What do I need to make a VCD?

[ANDREMIKE]

Sorry if this question has been asked a zillion times but I am new to this and this forum and could use all the help you can give me...

I just got a new computer and will be doing movie editing on it and would like to make VCD to play in my DVD players. I bought a 1.3GHz P4 DELL with their basic movie studio package.
Here is some info on it..
MGI VideoWave 3 Digital Video Editing Software, Dell Edition¹
VideoWave III's storyline-driven approach allows users of all experience levels to create powerful video presentations quickly and easily.
Easy input from most digital video camcorders, USB cameras, CD Audio and microphones
Supports multiple video formats including: MPEG2, MPEG1, DV, AVI, still photos
Easy to use interface includes storyboard templates, storyline view, storyline edit, transition preview and an online tutorial
Includes 6 special effects, 22 transitions, 19 preset text effects
Add up to 6 personalized audio tracks

I did some research and found if I use a CDRW with silver layers it will work in my player. I have SONY 530D and a Panasonic RV30.

Please tell me everything about VCD.....
What software will I need to buy?

[Otomone]

Andremike:
Not that I want to encourage others to post without reading what's already on the site, but here are some basics about what you need and a little flaming too.

1. Your Videowave softs will be fine for putting together scenes from AVI's or MPG's you already have on disc, but it might not help you actually make a VCD. (I use Videowave II on an old Pentium 233 machine, It DOES NOT encode to VCD compliant MPEG-1. I don't know about version 3 or 4.)

2. What you really need (and we need to know about to help you) are:
>A capture card. (Or source of video files like ripped DVD or downloaded scenes.)
>MPEG-1 encoding software (TMPGenc is commonly used.)
>CD burning software that supports VCD. (If you don't have this, no VCD. I use Nero.)

3. What you do:
>Put together your movie with your Videowave stuff.
>Save it in a format as close to the NTSC or PAL format you want your VCD to be.
>Encode it to MPEG-1 VCD compliant file for your system. (with TMPGenc or something)
>Burn the file to the CD. (See the how-to section on this site.)
>Put the damned thing in your DVD player and try to play it. If it doesn't work, try again
(Or buy a DVD player )

4. Before anything else: Read the How To stuff on this site and check the faq.

[ANDREMIKE]

I will have to get back to you with the answers on those other questions. Unless someone knows what software comes with the DELL 8100...
What length of movie can I burn onto a CD? HOw is the quality when played back?

[ANDREMIKE]

Still looking for help.
It looks like I will need to purchase a cd burning software to make VCD's. It looks like I should purchase NERO 5.5

[wrestleantares]

You need to read the entire site. The board is for more specific questions regarding hardware, software etc. Not I have this setup how do I make VCD's.

[ANDREMIKE]

This is under the newbie section.....
Why can't I ask what do I need to get started.
So far it seems like I need NERO5.5(this is the best) of course a CDRW....did I miss anything? I'll assume my DELL CDRW is compatible with NERO. Any other hardware/software that I need? Once I get these answers I can go buy the stuff and ask some real questions.

I am still not sure of VCD is the way for me to go...someone convince me. How much many minutes of video can I put on a CDRW? What is the quality like when played back?

[JacquesDeRipper]

Scroll to the top of this page, look left and you will see the answers to all of your questions. Read the contents of all of the "How to's" and you will find what you are looking for.

Basically you will need to be a bit more resourceful in order to get this business done.

No one can tell you "the way to go" you must decide for yourself having made VCD or SVCD or DIVX or whatever which is best for you.

BTW this is not a flame, but with the answers at your finger tips the fact that you still need to ask is a little "basic".


Jacques

[Feslmogh]

This link will take you to a very simple method on how to make a vcd... If you have broadband, you can see the video portion of it!http://www.techtv.com/callforhelp/answerstips/story/0,23008,3308675,00.html

[Otomone]

Andremike:
What is your goal in making movies? If you just want to make short videos for friends and family, VCD will probably suit your needs. You can fit almost as many minutes of standard MPEG-1 video on a VCD as you can 44.1 16-bit PCM audio. That means almost 74 minutes of video on a 74 minute CD-R(W) and 80 minutes on an 80 minute CD-R(W). With SVCD, you can't burn that many minutes, and there are so many encoding possibilities that it's hard to say. Anyway, VCD has video comparable to VHS, except in scenes with a lot of motion where blockiness starts to appear. Well-encoded SVCD can rival DVD in quality, but a lot depends on your original source.

Now- Once you get nero (you can start this even before) try this:
1. Capture some video with your existing Videowave software. (Or find the clips included.)
2. Put together a short movie with the Videowave software. (Maybe a couple of minutes long.)
3. Save it as Uncompressed, 24-bit AVI (this will preserve the highest quality, but HUGE file)
4. Encode it with TMPGenc, using the Video CD template (NTSC or PAL, match your TV and DVD)
5. Burn it to VCD with Nero.

Then pop it in your DVD player and see if it works. If YOU are satisfied with the quality, then go on and work on other projects. If you need better quality, re-encode as SVCD and check it out.

If your DELL has a capture card and CD-RW drive and you have Editing Software (like your Videowave), encoding software (like TMPGenc), and burning software (like nero). You don't NEED anything else.

[ANDREMIKE]

<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 2001-08-08 09:57:55, Otomone wrote:
Andremike:
What is your goal in making movies? If you just want to make short videos for friends and family, VCD will probably suit your needs. You can fit almost as many minutes of standard MPEG-1 video on a VCD as you can 44.1 16-bit PCM audio. That means almost 74 minutes of video on a 74 minute CD-R(W) and 80 minutes on an 80 minute CD-R(W). With SVCD, you can't burn that many minutes, and there are so many encoding possibilities that it's hard to say. Anyway, VCD has video comparable to VHS, except in scenes with a lot of motion where blockiness starts to appear. Well-encoded SVCD can rival DVD in quality, but a lot depends on your original source.

Now- Once you get nero (you can start this even before) try this:
1. Capture some video with your existing Videowave software. (Or find the clips included.)
2. Put together a short movie with the Videowave software. (Maybe a couple of minutes long.)
3. Save it as Uncompressed, 24-bit AVI (this will preserve the highest quality, but HUGE file)
4. Encode it with TMPGenc, using the Video CD template (NTSC or PAL, match your TV and DVD)
5. Burn it to VCD with Nero.

Then pop it in your DVD player and see if it works. If YOU are satisfied with the quality, then go on and work on other projects. If you need better quality, re-encode as SVCD and check it out.

If your DELL has a capture card and CD-RW drive and you have Editing Software (like your Videowave), encoding software (like TMPGenc), and burning software (like nero). You don't NEED anything else.

</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

Thank you so much for the reply. My goal is to take home movies from my digital camcorder, do some editing and then make a 60 or more minute movie on a VCD. Do you think this is a good idea? It sounds like I can make a 60-80 minute movie on CDRW's. How will the quality be..I am not expecting DVD quality but VHS type quality would be great. What if I burn the movie using SVCD? Does that give me better quality? Does SVCD take away from how many minutes I can burn on a CDRW?


I did look at the top of this page but I did not see anything specific on how to do this.. I am just looking to learn the basics and the pro's and cons. Will even making VCD's be worth my wild.

[Otomone]

One thing I do is make compilations of home video shots.
This is worthwhile to me because:
1. Storage. Edited CD's take up much less space than Video8 or VHS tapes.
2. Finding scenes. It's much easier to jump to the clip I want. (especially with vcd menus)
3. Distribution. As my family members get DVD players that show VCD (not all can show SVCD)
I can make copies of the VCD's very easily and CHEAPLY.
4. Most of my family cares squat about quality. They just want to see the kids playing.

So for me it's worthwhile. I don't know about you.

As for time: Many full-length theatrical films are released on VCD. They just split the movie onto
2-3 discs. You can do the same.

Now- try it out. Only you can decide if it's right for you. (Most of those who read this forum find
it worthwhile, otherwise they wouldn't read this forum.)

(If you are worried about squandering money on nero and then not having a good use for it because VCD's aren't your bag, don't worry. Nero is great for ALL your CD burning needs.)

[ANDREMIKE]

Can you tell me more about TMPGenc? Will it work with a P4?
Is this a program I can download? I can't seem to do anything on their website.

Do you need a DVD player in your computer to watch a VCD or will it work in any cd player?

[PleaseHelp]

Sorry to intrude but when you guys are talking about burning VCD to a CD and putting it in a DVD player, you mean putting it in a regular, non-computer DVD player right? One that you use for your entertainment system? Thank you and sorry for intruding. I'm learning alot though.

[ANDREMIKE]

YOu are not intruding..... That why I started this thread to learn how to get started...
Yes, I am talking about puttin it in a regular home entertainment system. On this website you will find a list of CDRW that are compatible with your type of DVD player. In my case it sais to use a CDRW with silver layers... I haven't tried it yet so hopefully it works.

[Otomone]

Okay Andremike:
You can find out all you need to know about TMPGenc around this site.
Check out the TOOLS link on the side bar over there
<---

BUT
You don't even need it to get started. I just found out that Videowave III has a template
for Video CD. That means you can slam your scenes together in Videowave and produce directly to VCD format. Then just burn those files to CD. (I just took five minutes to try it out on a different computer and the thing burned fine and played on my Philips 701)

AND
Pleasehelp:
To find out if your stand alone DVD player will play VCD's check out "DVD Players" over there
<---

AND
To find out what you need to play them on your computer check out PLAY over there
<---

(I'd download TMPGenc anyway. You might want to try SVCD and it gives you a lot more control.)

NOW (Flame warning)
Get off your butt, burn something, and THEN if SOMETHING goes WRONG, come back here and ask a decent question.