvcd so set type 'mpeg-1 vcd non- std'. create a vcd using easyvcd.

a vcd won't auto play, unless you try in xp when you first insert it it asks you how to open it?


2nd case the mpg is actually mpg2.... hum can't say much look up svcd!!!

[theDruid]

If the aim is to distribute this disc for publicity purposes, I would avoid XVCD (non-standards compliant) as it's very likely to reduce the percentage of machines the disc will work in properly.

If you're trying to make a disc that will play in as many computers / standalones as possible, I'd stick with VCD-compliant MPEG1. (As far as I know more DVD standalones play VCD than play SVCD/CVD).

If Nero tells you the mpg file on the CD you've been given is not VCD compliant, you may have to re-encode. What specifically does Nero say? (if, for example, it's only the audio stream that's not compliant, you don't want to re-encode the video).

Load your mpg file into VirtualDub and/or MPEG Properties and look at file information. The specs for VCD are on the what is... VCD page (link in the top left). Post a screen grab of the info if you want help.

If your file is not VCD compliant, you may want to ask the bloke who gave you the dics if he still has the source video - re-encoding the mpeg file will degrade the quality.

If you do have to encode again to get to VCD-compliant MPEG1, I wouldn't use Nero to do it (I think we've said this before Mats ) - the basic free version of TMPGEnc is a very good encoder for this purpose.

cheers,
theDruid.

[mats.hogberg]

(I think we've said this before Mats )

Hmmm... Let me think - yes, it sounds familiar - and I somehow get an association to the phrase "and use VCDEasy to author" - strange...

/Mats

[theDruid]

what a good idea... use VCDEasy to author your VCD. Why didn't I think of that?!

jackedup - you'd even be able to use the ISO Files function of VCDEasy to add the mpg & readme files to the disc should you choose to do so.

cheers,
theDruid.

[ZippyP.]

VCD and SVCD are played back using WinDVD or PowerDVD on a computer the same way as you play a video DVD - just insert the disc, hit play.

My version of PowerDvd is always flakey that way, giving me an "invalid format" message most times. Time to upgrade to a newer version I think.

BTW, here's a third vote for VCDEasy.

[jackedup]

(I think we've said this before Mats )

Hmmm... Let me think - yes, it sounds familiar - and I somehow get an association to the phrase "and use VCDEasy to author" - strange...

/Mats

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. As I stated in my original post I tried VCDEasy first and after 20+ hours of encoding it launched TMPGE which said my trial version had expired. When I selected OK it came up with a message aborted by user or something to that effect and that was the end of it and I had nothing.

[mats.hogberg]

No, that was surely not VCDEasy. Possibly EazyVCD which is another thing completely. VCDEasy is only for authoring an already encoded (S)VCD mpg, and doesn't encode either on its own or thru other apps.

/Mats

[jackedup]

No, that was surely not VCDEasy. Possibly EazyVCD which is another thing completely. VCDEasy is only for authoring an already encoded (S)VCD mpg, and doesn't encode either on its own or thru other apps.

/Mats

Indeed, you are correct it is EasyVCD and not VCD Easy

[Cornucopia]

As I have a number of clients who don't want to shell out the bucks for a DVD player or refuse to advance their technology, I still do quite a number of VCD's. Here's the scoop:

Look to the left at the What Is sections for VCD & SVCD. It shows what the disc structure should look like. You can compare your original with that.

Also, contrary to what most of the above posters have said regarding AUTORUN, you CAN/MAY easily have a VCD autorun on a PC! There are a couple of things to think about here...

If you put an autorun (which you'll have to create the files manually), you need a player app. Does this player app need to make use of VCD 2.0 PBC features (menuing, branching, stills, playlists, etc)?

If not, create a batch file that will use the correct Windows Media Player for your system, and create an ASX metafile to direct the player to the AVSEQ##.DAT file(s).

If yes, you'll have to incorporate a VCDplayer app (such as Roxio's VCDPLAY.EXE) on the disc and have the autorun launch that.

Do you really want AUTORUN? If you incorporate autorun, but your customer's computer already has WINDVD/POWERDVD loaded and waiting for discs, you'll end up with a conflict because both the DVD player app and your autorun app will be trying to access the same media at the same time.

Look at some of my past posts on the subject for more info...

HTH,
Scott

[jackedup]

As I have a number of clients who don't want to shell out the bucks for a DVD player or refuse to advance their technology, I still do quite a number of VCD's. Here's the scoop:

Look to the left at the What Is sections for VCD & SVCD. It shows what the disc structure should look like. You can compare your original with that.

Also, contrary to what most of the above posters have said regarding AUTORUN, you CAN/MAY easily have a VCD autorun on a PC! There are a couple of things to think about here...

If you put an autorun (which you'll have to create the files manually), you need a player app. Does this player app need to make use of VCD 2.0 PBC features (menuing, branching, stills, playlists, etc)?

If not, create a batch file that will use the correct Windows Media Player for your system, and create an ASX metafile to direct the player to the AVSEQ##.DAT file(s).

If yes, you'll have to incorporate a VCDplayer app (such as Roxio's VCDPLAY.EXE) on the disc and have the autorun launch that.

Do you really want AUTORUN? If you incorporate autorun, but your customer's computer already has WINDVD/POWERDVD loaded and waiting for discs, you'll end up with a conflict because both the DVD player app and your autorun app will be trying to access the same media at the same time.

Look at some of my past posts on the subject for more info...

HTH,
Scott

Thank you appreciate your response

[Sabro]

From what I remember, the TMPGE included with EasyVCD should only complain (time expired) when using it to encode to (S)VCD since only encoding to MPG2 is time limted without reg..

You should still be able to use EasyVCD to create MPG1 (VCDs) without TMPGE problems.


Sabro

[yoda313]

Hello,

I don't think anyone mentioned this in this thread yet so here it goes...

Some settop dvd players will NOT READ CDR discs. But they WILL PLAY CDRW discs

My sony dvps360 is just such a player. Won't play cdr no matter what but plays cdrw like they were pressed factory discs. It has to do with the wavelength of the laser and opacity of the rw discs from what I understand. The dvd players that read the R discs are calibrated properly to do just that...

Kevin