Hi guys. I'm asking someone to assist me with this funny idea. If you have a stand-alone DVD player that definately supports VideoCD format -- AND YOU'VE TRIED THIS MANY, MANY TIMES -- but doesn't support SVCD format (and you've tried this as well, many times), please read further. I have this kinky idea to try if VCD-compatible DVD player that doesn't support SVCD, would play miniDVD discs with SVCD resolution content. So, if you want to test and report your success back to us, please try this: Encode something with TMPGEnc or CCE to SVCD compatible video format (PAL or NTSC, whichever you prefer) -- if you're not sure about the SVCD compatibility of the clip, test it with Nero, just select SVCD format in Nero and drag&drop the file into the template with compatibility check turned on and Nero either accepts the file or not. After this, encode your audio to MP2 (yeah, MP2, not MP3) using something like tooLame or so, but use 48kHz instead of 44.1kHz. You can also use TMPGEnc to do this part, just remember to select 48kHz instead of 44.1kHz -- this is important. Now you should have video and audio files -- if you have .mpg file as a video file, use TMPGEnc's MPEG Tools to demux the file into separate audio and video streams (.m2v and .mp2 files). Now you need to hack the video file's properties to make it look like a DVD sized file (SVCD resolution is 480x480 or 480x576 which is not a DVD resolution). Good guide how to do this, can be found from doom9 or from vcdhelp: http://www.doom9.org/mpg/svcd2dvdr.htm http://www.vcdhelp.com/svcddvdr.htm ..so, change properties. Use authoring software to drop the files into it, author the stuff -- BUT SELECT CD INSTEAD OF DVD!! -- and then change the properties of the video file back to SVCD properties (==change the resolution back to "normal" SVCD resolution, i.e. 480x480) and create the VIDEO_TS directory or if you use SpruceUp, just burn the damn thing to CD. Good guide for SpruceUp is here: http://www.vcdhelp.com/spruceup.htm ...so, after this you have something that is in miniDVD format, but has SVCD video on it The idea is based on the fact that if your DVD player plays VCDs, it recognizes CD-ROM discs. And if it recognizes CD-ROMs, it very likely supports miniDVDs which are basically DVDs, but burned on CD. And then we assume that the chip in your DVD player is smart enough to actually decode other resolutions of MPEG-2 other than 720x480/576 as well. Anyone willing to try it? Please report all success/fails in this thread.
Even though it may seem that some standard PC CD-roms or PC DVD players are not compatible with SVCDs that is not particularly true. If you want to play an SVCD on any PC CD-rom or PC DVD player and it is not recognized then all you have to do is play the actual file inside of the Mpegav folder. This method does not seem to work on Windows Media Player but, using a program like PowerDVD where you can go into file or disc mode you would have to choose the file inside the Mpegav folder on the SVCD disc. PowerDVD will recognize the file when you choose file mode. Select the file inside the Mpegav folder on the SVCD disc and PowerDVD will play the file in the MPEG2 stream. Now to encode an SVCD MPEG2 streamed file into VCD MPEG1 is very simple. You can use a program as simple as TMPGenc to encode an MPEG2 stream into MPEG1 which is standard for all VCDs and it can finally be played in the Windows Media Player or created as a VCD using VCD burning software. Nero burning rom is an acceptable program to burn VCDs with but, yet a very complicated program to use. If you want to create VCDs without the complications then try Easy CD Creator 5 Platinum. It has a simple, directive, and easy to use interface and in my opinion its also fun!
Your idea worked, but it doesn't seem to be compatible on older DVD players. I based this on the fact of older and newer DVD players. Most older players have no CD-R, CD-RW or MP3 reading capabilities. The newer DVD players seem to have all of these capabilities. Some only VCD compatible, some only SVCD compatible, and some that are VCD and SVCD compatible. I figured that the miniDVD did not play in the older DVD player because it lacks the capabilities of the newer players. On a compatible dvd player it plays the MPEG 2 quality in a pretty good video stream especially in a larger format. The only problem I encounter is that a number of CD-R discs are needed to be used during the burning process, but it's a good start for DVD players that are SVCD compatible. Pretty good guidance from the recommended sites. I encourage anyone who likes to experiment with digital video to try this.
Another possibility is to make your player think it is a VCD. Some people had success with burning an SVCD with VCD patched entries. There is some help available how to do that with vcdimager.
Hi all, I'm Jake, webmaster of VCDHelp.us I had two quick thoughts to add here... 1. As a VCD expert, I wholeheartedly disagree with the Easy CD Creator recommendation. In my experience, nothing has burned more coasters than this program. I burn with Nero, personally, but I'll endorse VCDEasy if anyone has a problem with Nero. (Though 99% of the time, you can go with Nero's default values, and it should work perfectly, provided the MPEG was properly encoded to begin with...) 2. The "Make your DVD player think your SVCD is a VCD" header trick works very well. You simply load the MPEG-2 into TMPGEnc, do a "Simple Multiplex", being sure to choose VCD (MPEG-1) from the dropdown menu, and you're ready to go. Takes about 10 minutes. Granted, this won't fly with all standalone DVD players, but it seems to work well for most folks who try it with a reasonably up-to-date standalone DVD player. That's all.. just browsing the web, checking things out, staying current. Hope this advice helps a little. Jake
Being a wholehearted expert at wasting 100s of cds trying to make a 16:9 svcd, id just like to add that svcds make better 16:9 vidoes than useless cds make coasters. When any type of cup containing a cold drink is set ontop of a cd, that cd practically becomes a part of that cup and the precipitation gathers on it as well, which results in a permanent waterlog circle the size of a cd eating its way into the finish of your cherrywood desk which wouldve been half as big if you wouldve just set the cup directly on the desk.
