Is it possible to burn DVD to a CDR?

[rhayward]

Assuming I have DVD burning software is it possible to create a DVD setup using a MPG2 file and then burn this to a CDR? Obviously I realise the CDR capacity is much smaller, so the MPG2 file can't be too large, but you would effectively have a 'short' DVD.
Would this then play back in a seperate DVD player as a normal DVD?
Is there any real difference between a blank DVD and a blank CDR apart from potential capacity? (eg. does it become a DVD by virtue of the files configuration burnt to it?)
My main reason for enquiring is I would like to create CDs from my captured AVIs but at the better quality of MPG2 and don't (yet) have a DVD writer.
Thanks for any info/replies.

[theDruid]

I don't use the format myself, because I don't want to have to change discs every 10 minutes! but I believe an MPEG2 on a CD is called an SVCD.

There's loads about SVCD's on this site.

cheers,

mcdruid.

[kayfam]

TheDruid was kidding you about the 10 minute thing, but he's right about SVCD's. Depending on your encoding methods you can get up to about 50 minutes of high quality video on 1 700mb CD-R, not quite DVD quality, but not bad. Best place to start is in the How To guides, under the newbie section located on the left hand side of the page.

[rhayward]

Thanks for quick reply. I just luv changing disks
I have heard about SVCDs, but my DVD player will only play VCDs which is why I wondered if I could create a MPG2 "DVD" but on a CDR?
Would the player recognise the CDR as a DVD?

[theDruid]

Yeah - maybe I was exaggerating a bit about every 10 minutes!

I don't know for sure, but I don't think you'll fool a standalone DVD player into thinking a CDR is a DVD. I could be wrong though!

One way to find out would be to give it a go - if your CD writing software will do it in the first place.

Let us know if it works.

cheers,

mcdruid.

[touchwood]

If your DVD player doesn't play SVCD then you've got no chance of it playing DVD quality MPEG2 from a CDR.

Maybe XVCD? Still nowhere near as good as DVD but better than standard VCDs.

[AntnyMD]

Who let the newbies loose?

DVD-Video content burned to CD-R at DVD quality and resolution is called miniDVD, or cDVD. Depending on the bitrate used on your content, you can fit, at the most, 15 minutes on a compact disc. The most I've ever fit onto one CD is 17 minutes, as this was a clip from a drama movie with low motion, and it was probably encoded at 24fps utilizing 3:2 pulldown and a bitrate of about 4.5Mbps average. The audio was Dolby Digital 1.0 (mono).

[Nelson37]

First, there is a difference between DVD Resolution and Bitrate and DVD file structure. Using DVD FILE STRUCTURE is miniDVD, which plays on very few players. Yes, there are fundamental differences between CDR and DVD.

An MPG1 at 720x480, 6000 bitrate in a VCD structrue would be an XVCD - this is probably your best shot. An MPG2 at the same resolution in an SVCD file structure would be an XSVCD. For progressive video, the two would be virtually identical.

[mats.hogberg]

Actually, I had to try myself - Using Ulead Video Studio, I made a small project and selected "Create DVD", writing to my CD writer.
To my big surprise , my stand alone DVD swallowed the disc as a DVD, and presented the menu, and played the content. Only setback was that both audio and video was jerky - stuttering like. Possibly caused by bad media and/or too fast burn (8X).
DVD is Centrum Libra, which uses the same firmware as SEG Hollywood II, Beverly Hills and some Vestel players.
On my computer, ASUSDVD played it without any distortions.