The file came from video captured as mpeg to an AllInWonder API capture board.

If it was captured as an MPEG with ATI, I will practically guarantee the file is not VCD compliant. If you want to play the file from CD on your computer, burn it as a multimedia CD, and that should work.

If you want a VCD that will play back on VCD-supporting DVD players, you will need to re-render the file to the MPEG-1 videoCD template, and burn with the VCD burn tool. Don't expect much in the way of quality when transcoding MPEG to MPEG, but it should play back at least.

I allways used tmpeg ( mpeg tools)to transcode. Sometimes only some header info is wrong.

Come on SoFo, How am I supposed to know that? Give somebody with less experience the benefit of the doubt. You could give me a reason why this is, instead of "its not compliant" Remember, you tech's had to start somewhere. Give the maybe not so experienced to this software that chance! Thank you! Don't ever forget where you started.

"Don't ever forget where you started"

What the hell does that mean? Is that sort of like when Steve Martin says, "I was born a poor black child"????

Just what I need, a smart ass! READ THE WORDS and if you are not too far along to forget where you came from in this cyber stuff, maybe you can help. Otherwise keep your stupid comments to yourself.

A true VideoCD requires an MPEG-1 file that is rendered with specific attributes. This file is burned to a CD with special on-disc components. This means that if you want to play a VideoCD in a (supported) DVD player and watch it on a TV, you cannot use any MPEG file and burn it to a CD- that will not work.

In Vegas 3, you can select Tools>Burn CD> VideoCD and follow the wizard steps. The app will conform the timeline to the precise MPEG-1 VideoCD render settings AND the app will also burn that file and the extra VideoCD components to CD-R (or CD-RW) media. If you follow the wizard steps, everything will be done for you.

If you want to use an existing MPEG file (in the VideoCD wizard process there is an option for this, which I believe you are using), Vegas sniffs that file and will warn you if it is not compliant.

If you click on help> content and index, and type in VideoCD, you'll get a good explanation of the process.

If you want to learn all about the VideoCD, check out this excellent site:

www.vcdhelp.com

Thank you very much! I appreciate your quick response.

Now that you know how to make a "compliant" VCD, you may want to consider making a non compliant VCD. Why? Because you can increase the bitrate thus the quality. The result is called a XVCD. Simple how-to can be found over at http://www.vcdhelp.com

While I've tried burning a CD directly from VV3, I much prefer using Nero which offers far more options including adding a simple menu and even a splash screen picture.

Also the included Main Concept MPEG-2 CODEC makes excellent SVCD's. Be sure to click the custom button, select either the SVCD NTSC or SVCD PAL template from the video tab, push the video quality all the way to the right (high), then click the variable bitrate, selecting 6,000,000 max and 4,000,000 average bits. I encode to disk, then burn from Nero. Results can be every bit as good, if not better then using TMPG.

Just keep in mind a non compliant VCD may or may not play back properly, depending on your DVD player.

WVG:
If you could be so kind, please repeat (reword) your post slooooowly for me. I own the most recent version of Nero, and have burned a VCD from one of my VV30 avi's (this avi is excellent . . . good DV print quality, flawless audio sync). Visual quality on my TV (played from my DVD player) is fine (if you overlook some jerkiness), sync to audio is so-so (really not acceptable to me).

I've rendered the file to MPEG2, but, can't seem to use that format to create a VCT.

So, for me (a conceded (not coneited) dummy), could you please repost your 'how-to' and be more detailed in exactly how I might go from an excellent avi (or veg) production from VV30 to a DVD burned with Nero to achieve the best playback quality?

Thanks ever so much.

Caruso

Are we talking about the same thing? I'm referring to video CD's that you can play on a set top DVD player. If you want to make a true DVD, you need a DVD burner. I don't have the latest version of Nero, however I think the last version does burn DVD's. Again you also got to have a DVD burner, not the more common CD burner.

Now if you want to make a super VCD (SVCD) I'll try to explain it differently.

You FIRST need to create either a NTSC or PAL format video CD file during the final rendering process. To make a nice SVCD with decent quality, render using the Main Concept template with the details I mentioned previously. If you prefer, render your project as a AVI, then use TMPGnc (selecting its SVCD template). Regardless which method (either the Main Concept encoder or TMPG's you render a file to your hard drive. Once finished renderig, open up Nero, select the Super VCD option, burn. If Nero complains, you may after to disable the compliance switch in Nero. If or not doing this results in a playable CD depends on your DVD player.

Rember unless you have a DVD burner, you're making a video CD that can be played on a DVD player. The quality will be good, but not up to DVD quality because of limitations of how high a bitrate your DVD player can read when reading a CD. That problem goes away IF you have a DVD burner and are burning a DVD disk.

any suggestions on brands of DVD players that support SVCD well?

regards,
joey