GUIDE: Creating a VCD

[malary]

Before starting: Since my English is not perfect, I’m gonna have some mistakes, but I tried to make this guide as clear as possible. If you still have any question, feel free to ask.

VCD is the format in which data is converted to allow the displaying in the Dvd player. This format is actually a modified version of a Mpeg, so basically this guide will help you to convert you video files AVI into MPEG (if you’re starting with another file as ogm, please convert the file into avi first so we can work with it, I will add more information about this soon).

I can give a lot of useful information about mpeg format, like type of subtitles it can handle, number of minutes, audio frequence, resolution, <each minute in vcd uses 10Mb> etc, but I keep in mind that this most be a easy guide to follow and I don’t want to confuse you guys too much (just a little bit, hehe).

So let’s start.

You must have all the appropiate codecs (video or audio) already installed. If you don’t have them TMPGEnc will not work.

The programs we’re gonna work with:
- TMPGEnc hxxp://www.tmpgenc.net
This is a 30 days trial, but don’t worry the limitation after doesn’t affect the function we’re using and you always can buy the program (the obvious and uncommon option).
- Nero Burning Rom or any other program for burn to cds.


FIRST PART. Using TMPGEnc.

1. Basic Configuration:
Install and open TMPGEnc.
Go to Option --> Environmental Setting --> VFAPI plug-in and disable “AVI2(OpenDML) File Reader”. And then select a high priority in “DirectShow Multimedia File Reader” (3 or 4 will be fine).
These configuration changes are automatically saved, so you don’t have to configure them everytime you use the program.

2. MPG Compression
Now you will have to choose between two different formats: PAL and NTSC. The main criteria is based on the DVD zone you’re located. The first one is used for Europe and the second one for America and Asia. Of course nowadays almost every DVD is multiregion, which means it can support both.

Another criteria is the frame per second used in your file if you have 25 fps then is PAL and if it is in 23.976 or 29.976 fps you have to choose NTSC.

Remember than if your file have an audio OGG (used in the ogm format) or AC3, TMPGEnc may not work properly.

Let’s start the Wizard manually by selecting File --> Project Wizard or Ctrl+W.

A) In the right menu from the Video-CD option, choose PAL or NTSC (only choose NTSC Film when having 23.976 fps) and then click Next.

B) Select Source File. Select the file to be converted and the audio file is there’s one to join. Then select the Aspect Radio:
1:1 (VGA)
4:3 (TV)
16:9 (panoramic)
I you don’t know what this means, then leave it with 1:1 (VGA).

C) Filter Setting. You can make readjustments to your file here, but that’s beyond the objetive of this guide. So just click on Next.

D) Bitrate Setting. I recommend you to keep everything as it’s showed. In the file size bar you will see how much space from the cd this file will take. If the blue bar cross the red line, then your file is too big to fit a cd and you have to edit it before transforming it into MPEG. To start the process click on Next.

E) Specify output file. This one is easy, choose the location of your new file and click on OK. If a message asks you to create a folder, click Ok.

Now you have a mpeg.

SECOND PART. Using Nero

All the mpeg you created in the first part will be incorpored in this new Cd (just make sure that total size of your files doesn’t exceed the cd size).

You can work with another program to do the next steps. I choose Nero because is the most popular, but once you get how to do it, it will be easy to adjust the process to any other program (My computer uses B’s Recorder and it’s almost the same). Just make sure to:
a) Choose to create a Video CD (VCD)
b) Choose between PAL and NTSC.
c) Drag your mpeg files into the compilation.

Oh, and never say no to a Wizard unless you know and you want to customize the process (like adding a menu).

1. You can access CD creation the wizard by clicking: File --> New.
- Nero will prompt you to choose DVD or CD recording. To make your VCD, click on CD and then Next.
- Click "compile new CD" from the next step, followed by "other CD formats", then finally Video CD.
- Click finish to bring up the file manager.

2) Drag your VCD compliant MPEG to the left hand panel to build your VCD. The normal VCD capacity is 700MB.
Note: Nero will add 5 seconds between each file, to remove this do a right click on each file and go to properties to disable this pauses.

3) The final step is to burn your video CD to disc. Simply click the button.
You can jump straight to the above step by clicking on the Video CD icon in the new compilation window (File --> New), then pressing new to bring up the relevant browsers.

And that’s all! <-- finally.

This process can be customized a lot, adding a lot of options like filters, editing the video, reducing the video noise, etc. But this will make this work a huge and complicated guide to follow. So unless there’s a basic problem, don’t ask me to add more options, please.

And if you found this guide helpfull you can rep me


Have fun!

[Munemasa Katagiri]

Good job, Malary!
I hope nobody will have any problems converting to VCD now.

[kriska22]

nice work, sissy! I am sure it will be very helpful to everybody.

Kriska

[jenifursg]

Thanks for the guide Malary!! I have a question though... I tried converting avi to mpeg, it doesn't have sound when I play the mpeg on pc. Why is that? >_&lt;

[malary]

Ok, let's see.
Audio is saved in different format, so pls check which belong to your avi file.
You can use VirtualDub to check this, open the file and select Stream ---> Stream List, the program will display the audio you're running. If the audio is ogg or ac3 yoy have to convert it (use the Demux option). Then use an editor (like windows media player) to paste the new audio.
But sometimes TMPGEnc does not work properly, so first I recommend you to try again.

[Dai-kun]

if you provide pictures for this guild, then I can make it an Help article. same for ur other guide.

[Eire]

Very nice guide with good detail. Very useful for me.

[nidaba]

Thank you so much for the guide! I'm still having one problem though. I have good picture and sound quality, but the subtitles are mainly off the screen. (I'm trying to burn all my Naruto episodes so I can have my hard drive back) Is there a way to correct this?

[malary]

The subtitles fits the original video? If it doesn't you need to adjust first, try VirtualDubMode.
But if the subs fits correctly and the problem is after converting the file into mpeg, then you can try using Canopus instead of TMPGEnc, it worked with similar problem in the past.

[ruchibi]

hi!~ when you burn it to VCD does the quality of the movie decreases? way back i tried making a VCD out of avi files but its not the same quality as it is in my original file.. does it matter if you dnt have a big capacity video card, or do i need something like a 128/256 MB Vcard to write it to its best quality?