Well - read some more, played some more, and the process is beginning to sink in/make sense. Many thanks to those with experience posting in this Newbie forum!

Followed the guide to use TMPGEnc to encode my captured .avi file (from Ulead VideoStudio), but did one at 1450 kbps CBR, and one at 1450 average 2-pass VBR with max set at 2000 kbps. Used Nero to burn the VBR (again following guide - the guides here are a great resource - have to thank you guys again) using the unchecking the standard VCD setting as instructed. Popped it into my Panasonic RP82, and voila - it played . However, compared to the previous 2 standard VCD's that worked, it did not present me with initial track menu. Instead, it went right into playing the video after closing the drawer???

So, for fun I re-encoded with TMPGenc again but this time with an XVCD format of 1450 kbps CBR. With this mpeg file, I again used Nero, but this time I did not uncheck the standard VCD setting. I thought this would enable the track menu, but it didn't - it just started immediately playing with drawer close?

Now for my questions:

1- Why don't I get the track menu with either XVCD?
2- Why doesn't the check/uncheck of standard VCD setting in Nero make a difference?
3- I think I preferred the XVCD using the CBR setting versus the 2-pass VBR. Is this consistent with other people's findings? Theoretically the 2-pass VBR should be better. Though note that the 2-pass is also 2 times as long to encode!!
4- Final question. Concerns capture settings. My miniDV camcoder (JVC) is interfaced to PC with a 1394 card. Ulead VideoStudio has many templates to choose from - I selected the DV 720x480 NTSC 30fps option. Creates a 13Gig file. Is this the best template to select to capture???

Thanks again,
dagger