Help me please!!!!!! i suck at making VCDs

[Overmind1632]

Everytime i make one with easy vcd maker and put it into the dvd player, it either says please insert a cd or this cd has no playback feature. Im not sure what i am doing wrong. Can some one tell me what i need to do.

[Tommyknocker]

What player do you own?

[jimmalenko]

Easy VCD Maker ?

I would use EazyVCD. Very simple to use.

http://www.eazyvcd.tk

[Overmind1632]

I use roxio easy cd creater. I convetered all the files into vcd format and then used roxio to burn it. I played it on a sony dvd player that even says video cd player

[jimmalenko]

What software are you using to convert to VCD ?

[Overmind1632]

I use some software that is called avi2vcd. My only problem is playing the vcd on dvd players. it says there is a playback feature problem.

[jimmalenko]

I would assume one of four things may be going wrong;

1) You are not encoding properly;
2) You are not burning properly;
3) Your DVD player doesn't play VCDs and/or CDRs;
4) Bad media.

(I am not being critical - just trying to help!)

1) I would assume that avi2vcd does not require any custom settings - just load in the avi, designate the output, and click go. I would assume it outputs to MPEG.

2) I would assume roxio Easy vcd maker is wizard-based and perhaps you need to read the manual which should have examples of how to use it.

3) Try playing your VCDs in someone else's DVD player.

4) Some players just don't like some brands.

As I said, I am not trying to be critical so please don't interpret this as harsh. I assume that because you have the source in AVI format that you have either ripped from DVD or downloaded ?

You could try using TMPGEnc to encode to a VCD compliant file or Nero - it will convert straight from AVI.

[Overmind1632]

I am convertine avi. files that i have downloaded. Are there are free and good softwares that will convert the file and burn a vcd.

[jimmalenko]

You're not allowed to get help here for downloaded copyrighted movies.

Hey presto !

[Overmind1632]

Well its also the same problem with my dvds. I ripped them and burned them onto a vcd and it still had the same problem. Maybe im doing everything right and its just the dvd player. The sony dvd player says that it plays vcds. Im burining it onto Memorax cd-rw, imation cd-r and tdk cd-rs. Is the the blank cds im using?

[jimmalenko]

TDK cd-rs should be OK. I would recommend for DVD to VCD you use Eazy VCD www.eazyvcd.tk. It does the entire process of converting a DVD to a VCD (or SVCD) MPEG (or an image) ready for burning.

It might be an idea to try this and output to an image, then try burning the image. That will eliminate Roxio as the problem. EazyVCD really is the easiest way to end up with VCDS. It will take approx 1 hour for every 20 minutes of movie though.

[presto]

You're not allowed to get help here for downloaded movies.

Untrue. There are many movies that can legitimately be downloaded from the internet. Don't assume someone is talking about wares just because they are downloading movies.

[jimmalenko]

I omitted the word "copyrighted" to test people like you.

[fritzi93]

Wouldn't hurt to try a different method. You want free and good? No sweat. First thing, check out the conversion guides for AVI to VCD. There are several guides that use the exact tools mentioned below.

1) Use AVI2VCD or Virtualdub to decompress the audio. Won't take long.

2) In TMPGEnc, select the original AVI as video source, the decompressed audio as audio source. Make sure you don't miss the part in the guide dealing with aspect ratio, especially if the movie is letterboxed. Set start and end frames as necessary if the movie has to be split. Start conversion and find something else to do for a while.

3) Enable CDRDAO in VCDEasy and reboot. Burn the VCD(s).

The above is from memory, so READ A GUIDE. Read it carefully, step by step. Never had a problem with this method, nor should you.

[Overmind1632]

the problem still ocurs. I used nero to burn it and when i played it, it said that the playback feature may not be alvaible. What can i do about that?

[jimmalenko]

Are you able to try your VCDs on someone else's DVD Player ?

[Overmind1632]

Im at a boarding school right now. There are only 2 differnet types of dvd players here. A sony and a enderson. The vcd works on the computers but not the dvd players

[presto]

I omitted the word copyrighted to test people like you.

I guess I really fell into your trap. I'll try not to correct people who make incorrect statements any more.

[jimmalenko]

I can say with reasonable confidence then that it it the DVD players or media. Media doesn't sound like it because the computer can read them, so by powers of deduction I can say that it mis most like the DVD players.

[jimmalenko]

I guess I really fell into your trap. I'll try not to correct people who make incorrect statements any more.

Gee, tough crowd ! Are you an editor ?

[presto]

You said something that was wrong. I pointed it out. There's no need to make a pithy comment everytime someone corrects you. geesh

[Overmind1632]

The only reason i don't think it is the dvd player becasue on the sony dvd player, its says on the front, DVD, CD, Video CD. So i am assuming it plays vcds.

[jimmalenko]

My half-truths aside, I have heard that Sony DVD players generally play everything. It may be an idea to check the compatibility list on the left to see if other people have had success or problems with the model you have access to.

If the VCDs play in your computer no worries then you have got the right encoding and burning technique.

[LanEvo7]

I've had experiences with four Sony DVD players and they DO NOT play CDRs. They all play VCDs and DVDs, but will NOT play anything that is on a CDR or RW. It might just be the player.

[jimmalenko]

What a breath of fresh air you are, LanEvo7.

That could be the problem, Overmind.

[schizo]

I think you DVD player is able to play CD-r's coz it's able to read the disk you burned ,you said" this cd has no playback feature" im not sure wat you really did, looks like just burning the vcd format directly to disk, there are special burning tools to use to incorporate playback control(PBC) like Nero under VCD selection it uses cd-i ,basically these are instructions that will be understand by the player how to play the content.

[vitualis]

Many older Sony players do not play CD-R discs well.

All newer Sony units are fine.

This used to be a common problem on the forums and if you read the older threads, you will see that I've talked about this numerous times.

Just because a player is "VCD" compatible, doesn't mean it is "CD-R" compatible. They are two completely different things.

You can actually easily test whether it is a CD-R compatibility problem rather than "guessing". Just because the player can see it is a VCD doesn't mean anything.

Burn and audio CD on the same media type and see if that plays in the player. If it does, then it can read the CD and your problem lies somewhere else (e.g., the way you are authoring the disc, etc.)

If it doesn't play or plays the music back garbled, then you have a CD-R compatibility problem. In such a case, you will have to try and experiment with different brands of CD-R discs to see if you can find one that works. Often CD-RW works better in these cases.

Ultimately, you should be looking at getting a DVD player that is actually designed to read CD-R discs though (i.e., almost all modern players).

@ schizo: no offence but only have snippets of knowledge is a dangerous thing as you tend to spread misinformation. Your above post actually doesn't make much sense. S/VCDs can be played just fine without PBC -- it just means you don't get to author user interaction (the disc will just play from beginning to end). Also, CD-i is used only in CD-i players and has no bearing on the playability of a disc for VCD or DVD players.

Regards.

[Craig Tucker]

@ jimmalenco

As has been pointed out to you, there is nothing wrong with asking for help with downloaded movies. The problem arises when someone asks for help with a downloaded movie which breaks copyright law. As there is no mention of what this downloaded movie is you are just making assumptions, which could be correct or incorrect. As none of us are psychic we have to assume that the downloaded movie is legal unless otherwise stated in the members post.

[lordsmurf]

I'v never seen a SONY -or- an Emerson that played CD-R ... and some not even pressed VCD.

[vitualis]

All newer (I would say at least in the last year) Sony DVD players that I have seen in Australia are rated to play CD-R discs. In fact, Sony here seems to be taking the charge being the first major brand that I have seen to rate players to be both DVD-R/W AND DVD+R/W compatible too.

A friend of mine bought a Sony DVD player at the beginning of this (2003) year. It plays CD-R discs (and VCDs on CD-R discs) just fine.

Regards.