converted mpeg to vcd - wont play on home dvd player

[burninitup]

Hello, I have tried every combination to make my mpeg and avi clips play on my home dvd player. I have read the messages, linked to the sites and tried nero, nti, tmpgenc, etc.

My home player is a RCA 5200. I checked your compatibility link and it says it will play cdrw with vcd format video.

I converted the mpeg to vcd using tmpge (the other programs such as NTI could not recognize my Iomega drive). I previewed the tmpge image as it was going through the conversion.

I tested to see if it would play back on my computer using a program called, "The Playa". It played fine.

I then dragged the file onto my G: Drive where I have my Iomega cdrw burner mapped. So the only file on this disc is the mpeg clip with a mpg extension (nothing else).

I pop that disc into my home player and it says no disc. It can't read the disc.

Do I need to install an additional VOB boot file or something that forces the DVD to recognize the disc, do I need to use a special burning or dvd authoring software, or do i need to break down and buy a new dvd player or a burner for my computer. This is driving me to the brink of insanity after so many attempts.

any help would be appreciated from a newbie insanity like me.

[Morloc]

TMPG will make a MPG1 file which can be burned to a CD-R using the VCD ISO compliant protocol, but it does not produce the compliant disk image ready for burning. You can use just about any popular burning program (many in these forums use Nero or VCD Easy which is freeware). When you use Nero, you have to use the make VCD option which produces the compliant file structure automatically. Use the Nero help file to find instructions.

In short, just burning the file to a disk will not make a playable VCD, you must follow the correct file structure for your player to recognize it.

Morloc

Also, do not forget to "Finalize" the VCD.

[wee haggis]

Using the Virtualdub/TMPGE/VCDEASY combo...you can't go wrong.....well,almost never go wrong!

[Petco]

You can't drag and drop (probably XP), newer system doesn't come with software and expects you to use XP. If you use Nero (or other VCD software), it will automaticly create the files needed to play just need a compatible MPEG. If you use TMPG then it probably is compatible MPEG.

Make sure you choose the VCD option in Nero and not the file folder.

Assuming your CD player is compatible with Nero (might not be), download the software in the tool section of this forum.

[burninitup]

My god, after 3 weeks and asking for help, I still can't make a VCD that plays on my home DVD player. I am somewhat technical, I have followed your advice. My RCA 5200 is compaitible for making a CDRW with the Video CD format.

I have converted the mpeg using TMPGE, it plays back via the Playa. I loaded VCDEasy and ran it through this program, creating a bin and a cue. I have tried NTI and NERO, to convert, I still get problems with every option listed on the boards, in the help files or via a reply to my emails. When I load the Disc, it doesn't recognize on my home player. Some programs don't recognize my drive, others won't let me out of the simulate mode, others seem to work and then finally the files i use don't work in my plyaer.

Can someone outline the exact steps to convert a mpeg to the video cd format and exactly how i get it to load to my player. I am pretty technical and have never had this many problems getting something like this to work. What do the final files look like? What do I do after running TMPGE and getting that file (this seems to be where I am having problems, e.g. the VCDEasy, something is going wrong with the software or my understanding of what to do here). I am going crazy trying to get something to work here.

[Morloc]

When I first started, I read and followed this guide to the letter:
http://www.vcdhelp.com/sefy/?id=ClassicalGuide.html
I mention this one because it uses the same software you mention in your post, and is well written and although not totally foolproof, you should at least get a VCD that will play. (You might screw up the aspect ratio of your VCD or maybe forget to force film if required and get a jerky output - but at least it should play!)
Now you can even let VCD Easy burn the bin/cue files to your CD-R or you can do as I do and use Nero for the actual burning.
Just open Nero, close the Wizard, select File>Burn Image..., and point to your cue file. Nero finds and loads the bin. Select the 'Disk at once' option. I burn at the slowest speed (8X).
Try a different brand of CD-R as well. I switched from Memorex to no name cheapies and made fewer coasters.
Good luck,
Morloc

[burninitup]

thanks for the reply morloc, i'm going to follow your instructions plus the link to the letter.

[Heavensent]

THIS IS A SHORT ONE

1 - LOAD THE AVI FILE INTO TMPEG
2 - PRESS "LOAD" AND CHOOSE THE "VIDEOCD" TEMPLETE
(NTSC OR PAL)
3 - START THE CONVERTION
4 - AFTER THE CONVERTION IS OVER, OPEN UP "NERO"
5 - USING THE "NERO WIZZARD" SELECT "COMPILE A NEW CD"
AND PRESS "NEXT"
6 - CHOOSE "OTHER CD FORMATS" AND PRESS "NEXT"
7 - SELECT "VIDEO CD" AND PRESS "NEXT" AND "FINISH"
8 - DRAG THE FILE YOU CONVERTED EARLIER INTO "NERO"
(BOTTOM LEFT CORNER)
9 - PRESS THE "FILE" TAB (UPPER LEFT CORNER)
AND SELECT WRITE CD
10. PRESS "BURN"
11. GIVE YOURSELF A CIGAR AND WATCH THE MOVIE

SORRY FOR THE BIG LETTERS, MY KEYBOARD IS GIVING ME PROBLEMS...

[snowmoon]

My god, after 3 weeks and asking for help, I still can't make a VCD that plays on my home DVD player. I am somewhat technical, I have followed your advice. My RCA 5200 is compaitible for making a CDRW with the Video CD format.

http://www.vcdhelp.com/dvdplayers.php?DVDname=RCA+5200&DVDselect=&Search=Search

You may want to re-read the comments on this player. It playes back specific types of cd-rw and then not even all that well. Some people have reported 0 sucess with any cd-rw media.

[edsmith77]

I too am having the same type of problems getting a VCD that will play in my DVD player.
I notice that some mentioned burning bin/cue files. Are these the expected files on the resultant discs or dat files? I have used Nero, EZ-CD 5, Magix, and Click n Burn and none of these create bin/cue files. They all create dat files. Is this the step that I am missing.????

Ed

[Morloc]

No, the BIN file (I think it stands for Binary Image) can be thought of as a container for an image of what will be written to the disk. Some programs generate a bin/cue set from the mpg and some just generate the mpg file. You can take the mpg straight from TMPG and make a vcd using Nero. Follow the instructions provided by Heavensent in one of the earlier posts. The mpg file gets changed to a dat file along the way.

If you've tried this and are still unable to produce a good VCD, then you have a different problem and need to provide more info about software used, settings, etc.

Morloc