DVD player won't play VCD files.

[Traveller]

Hi Cornucopia.

General
Complete name : sea-waves-sound-effects.mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size : 7.24 MiB
Duration : 17 s 880 ms
Overall bit rate : 3 398 kb/s
Frame rate : 29.915 FPS
Writing application : Lavf60.3.100

Video
ID : 2
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4
Format settings : CABAC / 2 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames : 2 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 17 s 818 ms
Bit rate : 3 273 kb/s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 822 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 2.35:1
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 29.915 FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.069
Stream size : 6.95 MiB (96%)
Title : ISO Media file produced by Google Inc.
Writing library : x264 core 155 r2901 7d0ff22
Color range : Limited
Color primaries : BT.601 PAL
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.601
Codec configuration box : avcC

Audio
ID : 1
Format : AAC LC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID : mp4a-40-2
Duration : 17 s 880 ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 128 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel layout : L R
Sampling rate : 44.1 kHz
Frame rate : 43.066 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 279 KiB (4%)
Title : ISO Media file produced by Google Inc.
Language : English
Default : Yes
Alternate group : 1

[Traveller]

I've just discovered there is a full scan option also.

General
Count : 349
Count of stream of this kind : 1
Kind of stream : General
Kind of stream : General
Stream identifier : 0
Count of video streams : 1
Count of audio streams : 1
Video_Format_List : AVC
Video_Format_WithHint_List : AVC
Codecs Video : AVC
Audio_Format_List : AAC LC
Audio_Format_WithHint_List : AAC LC
Audio codecs : AAC LC
Audio_Language_List : English
Audio_Channels_Total : 2
Complete name : sea-waves-sound-effects.mp4
File name extension : sea-waves-sound-effects.mp4
File name : sea-waves-sound-effects
File extension : mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format : MPEG-4
Format/Extensions usually used : braw mov mp4 m4v m4a m4b m4p m4r 3ga 3gpa 3gpp 3gp 3gpp2 3g2 k3g jpm jpx mqv ismv isma ismt f4a f4b f4v
Commercial name : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Internet media type : video/mp4
Codec ID : isom
Codec ID : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
Codec ID/Url : http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/standalone.html
CodecID_Compatible : isom/iso2/avc1/mp41
File size : 7595165
File size : 7.24 MiB
File size : 7 MiB
File size : 7.2 MiB
File size : 7.24 MiB
File size : 7.243 MiB
Duration : 17880
Duration : 17 s 880 ms
Duration : 17 s 880 ms
Duration : 17 s 880 ms
Duration : 00:00:17.880
Duration : 00:00:17:23
Duration : 00:00:17.880 (00:00:17:23)
Overall bit rate : 3398284
Overall bit rate : 3 398 kb/s
Frame rate : 29.915
Frame rate : 29.915 FPS
Frame count : 533
Stream size : 19455
Stream size : 19.0 KiB (0%)
Stream size : 19 KiB
Stream size : 19 KiB
Stream size : 19.0 KiB
Stream size : 19.00 KiB
Stream size : 19.0 KiB (0%)
Proportion of this stream : 0.00256
HeaderSize : 40
DataSize : 7575718
FooterSize : 19407
IsStreamable : No
File last modification date : 2024-01-22 19:53:49 UTC
File last modification date (local) : 2024-01-22 19:53:49
Writing application : Lavf60.3.100
Writing application : Lavf60.3.100

Video
Count : 388
Count of stream of this kind : 1
Kind of stream : Video
Kind of stream : Video
Stream identifier : 0
StreamOrder : 1
ID : 2
ID : 2
Format : AVC
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format/Url : http://developers.videolan.org/x264.html
Commercial name : AVC
Format profile : High@L4
Format settings : CABAC / 2 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames : 2
Format settings, Reference frames : 2 frames
Internet media type : video/H264
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 17818
Duration : 17 s 818 ms
Duration : 17 s 818 ms
Duration : 17 s 818 ms
Duration : 00:00:17.818
Duration : 00:00:17:23
Duration : 00:00:17.818 (00:00:17:23)
Bit rate : 3273089
Bit rate : 3 273 kb/s
Width : 1920
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 822
Height : 822 pixels
Stored_Height : 832
Sampled_Width : 1920
Sampled_Height : 822
Pixel aspect ratio : 1.000
Display aspect ratio : 2.336
Display aspect ratio : 2.35:1
Rotation : 0.000
Frame rate mode : CFR
Frame rate mode : Constant
FrameRate_Mode_Original : VFR
Frame rate : 29.915
Frame rate : 29.915 FPS
Frame count : 533
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.069
Stream size : 7289641
Stream size : 6.95 MiB (96%)
Stream size : 7 MiB
Stream size : 7.0 MiB
Stream size : 6.95 MiB
Stream size : 6.952 MiB
Stream size : 6.95 MiB (96%)
Proportion of this stream : 0.95977
Title : ISO Media file produced by Google Inc.
Writing library : x264 - core 155 r2901 7d0ff22
Writing library : x264 core 155 r2901 7d0ff22
Encoded_Library_Name : x264
Encoded_Library_Version : core 155 r2901 7d0ff22
colour_description_present : Yes
colour_description_present_Source : Container / Stream
Color range : Limited
colour_range_Source : Container / Stream
Color primaries : BT.601 PAL
colour_primaries_Source : Container / Stream
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
transfer_characteristics_Source : Container / Stream
Matrix coefficients : BT.601
matrix_coefficients_Source : Container / Stream
Codec configuration box : avcC

Audio
Count : 285
Count of stream of this kind : 1
Kind of stream : Audio
Kind of stream : Audio
Stream identifier : 0
StreamOrder : 0
ID : 1
ID : 1
Format : AAC
Format : AAC LC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Commercial name : AAC
Format_AdditionalFeatures : LC
Codec ID : mp4a-40-2
Duration : 17880
Duration : 17 s 880 ms
Duration : 17 s 880 ms
Duration : 17 s 880 ms
Duration : 00:00:17.880
Duration : 00:00:17.880
Bit rate mode : CBR
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 127999
Bit rate : 128 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Channel positions : 2/0/0
Channel layout : L R
Samples per frame : 1024
Sampling rate : 44100
Sampling rate : 44.1 kHz
Samples count : 788508
Frame rate : 43.066
Frame rate : 43.066 FPS (1024 SPF)
Frame count : 770
Compression mode : Lossy
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 286069
Stream size : 279 KiB (4%)
Stream size : 279 KiB
Stream size : 279 KiB
Stream size : 279 KiB
Stream size : 279.4 KiB
Stream size : 279 KiB (4%)
Proportion of this stream : 0.03766
Title : ISO Media file produced by Google Inc.
Language : en
Language : English
Language : English
Language : en
Language : eng
Language : en
Default : Yes
Default : Yes
Alternate group : 1
Alternate group : 1

[Cornucopia]

So, I don't know if all your clips are just like this (assuming NOT), but this clears up a few things:

1. You've got an HD clip (aka >720x576/480 SD max of this player), which means that WHATEVER format this is, it will NOT play in this player.
2. "MP4" container is not supported anyway
3. In that manual, there is NO listing of what video codecs are supported, just containers & audio codecs, so it is a wild guess about whether later codecs are supported. My educated guess, based on the vintage of this kind of player, is that it likely supports: VCDs & DVDs, and so would fully or at least partially support the video & audio codecs that those standards support. That is: MPEG1 video codec and MP2 audio codec in DAT/MPG/MPEG (v1-SS) container (mirroring VCD support), MPEG1 and MPEG2 video codec and MP2 possibly AC3 audio codec in VOB/MPG/MPEG (v2-PS) container (mirroring DVD support). It would also possibly support MPEG4asp (aka Xvid/Divx) video codec and MP3 codec in AVI container (mirroring Divx support). And it quite likely supports raw MP3 and WMA streams, as well as the stated JPG & txt formats. It very likely would NOT support MP4 container, or AVC or HEVC video codecs, nor AAC or other audio codecs, including LPCM.
4. With that in mind, a series of files gathered from such sites as Youtube would ALL have to be reconverted to something compatible.
5. This player is c.2003-4 era so later standards would not have been imagined much less codified & supported.

If so, which is best, quality-wise? My recommendations are (in descending order of quality):
1. Get a different player & display setup that supports a much wider array of formats, including AVC & HEVC, and includes support for USB, cards, drives in addition to Discs, and supports HD and even possibly UHD.
2. Convert to DivX/Xvid/MPEG4asp format (with mp3 audio in AVI container) as that is the most efficient of the supported formats. You would have to check to see whether that player supports Aspect Ratio flags (to allow for non-square pixels for widescreen, etc), but since it would be used with an AVI container, and AVI is notorious for not easily supporting AR flags, means you would have to resize to include appropriate letterboxing. You could take advantage of the full SD resolution. Bitrates of 4-8Mbps are probably a good target.
3. Convert to DVD/MPEG2 format (with mp2 audio in MPEG or VOB container). Since the MPEG/VOB container EXPLICITLY support Display Aspect Ratio flags, make use of them, although you would likely still have to conform your non-standard AR files to the 2 main standards: 4:3 "fullscreen" and 16:9 "widescreen", so for ultrawidescreen titles, some letterboxing would still be necessary. You could still take advantage of the full SD resolution. Bitrates of 3-8Mbps are a good target, but quality will be less than above at that same bitrate.
4. Convert to VCD/MPEG1 format (with mp2 audio in MPEG container). Similar to the last 2, but with the further caveat that it only supports CIF aka 1/4 D1 SD resolution (352x288/240), and the AR signaling in MPEG1 specifies the Pixel AR not the Display AR. To take full advantage of the smaller rez, you might have to get "creative" (aka non-standard) with the AR. Or fall back on using MORE letterboxing. Bitrate of 1150kbps is the target, though maybe you can cheat and go above to, say, TWICE that.

This last option is what you succeeded in your most recent conversion.

Hope that helps,


Scott

[Bwaak]

The only good reason of doing any of the above is if this "portable" player is installed in a car and cannot be easily replaced.

[Cornucopia]

@Bwaak, I agree it certainly is not close to optimal, quality-wise, but there may be other factors (kids' preferences, $$$). I'm giving 'em the benefit of the doubt.


Scott

[Traveller]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, at the moment, this player is the only option.

I will probably use USB stick at some point, but as mentioned, wanted to solve the CD issues, as I wanted it to be as user friendly as possible, i.e. just put a CD in and press play and also that I have lots of CDs at the ready.

Thanks for all the help.