VCD, SVCD, DVD Newbie beginners guide

[Baldrick]

This basic article will explain why and how to make a VCD,SVCD or DVD.


Why VCD,SVCD or DVD?

What format shall I choose then, VCD, SVCD or DVD?

How do I make a VCD,SVCD or DVD?




Why VCD, SVCD or DVD?

Because you want to play the video on your standalone DVD Player. If you only want to play the video on your computer and/or share to your friends over the internet other video formats are better suited for that like DivX, WMV, RM, MOV. Some new standalone DVD Players supports AVI, DivX, XviD and then you don't have to convert to VCD,SVCD or DVD, it is just to burn the video directly to a CD or DVD and watch.



What format shall I choose then, VCD, SVCD or DVD?

If you want the best video quality, but note that the video quality depends on how good the source video is - Garbage in Garbage out, you should choose DVD . A DVD can hold about 2 hours video with great video quality and if you choose to lower the video quality a bit you can store several(3-6) hours on one single DVD. DVD requires a DVD Writer but remember that you can replace your old CD Rewriter because all DVD Writers can burn CDs also. Before you buy a DVD Writer be sure to check that your standalone DVD Player supports DVD-R/W or DVD+R/W in our DVD Player list.

If you want to use your current CD Writer with ordinary CD-R or CD-RW discs VCD and SVCD is your choice. With VCD you can store about 70 minutes video on 74 min CD, it means that you have to use 2 CDs for movies, with decent video quality and also with simple menus and still pictures. VCD has very good compatibility, almost all DVD Players supports it on either CD-R or CD-RW. With SVCD you can get much higher video quality, especially much more sharpen picture than VCD because of the higher resolution, but then only about 45-60 minutes/CD and far from all DVD Players supports SVCD.

I recommend to get a Dual DVD Writer ($100) and burn DVD.

Download and test a VCD sample here, SVCD here and DVD here.

Check here to see what formats your DVD Player supports.



How do I make a VCD, SVCD or DVD?

The basic steps are

1. Capture the video. (only if from video,vhs,tv,cam,dv). --> Capture How To's

2. Convert the video to VCD,SVCD or DVD MPEG video. --> Convert How To's

3. Author the MPEG video which means adding menus, chapters or still pictures and then build the VCD,SVCD or DVD file structure. --> Author How To's

4. Burn the authored video, usually directly when authoring in step 3. --> Burn How To's

5. Play the burnt video on your DVD Player. --> DVD Players compatibility


Some programs can do all this steps in same application such as Ulead DVD Workshop(also capturing), Ulead DVD MovieFactory(also capturing), Sonic DVDit, NeroVision Express, NeoDVD, Adobe Encore DVD. But to acheive best quality it is best to split up the methods and you also then have much more control over what you are doing. But the all-in-one solutions are of course a bit simplier.


Baldrick v3

[kitty]

Good guide Baldrick. I am willing to help with English if you like (American English that is, no spanners, boots, or bangers). Unfortunately my Swedish is limited to Tack, Willcommen, Flicka, etcetera (I took a bit of Finnish before living in Helsinki not long ago, some help!)

Let me know if I can help.

[baker]

THANK YOU BALDRICK FOR FINALLY WRITING A DECENT NEWBIE GUIDE!!!

For manys a year now newbies have been confused about the simple little things on the fouroums now at least we havesomewhere to point them for basic info!

By the way did you get inspired by my guide to write this? My guide was actualy just an e-mail I tought I would post on vcd help to help out other newbies!

Baker

[baker]

By the way balrick svcd isnt a little better, its A LOT BETTER (BEAUCOUP TO YO FRENCHIES!) A good svcd can be close to a dvd.

baker

[Baldrick]

I have been working on this very basic newbie beginner guide the last 2 years......and isn't done yet.

[p_l]

Please correct me if I am wrong, but the ME version of Windows Movie Maker does not allow for DV AVI capture; only the XP version does, right?

[Baldrick]

p_i: please post a new topic in the capture forum instead of posting here.

[p_l]

Sorry, I had meant to post it here.

[jolo]

Bladrick,

As much as you have contributed to me and everyone else, please don't "apologize for lousy english... ".

My posts are usually littered with errors because I rush them and don't really care, but ... if you ever want someone to take their time and look at the english before you post a guide, I'd be happy to help.

Jolo (Jon)

Thanks for everything.


:P

[JamilaSweets2002]

Hi Baldrick & Peoplez,
I was desperate to find adequate, easy to understand info about the VCD/DVD creating, etc. Luckily i found this page...and wow I must say keep up the good work !!!

cya

[dscrib]

please make a new topic instead of posting here.[/i]

[better life]

removed

[Baldrick]

Please ask questions in the other forums. This topic should only comment about my guide.

[spyder107]

please make a new topic instead of posting here

[team79]

please make a new topic instead of posting here

[ifilmmaker]

I followed the steps, got the movie to play and tried to link the menu buttoms. But when I try to play back the movie by clicking on the play button. It says "unable to build graph."

[y415]

Baldrick. Your English may not be perfect, but it is excellent, nevertheless. I greatly appreciate your sharing your knowledge and for doing it in such a clear, easy to understand, fashion.
I followed your tutorial on how to burn a VCD using Nero and had no problems.
P.S. I'm not sure that the headscarf is your best colour.

[Redeye07]

I learned how to make my VCDs reading Baldrick's guides. I find his and Sefy's guides especially easy to understand.

His English is FINE. Who speaks perfect English? Not anybody I know.

P.S. I'm not sure that the headscarf is your best colour.

Gosh, y415, I think I might have to agree with you about that.

[rock2004]

Hi Baldrick,
I tryed WinAvi Video Converter to convert my Avi movie to DVD after everthing done the movie dosen't work with my DVD player