Are CD-R's the same as VCD's?

[thump01]

Yes, I know to most of you this seems very stupid. I spent many hours devouring page upon page of info involving the getting started on burning movies. But not once has it said what everyone calls a VCD is the same thing as just burning a movie onto what I have for music: a 16X, 80 minute, 700 meg, CD-Recordable disc. I am guessing it is the same by what I've read, but I don't want to waste my time screwing up and all that jazz.
This is all very new and exciting that I can do all this with my computer. It is a HP pavillion 7955, which has Windows XP. I would love for someone to tell me the best software I will need to burn movies, also.
Thank you for any help you could give me!!
Tracey

[staind_96]

vcd is format which is accepted by most dvd players. yes you can burn them on cd-r or cd-rw which ever works best for your dvd player. for how to make them follow the how to convert to on the left side of this page using tmpge which is really good software and its free.

[thump01]

Thank God someone answered my questions! I am very grateful for you not berating, as I've seen some do to other people that post in here. I will read all the stuff in Convert and, hopefully, will be on my way to d/l ing movies!
Tracey

[Evil Cupid]

Yes. As staind_96 explained "vcd is format which is accepted by most dvd players" However, you should also ensure that your DVD player (as opposed to DVD-ROM Player in your computer) can read CD-R or CD-RW discs. Otherwise, you won't be able to watch them on your big screen TV .

Another thing, if the movies you are burning are from a high quality source (ie. Crystal Clear Image Quality and Sound) use the SVCD format instead of the VCD format to keep it as good as it can be!

[thump01]

ya lost me on the "svcd" quality. Is it something I look for when narrowing a search like quality @128 or higher or what?
Tracey

[staind_96]

svcd is higher quality than vcd. but id stick to making vcds untli you get the hang of it. if vcd is good enough quality for ya than i wounldnt worry about making svcd.

[Evil Cupid]

If you are burning stuff you download off the net, then here are some things to look for if you want SVCD quality material:

For Music Videos, search for files with extension .m2v
(These are already encoded as SVCD format) You can burn them immediately with Nero with no further work needed.

For Full Length Movies, search for file names that contain TCS. They are a group who release brilliantly produced SVCD movies. So of the recent movies around released by TCS include, The Fast and The Furious, Final Fantasy and Shrek.

[thump01]

I am looking for more like full length movies. For example, I searched for Shrek, and found (in order):
~Title~ ~Artist~...... yada, yada, yada
(smr)shrek-ts(1of2) Dreamworks

Is the TCS you mentioned the Artist I am looking for?
Then, I feel I should be concerned with the user (some of them I'm sure are notorious for having crap, and until I get familiar with them, I don't want to waste my time, as I'm sure they get much pleasure from!)

Acceptable looking download times(I've got a cable modem)? Lengths, resolutions,size, bandwidths, and the question of which is the easiest to convert(or if I even have to!) of the .avi filename? Augh! I am trying to do it the right way. I know it might be alot to ask all this.
Eternally grateful!! Tracey

[thump01]

Well. That was a learning experience. I am not so desperate to download some jackass's video recorded from the MOVIE THEATRE! Hell-ooooo! But, I just did, didn't I! Does the (smr) in the title mean something like what I just witnessed as the obvious recording procedure??
Tracey

[Evil Cupid]

In general (speaking from personal experience), the file(smr)shrek-ts(1of2) you are referring to doesn't tell you how or what format it has been encoded. (smr) is most likely referring to the "group" that released that particular movie-rip.

It is often difficult to say what the quality is like, some people provide samples, download those and see if you like the quality before going for the full files.

The other thing is, as you go along downloading various files, you learn from trial which "group" release quality stuff and which "group" release crap.

The TCS group release quality SVCDs. Look for TCS in the filename, for example:
For Shrek: tcs-shrek-cd1.bin (also need the tcs-shrek-cd1.cue)
do the same for cd2.

when you get those 4 files, you have the full movie and you can just burn them using Fireburner or CDRWin burning software.

I generally don't encode my own movies, I tried it once and it too me about 15 hours (total from start to burning cd) to do just 1 movie... Either I'm doing something wrong or that's just how it is. My computer is no slouch either.

[Shabubu]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2001-11-27 23:17:22, thump01 wrote:
Well. That was a learning experience. I am not so desperate to download some jackass's video recorded from the MOVIE THEATRE! Hell-ooooo! But, I just did, didn't I! Does the (smr) in the title mean something like what I just witnessed as the obvious recording procedure??
Tracey
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

Though note that SMR is a encoding method (I think it's similar to divX). You'd have to get the codec if this is the case.

[thump01]

I am blessed to have found a site and forum that has people kind enough to help the vcd impaired. Thank you all for helping me get started. I will try again in the next few days when I get more feeling in my arm and hand.
Tracey

[Graham Meredith]

Tracey,
There is a really good blurb about VCD and SVCD info, on the LHS of this forum page, under WHAT IS? -> VCD Video CD. It'll get you started really quick on formats, definitions, terminology etc. I really got a lot out of it, when I was just starting on making VCD's and SVCD's. Without them, I think I would have gone nuts! Once you've got a bit of background, then try the HOW TO -> AUTHOR burn svcd, vcd, DVD tutorials on the LHS also. Happy burning!!

Graham

[thump01]

Graham,
I have taken a truckload of medication dealing with pain at this point. I read your post three times now, went to search with the "control C" of WHAT IS? -> VCD Video CD. and found NOT what you were refering to. I am sorry to ask you this, but where are you referring to?
Your Quote: "There is a really good blurb about VCD and SVCD info, on the LHS of this forum page, under WHAT IS? -> VCD Video CD. It'll get you started really quick on formats, definitions, terminology etc."

So, please explain to me where this is, or be kind enough to send it to my email adress: thump01@home.com. I am sorry to ask you to do this, but I am not in good shape right now, and have taken elephant doses of meds to handle the pain I am in ( which more than likely makes me mentally slow??LOL&gt. Please, please let me know where it is so I can find the subject matter you are speaking of!
Insomniac in pain, Tracey

[thump01]

Oh my God. I just read what you said again, and ofcourse you make perfect sense to me now. Helps when you aren't cracked out on meds, huh? I am seriously laughing at myself. Thanks for the help. I will be on my way now......
Tracey

[vitualis]

I'm not quite sure if the original topic was ever answered... "Are CD-Rs the same as VCDs".

The can be best answered by considering if "CD-Rs are the same as CD-ROMs or audio CDs".

The answer is obviously no. CD-R is just the recordable medium. With the right software, you can record anything that is normally on CD based medium onto it.

VCD is the both the physical and logical format. It can be on pressed CDs, CD-R or CD-RW. As with all CD based discs, only pressed discs are ever guaranteed to be read correctly by all (non-faulty) drives.

Regards.

[thump01]

From Virtualis:"It can be on pressed CDs, CD-R or CD-RW. As with all CD based discs, only pressed discs are ever guaranteed to be read correctly by all (non-faulty) drives."

Pressed discs? I am understanding this as different than a CD-R. Or are you just referring to the WAY the material is downloaded? I am receiving a new dvd for Christamas and was told the one I will get will play movies I make on my CD-R's. Is there a certain brand/type/preference of disc that ensures I can watch movies I burn on the new dvd? That is, once I learn exactly how to do it! Haha.
Tracey

[Shabubu]

In a factory cd's are made using presses. In your computer the CD's you burn have a die, which the little holes are burned into. CD-R's are very different to pressed CD's (that you buy). The trick is getting players to think they are the same. Some do, some don't. That's why some players won't play home made VCD's. If your player says it will play CDr's, then chances are you won't have a problem.

[Wentworth]

Thank you, shabubu,
Ive been sitting on the sidelines reading with interest as i cant play VCD on CDRs in my DVD player (panasonic A300).
as detailed on the DVD players page, it cant see them.
The players page says I can play CDRW, whats the diference in burning as aposed to CDRs...?
thanks again, looks like I need a newer Player.