Photo VCDs and the Apex AD-500W

[andrewb758]

I have been using Ulead DVD PictureShow to create Photo VCDs with background music for my Apex AD-500W. However, the music skips every time the picture changes. Does anyone have any idea on how to fix this or how I should burn a Photo VCD with background music differently to cause this to stop? I have an Apex AD-5131 that it plays fine on, so this doesn't seem to be PictureShow's problem. I have tried the method using TSCV and the Philips VideoCD 2.0 kit but I run into problems because of the version difference between the guide (0.82) and what I have (0.84). Any advice or insight is much appreciated. Thank you.

[Linuxboy00]

I would try using Nero to make the photo cd and see if it still skips..
Just my 2cents worth...

[andrewb758]

As far as I know, Nero doesn't allow for soundtracks to Photo VCDs. This is what I am after. I have done Nero's Photo VCDs before and found them boring because of this missing soundtrack. My version is 5.5.8.2, and I think that is the latest. Is there a way that I don't know of to do soundtracked Photo VCDs on Nero? Again, thanks in advance for any input.

[thxkid]

I have used this same program and guess what, look into the folder on your photo CD, its nothing more than a VCD .dat file, somehow ulead turns it into a VCD, you can actually copy at dat file over to your hard drive and rename it to a .mpg file and reburn it as a VCD.
One thing for sure make sure you are using .wav files for your music and not mp3, if you must use mp3s make sure they are at least 224bps.

[andrewb758]

Thanks. Looks like there are several good leads there. I will check into those now.

[andrewb758]

Well, I tried burning the copied .DAT file with VCDEasy and the music still skipped. I also tried burning the photos directly with PictureShow and then using a .WAV for music and got the same results. Anyone tried this software with an AD-500W (I have the latest firmware available, APE-500W-4) and had any success? It's not looking good for me. Again, input of any kind is much appreciated. Thanks.

[hot_spur]

Had the same problem once. I changed to a CD-RW and the skipping vanished. This might just have been a fluke though

[andrewb758]

Thanks to hot_spur for the CD-RW tip, however, I have been using CD-RWs this whole time. That did give me an idea to switch to a CD-R, which didn't help either. I think that this is simply a design flaw of this player somewhere. Could be the firmware, the processor used, who knows. I guess I will have to stick with either silent Photo VCDs or using the AD-5131s. Thanks for all who tried to help me out, your input was much appreciated.

[tryingtolearn]

I noticed today a couple of patches available on the ULEAD web site for DVD Picture show which may help. I am having exactly the same problem with the audio skipping at each picture change on my APEX AD-500W DVD Player. I have been unable to d/l the patches today as the links for them won't connect. I plan on trying later and will report back if I can get the patches and if they solve the audio skip problem. (BTW I tried both CD-R and RW's and had same problem with both as well as with both .wav and .mp3 audio files.)

[tryingtolearn]

Downloaded both of the patches I mentioned above. No effect
Still have the audio skip at picture change....maybe an APEX prob? I will try another brand DVD player and see.

[VidJockey]

Hi,

I own this exact DVD player. All I can say is, stop racking your brain trying to get it to work.... I have thrown 20 CD-Rs away attempting to get it to work.. 2 patches and tweaking every setting. I recently purchased a DVD-R burner and tried it out for the heck of it... and guess what.. worked perfectly, not one skip. But get this, video burned onto a DVD-R and especially a DVD-RW plays like total crap!!! I don't care what the player specs on this site says, the APEX-500W doesn't do DVD-R..... Pictureshow works though?!?!?! go figure. I am just going to invest in a good DVD player!!

Sorry I couldn't offer anything optimistic for ya... Good luck!

Jimmy