Ulead DVDMF - VCD question

[jfullam]

I have a question for those that use DVDMF to burn VCD's.

I have successfully burned a number of DVD's with chapters using Studio7 (to edit), DVDMF (to author and burn), and my Pioneer A03. No problems, worked fine...

For the first time, I just tried creating a VCD. I took an AVI and created a VCD compliant MPEG using TMPGenc. I then went through the normal process of creating chapters in DVDMF.

I expected the playback simulation screen to behave similarly to when I create a DVD - is this not the case with a VCD? When I get to the playback simulation screen, I cannot select the thumbnails with my mouse (only by selecting the chapter number using the simulated remote). Using this methods, once I begin viewing a clip from the menu, I cannot jump back to the menu at will... It seems I must wait till it finishes playing the clip...

My ultimate goal is to create a VCD with a menu(s) of navigatable Chapter points that will playback on a PC using the CD drive. Will it work as I expect once I burn the VCD? Any help would be appreciated!

[jfullam]

Not a single response yet!? Please help all you Ulead DVD Moviefactory users out there! :P :P :P

[Fred©]

I have created a VCD with 14 chapters (actually, it was 14 songs of a music clip), so I gave 3 menus of 6 chapters on them... I click PLAY button, then MENU 1, with the 6 chapters (songs) appears... I choose on keyboard simulation the number I want (example: 1, that is the beginning of the music film)... It starts...
If I want to return back to menu 1, I just click the RETURN button on keyboard with the mouse... then It cames back to menu 1....

If I want to go to music 9 (that is on Menu 2, chapter 3), i click the NEXT MENU button...

All the creation is ONLY ONE MPEG file... I dont know if you use multiple mpeg files...

So I dont understand why you have to wait all video file finish to return to menu ...

Fred©

[PhArAoH]

Well...

You can not use the mouse to select chapter with VCD. Only numbers, <<, >> and 'return' keys are accepted. To achieve the interactivity not available in Movie Factory you can create a VCD image file, convert it to bin or iso and use VCDEasy (freeware) to extract details in a .xml file which you can edit to your taste, build the image file again and burn it to CD.

[jfullam]

Thanks for the reply.

Once your burn your finished VCD to CD, when you play it on your computer, do you need to navigate with the number keys and return key (as you menioned with the playback simulation) or can you use the mouse to simply select the chapter thumbnail?

Just saw your response - PhArAoH, thanks. That seems rather complicated - is there an easier way to create navigatable chapters on VCD with one intuitive product? I love the ease with which I can create DVD's with DVDMF, I just thought it would be the same with VCD's.

[Fred©]

Good question... I never played the VCDs I created in my computer... thats because I burn them in CD-RW to see if it works on my DVD standalone player... If so, I burn into a CD-R and let only the project recorded in DVDMF saved...

I will see it tomorrow and answer your question.

Fred©

[stimpleton]

i created a SVCD using TMPGEnc and then used DVDMF to create the menu and chapters as you described, i burnt to a CD-r using DVDMF and every one i have done so far i have found when playing back on a standalone DVD player you use the same navigation keys and numbers as you would playing a DVD, hope this helps