Ulead for creating VCD's?

[GreenScapes]

Ulead Media Studio claims to capture directly to MPEG 1 and MPEG 2 for VCD and SVCD playback respectively. Has anyone used this and is the play back on a standalone as good as encoding using TMPEG. Also ulead outputs the finished .avi clips, once rendered, into many different choices of formats. Does anyone know if these formats such as NTSC is actually an .avi format, it does not give a file extension when asked to chose the rendered output format. Thanks!

[Makeitso]

I use Media studio 6, and yes it does all of the above!
The good news is that when you start it up, you can choose from several different templates for the final result (PAL VCD, NTSC VCD etc...)However, you can actually change your preferences right up to final secondon before conversion to , well anything you want! You can change the resolution, framerate, even save it as an AVI!
The advantage of using Media studio over TEMPEGen, is that you can create loads of great effects and transitions, and even animated grafics and titles right there from within the program.
The only dissadvantage as far I can see, is when you input a 16:9 ratio movie and try to keep its aspect and ratio so that it will conform with the necessary VCD and SVCD resolutions, without distorting the picture (you know...letterbox mode). I have'nt managed to achive this yet, and I've looked all over for an answer, but I cant believe a great program like this does'nt have that option. If you find it please let me know.
Hope this helps.

[GreenScapes]

Thanks for the reply it sounds good to me A few more questions. When the final output, lets say an MPEG 1 file, is created do I then just go in to nero and follow the wizard for making the VCD. Also what type of CD media -- CDR or CD/RW? I have a sSony DVD player tha will play VCD or SVCD.

[Makeitso]

Yes m8!
If you have finished your MPEG, and it is the corrrect resolution and framerate, all you have to do now is follow the Nero Wizard and complete your CD. You can burn on a 74min or an 80min CD (CDR in both cases). The obvious advantage of the 80min being more time for the movie. I'm sure you know, that the important thing with making VCD's is the movie length, and not the movie size.
Hope this helps, Good luck!