VCD
stands for Video Compact Disc, which looks like regular music CD,
however it offers VHS quality video and high quality stereo sound and
usually about 60 minutes of playing time. VCD uses MPEG1 compression.
A VCD can be played on almost all standalone DVD Players and of course
on all computers with a DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive with the help of a
software based decoder/player.
- random access search
- There is no deterioration or degradation of picture
quality over time
- VCDs do not have regional lock codes (like the
DVD), so they can be played anywhere in the world
- The picture quality is at least as good as that of
VHS tapes; audio is usually Dolby Digital Surround.
- there is no incompatibility problem because of
different formats (such as PAL, NTSC & SECAM)
- All Personal Computers - both PC & Mac with
CD-ROMs/DVD-ROMs, a sound card and a good graphics card
- VCD Players (very common in Asia)
- Almost all DVD Players; check the manual of your
DVD player
- Game Consoles (Playstations, Sega Saturn,
Dreamcast, Nintendo 64 & 3DO Game Consoles; they all require add-on
movie cards; NOTE: Playstation 2 does NOT support VCDs)
HOW TO PLAY VCDs ON YOUR COMPUTER: |
- Windows :
You can play VCDs with
Windows Media Player
- insert the VCD in your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM,
browse to the MPEGAV folder, then double click on the .dat files
(do not forget to change "Files of Type" into "All Files"; their names
start with AVSEQ). To
play a VCD with menus and still pictures use
WinDVD or
PowerDVD, insert the VCD and just hit Play.
- Mac :
Play VCDs with
MacVCD,
it does also support MacOS X.
- Linux :
Play VCDs with
MpegTV
Player or
Videolan.
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