WHat's a VCD? at DVinfo.net

Alfred Okocha · November 14th, 2004, 07:38 PM

Hi all.

I was asked to make a VCD for a client.. Never done it before (only DVDs) Is a VCD a normal CD with a quicktime file for example? If it is.. how can I do for the file to start play when the disc is insterted?
it needs to be played in (most..) computers and DVD players, I guess?

Thanks, basic I know, but one has to learn sometime.. =)

Glenn Chan · November 14th, 2004, 08:46 PM

No. VCD is like a DVD except the media is a CD and not a DVD.

There are compression differences... VCD uses MPEG1 instead of MPEG2 and has a lower maximum bitrate.

see videohelp.com for a lot more information, including info on how to make a VCD. Getting Roxio Toast is easiest.

Jeff Donald · November 14th, 2004, 08:59 PM

VCD have the quality of a VHS tape, maybe a little lower. There are scripts you can put on the VCD to make it self starting when put into a computer. Some (most?) DVD players can play VCDs as well. I agree with Glenn, Toast is the easiest way to make VCDs on a Mac.

Alfred Okocha · November 15th, 2004, 05:33 AM

Thanks alot! That was all I needed! =)

Alfred Okocha · November 15th, 2004, 07:32 AM

Hmm, sorry.. That's ALMOST all I needed.

if I export a MPEG 1 file from FCP4 and burn it under a VCD tab in Roxio Toast, I'll be fine?

The clip is under 5 minutes so i'd like to have as good quality as possible. Where do I set this?

Thanks.

Peter TK Lee · November 15th, 2004, 06:15 PM

Hello Alfred,

Let Toast do the compressing to mpeg1. Export as you would for DVD.

cheers,
Peter

Alfred Okocha · November 15th, 2004, 08:09 PM

Oh, thanks Peter!
Generally I export to a FCP file.. (Not MPEG2) Then I just dump it to Toast then?

Thanks.

Peter TK Lee · November 15th, 2004, 08:13 PM

Yeah!!

Peter

Alfred Okocha · November 15th, 2004, 08:18 PM

..

Alfred Okocha · November 18th, 2004, 03:24 PM

When I burned my project in TOAST I saw that there was a super VCD option.. i read somewhere that that's a high quality VCD but doesn't play in many DVD players??
Is that correct?
Would it playback on "any" computer? Would I get a higher quality media?

Thanks.

Jeff Donald · November 18th, 2004, 03:51 PM

SVCD uses mpeg 2 compression the same as DVD's. However the program material must be must shorter in length. DVD hold 4.3GB and CD holds only 700MB. SVCD should playback on most computers, especially newer models that can play DVD's

Les Wilson · November 18th, 2004, 07:11 PM

Your client requested VCD. Stay away from SVCD unless you tested one on the client's DVD player. THere are plenty of DVD players that a home burned SVCD won't play on. Some say they support SVCD but that doesn't mean for sure they support home burned ones.

If you want to play a VCD or SVCD on a Mac, there's a shareware program called VLC that does a good job.

Kyle Ringin · November 18th, 2004, 07:39 PM

SVCD has a higher resolution than VCD, and a higher bitrate so you can't fit as much video on a cd.

Ernest is right - if they requested a VCD and you give them a VCD then they can't complain (as much). Here in Australia I haven't seen a DVD player for ages that didn't support S/VCD on CD-R and CD-RW, but you can't assume your clients' will play it.

Older Windows media players didn't play SVCD in the correct aspect ratio (not sure about newer versions) but every software DVD player I've used will play them correctly.

If you have good quality footage, you could try to get them to request a DVD version - if I had a good movie I'd prefer people watch it at DVD quality than a fuzzy VCD copy.

Alfred Okocha · November 19th, 2004, 03:01 AM

Well it's a promo thing for a music band, the client is a small record company.. (only 5 minutes)
The reason I was asking about SVCD is that the quality would be better (and many times the client doesn't really know what they want anyway, they don't know the options.. and if I don't inform them (well actually, you gyus.. =) who will?)

Does QT play VCD? I used VLC to play my disc.. I really don't like the windows media.. at least for mac..

Thanks.

Les Wilson · November 19th, 2004, 06:27 AM

The QT player does not play VCD. Since CD-R media is so cheap, make both SVCD and VCD. If the SVCD doesn't work in their player, then use the VCD.

November 14th, 2004, 07:38 PM	#1
Alfred Okocha Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 427	WHat's a VCD? Hi all. I was asked to make a VCD for a client.. Never done it before (only DVDs) Is a VCD a normal CD with a quicktime file for example? If it is.. how can I do for the file to start play when the disc is insterted? it needs to be played in (most..) computers and DVD players, I guess? Thanks, basic I know, but one has to learn sometime.. =)

November 14th, 2004, 08:59 PM	#3
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	VCD have the quality of a VHS tape, maybe a little lower. There are scripts you can put on the VCD to make it self starting when put into a computer. Some (most?) DVD players can play VCDs as well. I agree with Glenn, Toast is the easiest way to make VCDs on a Mac. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

November 15th, 2004, 08:18 PM	#9
Alfred Okocha Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 427	THANK YOU! ..

November 18th, 2004, 03:51 PM	#11
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	SVCD uses mpeg 2 compression the same as DVD's. However the program material must be must shorter in length. DVD hold 4.3GB and CD holds only 700MB. SVCD should playback on most computers, especially newer models that can play DVD's __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

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November 14th, 2004, 08:46 PM	#2
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	No. VCD is like a DVD except the media is a CD and not a DVD. There are compression differences... VCD uses MPEG1 instead of MPEG2 and has a lower maximum bitrate. see videohelp.com for a lot more information, including info on how to make a VCD. Getting Roxio Toast is easiest.

November 15th, 2004, 05:33 AM	#4
Alfred Okocha Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 427	Thanks alot! That was all I needed! =)

November 15th, 2004, 07:32 AM	#5
Alfred Okocha Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 427	Hmm, sorry.. That's ALMOST all I needed. if I export a MPEG 1 file from FCP4 and burn it under a VCD tab in Roxio Toast, I'll be fine? The clip is under 5 minutes so i'd like to have as good quality as possible. Where do I set this? Thanks.

November 15th, 2004, 06:15 PM	#6
Peter TK Lee Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Australia Posts: 39	Hello Alfred, Let Toast do the compressing to mpeg1. Export as you would for DVD. cheers, Peter

November 15th, 2004, 08:09 PM	#7
Alfred Okocha Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 427	Oh, thanks Peter! Generally I export to a FCP file.. (Not MPEG2) Then I just dump it to Toast then? Thanks.

November 15th, 2004, 08:13 PM	#8
Peter TK Lee Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Australia Posts: 39	Yeah!! Peter

November 18th, 2004, 03:24 PM	#10
Alfred Okocha Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 427	When I burned my project in TOAST I saw that there was a super VCD option.. i read somewhere that that's a high quality VCD but doesn't play in many DVD players?? Is that correct? Would it playback on "any" computer? Would I get a higher quality media? Thanks.

November 18th, 2004, 07:11 PM	#12
Les Wilson Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 3,014	Your client requested VCD. Stay away from SVCD unless you tested one on the client's DVD player. THere are plenty of DVD players that a home burned SVCD won't play on. Some say they support SVCD but that doesn't mean for sure they support home burned ones. If you want to play a VCD or SVCD on a Mac, there's a shareware program called VLC that does a good job.

November 18th, 2004, 07:39 PM	#13
Kyle Ringin Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 241	SVCD has a higher resolution than VCD, and a higher bitrate so you can't fit as much video on a cd. Ernest is right - if they requested a VCD and you give them a VCD then they can't complain (as much). Here in Australia I haven't seen a DVD player for ages that didn't support S/VCD on CD-R and CD-RW, but you can't assume your clients' will play it. Older Windows media players didn't play SVCD in the correct aspect ratio (not sure about newer versions) but every software DVD player I've used will play them correctly. If you have good quality footage, you could try to get them to request a DVD version - if I had a good movie I'd prefer people watch it at DVD quality than a fuzzy VCD copy.

November 19th, 2004, 03:01 AM	#14
Alfred Okocha Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 427	Well it's a promo thing for a music band, the client is a small record company.. (only 5 minutes) The reason I was asking about SVCD is that the quality would be better (and many times the client doesn't really know what they want anyway, they don't know the options.. and if I don't inform them (well actually, you gyus.. =) who will?) Does QT play VCD? I used VLC to play my disc.. I really don't like the windows media.. at least for mac.. Thanks.

November 19th, 2004, 06:27 AM	#15
Les Wilson Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 3,014	The QT player does not play VCD. Since CD-R media is so cheap, make both SVCD and VCD. If the SVCD doesn't work in their player, then use the VCD.