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DVD vs VCD

Discussion in 'Digital camcorders' started by rocky4547, Sep 17, 2004.

  1. rocky4547

    rocky4547 Guest

    I am completely confused about these formats. I have examined some movie DVDs finding folders named Audio_TS and Video_TS with files inside of type IFO BUP and VOB.

    Now, when some of these software programs convert AVI to supposedly DVD you get MPG files. This isn't DVD but it says it is, right? Is it fake DVD?

    Can you burn Audio_TS (the real DVD) on to a CD burner with DVD software or must you have a DVD burner too.

    Any recommendations for software that will convert AVI to a real DVD and burn it on a CD burner?
    Also,

    I have exported AVI with text in the file and it looks horrible in VCD at 480 by 320 or whatever the low res is. Why is this a good format for video when it looks like shit for text. Images aren;t to bad.
    THanks,
    Rocky
     
  2. nist

    nist Member

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    Well, many questions at the same time :)

    All dvds have the video_ts and audio_ts folder structure at it is the dvd standard.

    You can't burn a DVD with a CD burner, even though the size only is 700mb. There is something called MiniDVD, which is a DVD format which fits a CD. But those are not readable on a standalone DVD player, only on computers.

    mpg file can both be vcd and dvd format ;). A mpeg-1 file is a vcd and a mpeg-2 file is dvd. So you need to know what kind of file your talking about. If you want to convert an AVI file to DVD it will convert it to a mpeg-2 file with dvd-compliant audio. You then need a dvd authoring program to create the dvd folder structure and get the IFO and VOB files.
    The reason for the bad quality for VCD is the low resolution and the low constant birate used. Moving text is usually difficult to convert and often get rather pixelated.

    For apps to convert avi to dvd I can recommend tmpgenc xpress or WinAVI. You then need for example tmpenc dvd author to create the dvd from the mpeg2 file from tmpenc xpress. But again, you can't burn a dvd on a cd burner! You need a dvd burner to burn a dvd!
     
  3. rocky4547

    rocky4547 Guest

    Thanks,
    Can I reiterate and re-structure my question please?
    I have an AVI file with audio track 22khz 16 bit) of a 5 minute presentation. Mostly static images fading in and out lasting about 7 sec each. Occasionally a bitmap with a few words on them (not moving).
    What is the ABSOLUTE simplest conversion I can do, such that I can burn it to a std CD burner and put it in a DVD player and get audio and video (at around 720 x 500) or so resolution?
    That's my goal for now until I get a DVD burner.
    Thanks alot!
    Rocky
     
  4. nist

    nist Member

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    The two solutions are:
    1. convert the avi to a SVCD compliant file. That is a mpeg-2 to file (like dvd) but with less quality than dvd and audio with 44,1KHz (DVDs use 48KHz). It is better quality than VCD and the best thing is that mostly all SVCDs play on a standalone DVD and can be burned to a CD.
    2. Convert it to a VCD. Mpeg-1 with 44,1KHz audio and it will play on most standalone dvd players.

    Try both out and see which generates the best quality for you. SVCD should be a better choice!

    Programs to do this are: Tmpenc express, WinAVI, DVDx and a few others. DVDx is freeware! Also tmpenc 2.51 can be found in a version which lets you use mpeg-2 encoding for 30days. Then you need a program to author the svcd or vcd. Nero does this. Other apps are VCDEasy. See here for a guide on how to do it:
    http://www.afterdawn.com/guides/archive/vcdeasy_tutorial.cfm
    Hope this helps!
     

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