WMV conversion for DVD player

[iggy849]

I have spent several weeks researching how to convert my 8mm videos and put them on VCD's so the family can all watch on the TV.

I have a Sony Digital Camcorder, my firewire card installed and already converted a movie using Windows Movie Maker.

I have a brand new Toshiba DVD player hooked up to my home theatre that's supposed to read MP3's and CD-R but it wouldn't play my new home video.

A friend recommended VCDhelper.com and I tried the conversion to MPEG format that took 20 hrs to complete. I burned a copy of that file and dropped it in the DVD player and still got nothing!

I'm sure the answer is here somewhere, can anybody help?

Thanks in advance,

Mark

[mikewg]

Just because a DVD player can play cdr, doesn't mean it can play VCDs. Here's some things to check out:

1. What model Toshiba do you have? check the DVD list to see if it can play VCDs.

2. How are you authoring your VCDs? You do realize you can't just put MPG files on a disc, you have to specifically burn it as a VCD.

We need more info before we can help you... how are you buring your VCDs? Just Windows Movie Maker? BEcause I don't know anything about that program.

[JHebert]

From your post it sounds like you just burned the MPEG file onto a regular data CD. This does not create a VCD. The VCD format includes a specific directory structure and disk format different from a regular data CD. Instead you need to use a VCD authoring program such as Nero or VCDEasy to create a VCD from your MPEG. Check the HowTo author guides for details.
Also your DVD player must support both VCD format and CD-R media.

[iggy849]

jhebert and mikewg,

Thanks again for your quick response.
I'm using the Toshiba SD-2715, which, according to the list, will support VCD's.
You brought up an interesting point though...after I converted my Windows Movie Maker to MPEG format, I burned it as a Data CD using my simple Adaptec Easy CD Creator.
I see Nero is $50.00! I don't know about the other one you suggested. I Also have CloneCD, but haven't figured out how to use it yet. Are you familiar with this? Will it work like Nero and the other one you mentioned?
Tell me exactly what I'll need, and I'll get it.
Mark