Can't get VCD to play on Sony DVD

[mitch1966]

Help !

I am new at this so please be patient. I have tried to go full cirle by ripping a DVD into Divx format and then converting the AVI into a VCD to play on my DVD player. My problem is that when I try and play the VCD it doesn't work, I just get loads of coloured blocks, basically rubbish.

Here is what I did:

1. Ripped DVD using DVD Decrypter.
2. Ran DVDx 1.8 to create the AVI. Plays fine on PC after this step.
3. Used Virtuadub to extract audio
4. Used TMPEnc to create mpg
5. Created VCD using NERO
6. Tried to play VCD on my Sony DAV-S800. On get rubbish output.

To the best of my knowledge I am using the latest version of all programs.

Please help, I am going mad at wasting so so many hours.

[da franksta]

many sony dvd players won't play cd-r's. are you sure yours does?

[mitch1966]

Well quoting from the manual that came with the DVD:

Examples of discs that the system CANNOT play:

All CD-R's other than music and VCD format CD-r's

Now I read this as a double negative and means I can.

But just tell me if you think I am being thick!

[diji1]

hi:
heres a list of dvd-players and their compatibility with media and formats - may help if urs is on there ( hopefully not as one that can't :^\ )... -> http://www.vcdhelp.com/dvdplayers.php

to be honest i think it sounds like ur dvd player won't read them, but
( im by no means a vcd expert btw ) u could try another brand disk and/or use the vcd-imager method instead to burn it - i remember sposedly that method was a little better for 100% compatiblity with players.

edit: - ok i looked and ur player aint on there ( i seem to remember it being a whole lot bigger awhile back, maybe theres another ? ), but i did notice that theres a sony thats incompatible with cd-r's but compatible with cd-rw, so u could give one of those a try ... better than nothing if it works i guess :)

[thedude20]

hi there now first things first, people are right in thinking most earlier sony dvd,s will not play a cdr as a vcd but the new players they are bringing out do (so how old is it , what range ?).
Next, as a person quite used to using dvdx why are you using all the other software after that as when dvdx is finished with it you have got a nice sized file that will write to cd-r and play as a vcd anyways. Just wondering?
So if you are ripping an original dvd just use dvdx as the doom9 forum explains then try it out on your pc with media player for example then if its ok, write it with nero and try on your dvd standalone if it dosent play its the sony. later

[LIGHTNING UK!]

I have experienced the same problem. Sony DVD Player only seem to work with one brand of CDR's. The ones you need are called 'DataSafe'. They are currently rated at 24x and are 80mins. I recently bought some from 121cdr.co.uk - priced £0.20p each. I bought 400 :)

[mitch1966]

I appreciate all this help but unfortunately I am no closer to a solution.

I don't think my problem is realated to the cd's I am using becuase they can be read fine for audio.

I have tried using both Nero and VCDeasy with no luck. But I have noticed something very odd. If a put a genuine VCD in my PC I can see and read a directory strucutre. When I look at the VCD's am I creating there is NO DIRECTORY STRUCUTRE at all on the CD even though nero has been writing to it for ages.

Any ideas ?

Going mad(der) rapidly here......

[da franksta]

what do you mean by "nero has been writing to it for ages" ?
which version of nero are you using?
take care, don't give up just yet :)

[mitch1966]

Maybe ages is a lie!

I am using Nero 5.5.72

[da franksta]

how about the mpg file on your cd, does it play correctly on your pc?

[mitch1966]

It certainly does, that is the frustrating thing

[jggimi]

As recommended earlier, check your make and model of dvd player with the database at www.vcdhelp.com.

The problem has nothing to do with the "quality" of the cd-r.

It has everything to do with the type of laser inside the player. DVD uses a different wavelength laser than CD. So the number and type of lasers in the player limit what you can do with it.

That is why some players can use cd-rw, not cd-r ... and some can use only certain brands of cd-r or cd-rw. It has everything to do with the interaction between the laser and the media.

Check the database at www.vcdhelp.com, please.

[mitch1966]

Well I have found that the media ISN'T the problem as I am able to copy a genuine VCD to CD-RW and it works fine in the standalone player so my problem is therefore something to do with how I am ripping/converting.

[da franksta]

you should get the vcd directory structure automatically if in Nero you burn using "new project - video cd", right? has it ever worked for you?
does nero have anything to say about your mpg file, like "it's not standard complient" or what have you? does nero even check the mpg file when you enter it in your vcd project?
from the info you're giving, ripping/converting isn't necessarily the problem. you could be burning wrongly.

[mitch1966]

The directory structure appears in Nero ie. in the left hand window when I drag and drop in the file. But after Nero is finished writing the CD appears empty when viewed thru explorer.

Shall I post some screen shots to illustrate ?

[mitch1966]

Can someone send me a small AVi that they know they can burn just so I can try and narrow down where my problem is.

My email address is:

tony.mitchell@tszf.tele2.co.uk

[da franksta]

1st, don't use nero to convert your avi to mpg! it's not nearly as good as tmpg or cce. if you want to do it right, look at the doom9 avi2svcd guide!
2nd, maybe you should enclose a screenshot (please compress!)

[mitch1966]

Well after much trial and error it now seems as though all is well.

Rightly or wrongly, by doing the following it all works fine now:

DVDx
TMPGenc
BBmpeg
VCDImagerGUI
Nero to burn the image

Thanks again for everyones help.

On to my next problem now......

[ploegje]

Sony DVD players seem only to be able to play VCD using certain CD_R brands.
A few brands which should be able to do the trick:
-That's right CD-R
-Lifetec CD-R
-MMORE CD-RW (these I tried myself)

Good luck!