What is MPEG 2 ?

[echinopsis]

I went into Comet for a DVD player and told the assistant that I wanted to play dvd/vcd/svcd he recommended a Toshiba 210e which he assured me would play all I wanted to play , pointing to the specification on a label on the shelf which has on it mpeg-2 he said that mpeg-2 is svcd.
Ive now been in touch with Toshiba who tell me that the 210e does not play svcd , (it isnt mentioned in the instruction book) .
So please , what its mpeg -2 ?
did the assistant in Comet misslead me ?

[Truman]

The label probably means, that you can play MPEG-2 audio. SVCD has its own logo.
what is SVCD?
what is MPEG-2?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Truman on 2001-11-29 10:52:17 ]</font>

[TheInformer]

"MPEG-2" is the video format that DVDs and SVCDs use.
"MPEG-1" is the video format that VCDs use.

MPEG-2 is meant for higher bitrate video, while MPEG-1 is meant for lower bitrates.

The employee was correct in saying that SVCD is MPEG-2, but should have phrased it as "SVCDs use the MPEG-2 format".

The employee, however, should have said the Toshiba's ability to play MPEG-2 was because of its DVD playing ability. SVCD (and VCD, MP3, etc) playing is a bonus that the player -should- be able to handle. "Should" does not mean "can" though - it depends on how the player was set up. Toshiba may have elected to not include SVCD support.

[echinopsis]

Thank-you for your very quick replies !
It appears from your replies that the assistant did and didnt miss-inform me
He misslead me in the fact that I specifically said I wanted to play svcd's. but . it is mpeg-2 compatible so he was right in pointing to the mpeg 2 label.
Ive tried playing the svcd's I have with it and the picture and sound are great ,its just a pitty they drift in and out of sync.
I've only had it a month and its gone to the service department today coz if I play vcd's on CD-RW the picture breaks up and freezes and the player locks up and can only be turned off by removing the mains lead.