Possible to write multiple VCD's to DVD-R?

[cabilo]

Hey I just have a question, (might be quite newb but...yeah) is it possible to write multiple VCD MPEGs onto one DVD? Sort of like a compilation disk? And what application would I need to use to burn this?

Thanks in advance for your help,
Cabilo

[RIAA]

You can do it, but it can get tricky. Here's what I do;

IsoBuster to extract mpeg-1 files from the .dat files on the VCD
TMPGENC DVD Author to create the DVD.

[iooi]

svcd2dvd would do it but you could end up with some audio sync issues.

[Gurm]

There are two ways to do this:

1. Use an authoring program (or a conversion program coupled with an authoring program) to convert the VCD/SVCD data to DVD. This can be very simple with a good authoring program, just drag 'n' drop. It is, however, time consuming and you likely have less control. The conversion process is NOT a "newbie-level" thing. Also remember that DVD has a higher data rate for audio, AND a higher low-end resolution than VCD... so you can't fit as much onto a DVD as you might think.

2. Create a hybrid SVCD-DVD (with svcd2dvd, etc.) which works in SOME players but not all.

[reboot]

DVDLab. About 3 clicks per movie, then burn.
I do it all the time. 3 SVCD's fit just about right.

[monzie]

Also remember that DVD has a higher data rate for audio, AND a higher low-end resolution than VCD... so you can't fit as much onto a DVD as you might think.

Sorry but your wrong Gurm, a DVD can have a MUCH lower audio data rate than a VCD (or SVCD) fixed rate of 224 but the audio needs to be at 48khz and not 44.1khz, so either convert the audio first (which is what I do usually... via ffmpeg so that I can control bitrate) or let your authoring prog do it.

Also VCD resolution IS a standard DVD res.....christ.. whoes stupid enough to up that res?

My way of doing a VCD to DVD is (I aint saying its the only way)..I just find it quicker than letting the authoring prog (TDA in my case) do the audio conversion...

1) Extract the AVSEQ..DAT(mpeg file) from the VCD (using ISOBUSTER)
2) Demux into a m1v and a mp2 stream using TMPG
3) Convert audio to 48khz and my calculated bitrate (if required) using ffmpegGUI, either AC3 or MP2.
4) Author DVD with TMPG DVD Author...and create new tracks for each susequent VCD to be put onto the DVD.

Important note! TDA does not accept both PAL and NTSC m1v (or .mpg) files on the same disk....

[TBoneit]

Also remember that DVD has a higher data rate for audio, AND a higher low-end resolution than VCD... so you can't fit as much onto a DVD as you might think.

Sorry but your wrong Gurm, a DVD can have a MUCH lower audio data rate than a VCD (or SVCD) fixed rate of 224 but the audio needs to be at 48khz and not 44.1khz, so either convert the audio first (which is what I do usually... via ffmpeg so that I can control bitrate) or let your authoring prog do it.

Also VCD resolution IS a standard DVD res.....christ.. whoes stupid enough to up that res?

My way of doing a VCD to DVD is (I aint saying its the only way)..I just find it quicker than letting the authoring prog (TDA in my case) do the audio conversion...

1) Extract the AVSEQ..DAT(mpeg file) from the VCD (using ISOBUSTER)
2) Demux into a m1v and a mp2 stream using TMPG
3) Convert audio to 48khz and my calculated bitrate (if required) using ffmpegGUI, either AC3 or MP2.
4) Author DVD with TMPG DVD Author...and create new tracks for each susequent VCD to be put onto the DVD.

Important note! TDA does not accept both PAL and NTSC m1v (or .mpg) files on the same disk....

Are you unhappy with the conversion TMPG DVD Author does on the audio?

With the AC3 plugin, you can either let TMPG DVD Author do the conversion and keep the audio as MP2 converted to 48Khz or let it convert to AC3 audio.
I usually skip you steps 2 & 3, many time step one also. TMPG DVD Author seems to be able to accept the AVSEQ.DAT file directly for me. YMMV. The results seem good to me.

I would do a disk both ways on RW media and see how it works for you.

Cheers

[mpack]

Also remember that DVD has a higher data rate for audio, AND a higher low-end resolution than VCD... so you can't fit as much onto a DVD as you might think.

I think you might be forgetting that DVD supports VCD as a subset. There's no need to do any conversion of picture size or bitrate, simply author a DVD as normal using the VCD elementary streams as assets. I have done this with a commercial VCD I bought when VCD was first being pushed. That movie was split over three disks, and I transferred the three VCDs onto one DVD with no recoding, to make one continuous movie. My only problem was that my first attempt was with a stupid entry level authoring tool (name names: Sonic MyDVD) that insisted on trying to re-encode the video even though that was completely unnecessary. I wiped Sonic from my hard disk, got myself a better authoring tool, and haven't looked back since...

Note this is only true of VCD. DVD does not (as standard) support SVCD as a subset.

[Gurm]

Sorry I misspoke. It's a 48khz vs. 44.1khz issue, not a "data rate" issue.