VCD Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a VCD ?
• Can my DVD Player play a VCD?
• What is the hardware & software requirements to run a VCD?
• How do I run a VCD on my computer?

What is a VCD (Video Compact Disc) & DVD ( Digital Video Disc)?
VCD's look like a regular CD. Using MPEG compression (1:30), VCD's offer picture quality footage/images that is far superior to the Quicktime movies you see on standard CD ROM's or VHS tapes. Each VCD can support up to one hour of playing time with full CD-quality stereo sound. VCDs can be played on a VCD-aware CD player, on most DVD players, and on any Macintosh or PC with MPEG software installed. (MPEG software, Active Movie Control, is a standard multimedia component within Windows 95, or you can download it free.)

DVD's also look like regular CD's. However, DVD's can hold more than 6 G.B. of data vs. VCD's 650 MB. Thus, DVD's offer the best audio and video quality. (Over 500 lines of resolution vs VHS tapes at 250)

Can my DVD player play a VCD (Video Compact Disc)?
Not all DVD players support VCD's.  Most DVD players from famous brands like Panasonic, Sony, RCA, Denon, JVC, Samsung and Yamaha do support VCD's.  The best way to find out if your player supports VCD's is by referring to your DVD User Manual.  If your manual does not state that your machine supports CDI or VCD, then it probably does not support VCD's.

VCD Hardware and Software Requirements:
(You'll need just one of the following )

1. A multimedia computer or a Pentium class PC/Mac, 8 MB Ram, 4 x CD ROM or better with software MPEG (Window 95 Active Movie, Xing MPEG, Mediamatics, Soft peg...)  OR
   
2. DVD/VCD player (Panasonic, Sony, RCA, Denon, JVC, Samsung, Yamaha), VCD player, CD Interactive player with DV Cartridge, Sega Saturn, 3 DO with VCD/MPEG format. OR
   
3. Any PC with a dedicated hardware MPEG card.

How do I run the VCD ?
If you enable autorun under Windows 95, your VCD should activate the program and run automatically. If it doesn't run, you can load your MPEG software and play the huge movie files in the CD.  These files normally have .avi or .dat extention.   For Vivid VCD's, the movie file is located in the Mpegav directory. Windows 95 or higher come with a MPEG software player pre-installed called Media Player. It located in your Windows program menu under Start/Programs/Accessories/Multimedia. Load that program and run the movie files in your CD to play the movie.

• Where can I find the MPEG player software?
  Here are some common MPEG player software:
  Microsoft Active Movie - This program comes with Windows 95 4.00.950b OSR2. It is free.
  Xing MPEG player - It is the most common MPEG player, but it is not for free.
  SoftMPEG Player - It is also a well known MPEG player powered by Zoran.

• Can I play XXX VCD on a Mac?
  Yes. All you need is QuickTime 2.5 and Apple's MPEG extension. If you don't have these, they can be downloaded from Apple's web site