Troubleshoot My Newbie VCD on DVD Playback Problems, Please

[cagger1]

I rip VOBs and IFOs with either DVDDecrypter or SmartRipper. I use FlaskMPEG to create full movie AVI files. I then use TMPEnc to turn AVIs (or,alternatively, VOBs directly without using FlaskMPEG) into MPEG1 files. Then I use NTI CD-Maker 2000 Plus to burn the MPEG1 files onto a VCD disk. The resultant VCDs play fine on my PC with PowerDVD, but will not play on my Toshiba SD3750 DVD player.

I suspect several root causes, which I will now list. Looking for feedback on where to start...

1. The DVD player is set to progressive not interlaced via a switch in the back of the unit. Do I need to turn this to interlaced to watch VCDs made as above?
2. I am using 700MB/80min blank CD-Rs and the DVD player manual says to use 650MB/74min blanks to play MP3s (it doesnt say anything about required format for VCDs, only that it will play them). Can I "re-format" 700/80 to 650/74, and/or is that even necessary?
3. In the DVD player menu, will it matter if I select film (24fps) or video (30fps) progressive conversion?
4. Should I turn off playback control (PBC) in the DVD player's menu?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. TIA.

[cagger1]

Two more stupid newbie components of my problems, to clarify:
- If I don't encode at 352x240 resolution, will this impact the resultant VCD's "playability"?
- When I put the VCD into the DVD player, it plays the first few seconds in a jerky manner (video and audio come on and off intermittently) then freezes up, and displays PBC in the digital display on the front of the unit.

Again, thanks.

[jggimi]

1) at www.vcdhelp.com, your player is listed as CDR/CDRW compatible, but there are brands of media that have been reported as not working as well as others. Check the comments at that website.

2) I would think that unless you were encoding to proper size, which you are apparently not doing ... you'd have problems. I'm no VCD expert, having only made a few of them last year, and using nero to burn 'em.