Well, since hundreds times a day we receive a post like "..using Nero to make a VCD..it occurs this error..', I have decided to write 'sticky' thread a 100% working tutorial on how to make a VCD, but WITHOUT Nero.

If you want to make a KVCD (better quality, higher compression), instead of Step 1 read http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/124272 .

You need:

1) TMPGenc
2) (VCDEasy or VCDGear) + any application able to burn CUE Sheets (.CUE/.BIN sets) or Nero

Step 1
------
Encode the movie (.AVI or .MPG but also .ASF and other formats) using TMPGenc. Using the Project Wizard, you choose Video-CD (PAL or NTSC) as output and your movie as input.
You just have to choose:
a) Setting__Video__Motion Search Precision__ at least High Quality (Slow)
b) Setting__Advanced__Video Arrange Method: Full screen (keep aspect ratio)
c) If the movie is longer than 80', Setting__Advanced__Source range: you create 2 CDs: CD1 from 0 to Frame, CD2 from Frame+1 to End Frame (you put = -1, it will be the last of the movie)
Rename the TMPGenc's output file your_movieCDn.MPG the output file (n=1 or 2) so, if the movie is a .MPG, the output file has a different name from the input file.

If you want to enlarge the movie by losing part of the video (if the TV is not 16:9) you can Clip Frame ('Resized Image is used to display preview' must be selected)

Once you've created your(s) .MPG, start VCDEasy, Nero or VCDGear.

Step 2
------
If you want a freeware application, get VCDGear. learn how to use it in http://cd-rw.org/articles/archive/vcdgearburnatonce.cfm
If you have a registered version of VCDEasy, go on reading.

VCDEasy
First, with VCDEasy, press 'Add Files' and select your MPG. As 'CD Writer' the CD Image File Recorder must be selected. With CD Files: you select the name and the destination of the .BIN/.CUE set.
Press Go.

Nero
Select Video-CD. Load the MPEG you made on step 1. If you want to show 'Please insert disc 2' at the end of disc 1, load also an image. The pause after its play will be already set 'infnite' instad of 5 sec.
Click on 'Burn' (or choose 'image recorder' as recorder and burn the .NRG later, for safety).

Step 3 (if you used VCDGear or VCDEasy)
---------------------------------------
Burn the .BIN/.CUE (you'll have to repeat the process above described twice, if you need 2 CDs) with the application you prefere. Delete from your HD the .BIN/.CUE of the VCD part_n and the TMPGenc's output file your_movieCDn.MPG you used to make it.

Step 3 (if you used Nero with the burner set on Image Recorder)
---------------------------------------
Burn the .NRG. If you use Nero, remember to set a correct burner as recorder.

I hope this thread will be useful!

100% Not exactly as I have converted avi's with TMPGEnc and after the rest, they don't play on a DVD player. I've heard that TMPGEnc doesn't always work so well with XP. Is this true? And is there a better program to use?

ok..so my first post--woohoo.

i'm trying this out. and i have 1 question: Will vcdGear work instead of VCDEasy?
We shall see.
And BTW...total noob question here (really): why further convert to BIN/CUE? Why not just burn as .MPG?
It's gonna be MPEG-1 (VCD) after conversion with TMPGEnc, right?

the sticky really did get me on the right track too :)
thx aldaco12

ok done.
first of all: I didn't use VCDGear or VCDEasy to convert the original movie to BIN/CUE.

I did burn 2 cd's MPEG-1 (VCD), but it came out full screen (settings maybe?)--i can handle that. The original is DivX PAL (I'm pretty sure, @25 FPS) 480x256, and the out-put after TMPGEnc plus MPEG-1 NTSC, VCD @ 29.97 fps 352x240, 2 cd's

I burned it with Nero 6 Burning ROM BTW.

and it's full screen. Did i mention that? :)

Long story short--with a first try of splitting the original with Easy Video Splitter (i know, i know)--cd2 audio was off sync (burning with Nero-ROM) Then i read this sticky.

I split original with TMPGEnc plus and burned both cd1 and cd2 with Nero6 burning ROM and audio is great. I only have to get over the full screen thing. DONE.

So now, I'm wondering how to get back letter box.

AND...What are the benifits of going through the (seemingly) extra step of converting MPEG-1 (VCD) files to BIN/CUE and then burning to cd which i burn in VCD anyway?

thx again aldaco12

Oh..BTW. I don't make coasters--I make garbage. :)

TMPGENC DIDN'T WOTK WITH ME, IT SAID "UNRECOGNIZED VEDIO FORMAT" AND IT WAS AVI MOVIE. I TRIED WITH WINAVICONVERTER BUT IT'S CONVERT ONLY TO PAL NOT NTSC SYSTEM, FOLLOING YOUR STEPS AFTER I.E. FOR VCDEASY AND Nero TO BURN, IT'S END UP WITH CD DOSN'T WORK ON BOTH PC & DVD PLAYER.
CAN OU HELP ME PLS.
THANKS

Well, lot of comments. I'll try to give all the answers I can:

(1) I used TMPGEnc with my PC with Win XP and the output VCD doesn't play on my DVD.
Strange, VCD format should be the most compatible of all (more than SVCD). Strange, because you've build a Video-CD (PAL/NTSC correctly with TMPGEnc. I dont' know it theres's any. Maybe if you looked in TMPGenc's site?
Maybe thete's a XP version of TMPGEnc? About Win XP I don't know anything sorry, I hate that system full of problems, I use Win 2k (great!)instead.

(2) conversion .MPG-->BIN/CUE
+ I didn't use VCDGear or VCDEasy to convert the original movie to BIN/CUE.

Well, the BIN/CUE of VCDEasy (I never used VCDGear) has more capabilities (chapters, interactivity..). Otherwise, you can just usel Plain Nero oj the TMPGenc's output. But no guaranteee.
Full screen (keep aspect) is one the most useful setting of TMPGEnc. You can use also use Center (custom size), so if your TV loses some of the vieo screen you can resize it e.g. 90% of 352x288 (PAL) or 90% of 352x240.
--> ...What are the benifits of going through the (seemingly) extra step of converting MPEG-1 (VCD) files to BIN/CUE and then burning to cd which i burn in VCD anyway?
If Nero goes well, good use it, but no Chapters! (fast skip of 5' with the 'Next' button, for example. Interactivity...)

3. TMPGEnc DIDN'T WORK WITH ME, IT SAID "UNRECOGNIZED VIDEO FORMAT"
I think it's a problem of the .AVI or/and of your PC, not of TMPGEnc. Do you have the correct codec installed (DivX for a DivX encoded movie, Xvid for a Xvid encoded movie...). Try to install them on your PC (the DECoder part of any codec should be free, I think...).
Just a check: can you correctly see the .AVI movie on your PC (with WMP, for example)? If so, you should already have the codec installed on the PC, and I cannot give you any more suggestion (never found a similar error), sorry!

you could forget all of the stuffing around with:
1) TMPGEnc
2) VCDEasy or VCDGear
3) any application able to burn CUE Sheets (.CUE/.BIN sets)

and just download the freeware tool, "Super DVD Ripper"...

all you do is stick the DVD in the DVD-ROM drive, and follow the EASY steps and create a VCD backup, and best of all, you can burn it straight away, because "Super DVD Ripper" has a built in burning tool...?

what more can you ask for?

The only problem with Super DVD ripper is that those of us who don't have DVD drives can't use it.

My next question is- is it something about the PAL settings on TMPGEnc that some of the VCDs won't play? I don't know which PAL setting to use as some have worked and others haven't, even tho it all looks right.

when i use TMPGEnc to convert my .AVI file to mpeg, it says it does not recogonize the file or something, what am i suppose to do.. also, my 350MB AVI file wont fit on a VCD. and can i make a 705MB AVI file fit on a VCD?

(mad89)
> all you do is stick the DVD in the DVD-ROM drive...

of course, IF YOU HAVE a DVD burner. Right, starfield.

(starfield)
>> is it something about the PAL settings on TMPGEnc that some of the VCDs won't play? I don't know which PAL setting to use as some have worked and others haven't, even tho it all looks right...

as for I know, all outputted filed by TMPGenc play wery well even if they are PAL, on a PAL DVD player.
Use File-->project Wizard and check the box 'use the Project Wizard at startup'.

(icekold15 )
> when i use TMPGEnc to convert my .AVI file to mpeg, it says it does not recogonize the file or something, what am i suppose to do.. also, my 350MB AVI file wont fit on a VCD. and can i make a 705MB AVI file fit on a VCD?

First: an AVI needs its codec to be DECoded to a movie (DivX AVIs need the DivX codec installed, Xvid AVIs need the Xvid codec installed, and so on)
Second: usually a 600 MB AVI can become a 1200 MB MPG file! (depending on the compression used. Strange that a 300 MB AVI exceeds 800 MB MPEG (max MPEG for a CD: 802 MB). Maybe bad quality of the compressed AVI (huge movie but too small AVI) or bad conversion in the AVI-->VCD process? Did you convert the AVI-->MPG with TMPGenc?
If movie length > approx 80' (MPG > 830,310,619 bytes) you need to use twice 'select range' as I teached (for AVI ---> CD1.mpg you select the range 0-->Frame; for AVI --> CD2.mpg you select the range Frame+1-->End Frame (-1 by default).

aldaco12...

if you read it correctly:

all you do is stick the DVD in the DVD-ROM drive...

it DOES say to put it in a DVD-ROM drive, not a dvd burner...

so if you have a DVD-ROM drive then yes you can use Super DVD Ripper to rip DVDs to VCD...

OK, agreed.