mpeg to VCD via VCDEasy won't play in upgraded Apex 1100W

[gealto]

I've burned several hundred mpeg files onto CD-R using Adeptec Create CD, and these all play fine in my upgraded 1M Apex 1100W DVD player, although the slow and fast motion controls don't work. These files were converted from VHS tapes using Pinnacle Studio MP-10, and the files appear to be VCD compliant. I've spent several days trying to get VCDEasy to work in creating standard VCD format CD's that will play, but all I've done is made a bunch of coasters. The resulting CD's will play on my PC using Windows Media Player, but fail to play in my DVD. The raw mpeg files will play properly. I've double checked all the settings in VCDEasy, and everything appears proper, but the VCD's will not play. The directory and file structures on the CD's created look correct.

I would like to be able to make my futures CD's in the proper VCD format, but this seems very difficult for some reason.

Does the 1M Apex 1100W upgrade make the unit fail to properly play VCD's? I can't find an easy way to downgrade to the original to find out.

Is there some other more reliable software to make the VCD's? My files are created directly to be VCD compatable mpeg-1 files, but for some reason it's difficult to take the last step in converting the mpeg's into VCD.

Thanks in advance,

Gene A. Townsend

[wulf109]

Apex has removed VCD copmatability from all their players. Has to do with royalty payments they won't make,that could be your problem. See if they play in a different player.

[drdy111956]

I think Gealto is saying that he has applied the region free / demacrovision hack for his hardware and wonders whether this in itself has impacted his playability.
Check out the experts at :
www.Nerd-Out.com and look under your hardware discussion group.

[stevendm]

I went to the Apex website and indeed they have removed the VCD compatibility from the AD-1600 and the AD-2100. Does this mean that the machines no longer will play VCDs (of course already built machines will be able to) or simply that the are not advertising this feature?

stevendm

[macleod]

A little confused here. You have a vcd making software package (EZ cd creator), but you are using vcdeasy??? I have the same dvd player "upgraded" and have made several vcd,cvd,svcd,xvcd, etc. and they ALL play on my player with no problems. All from different sources (rips,tv caps, etc.). Sounds like there is one or more settings in vcdeasy that isn't working for you. I personally, use nero to burn everything and have had no problems.

[gealto]

I have Adaptec Easy CD Creator 4, which came with my windows 98 PC bundle. It doesn't support any video formats directly.

I'm wondering now about problems with my mpeg data. During the file generation from VCDEasy there appears a series of warnings (yellow triangles with ! marks) that say "Strange (possibly non-compliant) user_data seen...(not a problem, usually a sign of TMPGEnc).

The mpeg files play perfectly when burned as data files, so I assume that the files are correct. The scanning done before creating the file structure doesn't detect any troubles.

When put in my Apex 1100W, the VCD/CD light comes on and PBC On appears if I burn the CD with PBC enabled. When play is pressed, the play prompt is seen, but nothing happens. The play acts like I've read from others when the CD is not closed, but the CD's are definetely closing properly. I've not read any reports from Apex 1100W upgraders (yes I've upgraded to region/macrovision free) about incompatability with VCD format.

Regards,

Gealto

[cchitson11]

I do have an "upgraded" 1100w . I also use vcdeasy to create my discs but I think the trick is to not actually burn it with Vcdeasy . What I do is make a cue/bin and burn with Nero. The only problem i've ever had with the 1100w was due to cheap media.

[drdy111956]

Well, I have the 1100 1 Mb , bought about 2 month ago , "not upgraded ". I have burned about 100 CD-R's of capped TV shows and backed-up DVD's as SVCD's , all created with VCDEasy.

[cchitson11]

Well then I haven't got a clue. It could be bad discs a bought 100 cheap discs at compusa that will not work the 1100w or my car MP3 player. I've never have a problem with Memorex audio cds. I've never used VCDeasy for burning so I can't say. I'll go try burning with vcdeasy and see if it works with the upgraded firmware. Could be a conflict there. But I do promise you the "upgraded" 1100w will play Vcd's, made with Vcdeasy, burnt with nero on a Memorex audio Cd-r without a SINGLE problem.

[gealto]

Well, finally I'm reliably making VCD's. The problems were:

1. My mpeg files were NOT standard for VCD, and VCDEasy didn't determnine that. Also, VCDEasy doesn't work for burning, even when a proper mpeg file is used.

2. Nero 5.5.9 detected properly that the files were incompatable, and was able to rework them, although this took nearly 3 hours for a 1 hour video. The reason I use the Pinnacle Studio MP10 is that it creates the mpeg files in real time before bringing them into the computer, thus avoiding this.

3. There are patches available for Studio MP10 that fix the VCD file incompatability problem that I've had.

Nero is far better for doing this than VCDEasy. You get what you pay for, sometimes less. VCDEasy not only doesn't make a usable VCD in my system, although it does "support" my ROM burner, it takes almost forever to burn a coaster. Even if it worked, I wouldn't use it because it's so incredably slow.

Thanks to those who tried to help,

Gene A. Townsend

[drdy111956]

Well the French say " chacun-a-son-gout". VCDEAsy works great for my purposes fo making SVCD's for playing on my Apex player.