CVD questions

[Lord Gaiyan]

I am contemplating on whether or not to use the CVD format. My concern is the resolution. I'm pretty new to the VCD business and I did my first SVCD yesterday. I notice that at 480x480 resolution, the picture looks taller than its wider. Now at 352x480 CVD resolution it's gonna look even taller!! Maybe I don't understand it so could someone explain? Can I also use TMPGEnc to create CVDs and can I burn CVD files with Ulead DVD Workshop? Thanks much.

Joshua.

[zizou108]

The aspect ratio that you see on your computer screen is not what you will see on your TV when you play back the SVCD or CVD in a standalone player. When played back, the video will be "stretched" widthwise to fill the whole width of the screen, resulting in a 4:3 aspect ratio. This is the same whether you are using CVD (352x480) or SVCD(480x480). (This is assuming you have a standard TV - will be different on a widescreen TV).

Yes, you can make CVDs no problem with TMPGEnc - just set the output resolution to 352 x 480, otherwise all settings same as SVCD. And, as always, be conscious of TMPGEnc aspect ratio settings (I can discuss this in more detail if you like).

For a good discussion of CVD, see http://forum.vcdhelp.com/userguides/98177.php. I have just started making CVDs, they play back fine on my DVD player (Pioneer DV-333), and I think they do look better.

BTW, this "stretching" of video to fit your TV is nothing new and is not a problem: anamorphic widescreen DVDs do it also.

zizou108

[Lord Gaiyan]

Hey, thanks mate. I'll make a sample CVD and see if it plays on my DVD player.

[Lord Gaiyan]

Ok. I ran initial tests on my DVD player. It's really a cheap-ass player I got for $90 CAD ($60 USD). It looks great and plays all my DVDs and VCDs without any bitching. I burnt me a test CVD with CBR and the player tried to load it as VCD. I tried a VBR SCVD and same thing. Only a CBR SVCD will load up as SVCD according to my tests. Is there a way to generally fool a DVD player to play CVDs? Some headers I've heard about... Thanks.

Joshua.

[SatStorm]

No...
You see, SVCD have to be compatible with CVD only for Region 2 standalones. You see, a R2 standalone is PAL so (in theory) is for use both in Europe/China. So, it has to be compatible with CVD
In US you use Region 1, so SVCD is only that, SVCD, exactly like philips had set it.

In generall, only made in china (or far east) DVD R1 standalones can for sure play CVD
The same file in DVD-R disc, gonna play with no probs in the same standalone. Silly, isn't it?

[zizou108]

Lord Gaiyan,

Can't answer your question, but I can say that VBR is part of the SVCD standard - your DVD player should be able to handle this if it is designed to deal with SVCD discs.

But really, my only experience is with the Pioneer DV-333, which is known to play just about anything you can throw at it (including CVD and KVCD).

zizou

[Lord Gaiyan]

Ok... I goofed I burnt the CVD files as VCD on VCDEasy... I now burnt several TMPEGEnc encoded CVD versions of a DivX trailer and my Clairtone plays them all, CBR, VBR and CQ. No probs. I really like CVD now because quality is great and takes less space than SVCD.