VCD files playback using VIDEO LIBRARY

[vskatusa]

One can click on the *.dvd file name in VIDEO LIBRARY for DVD playback.

Is there similar for VCD?

I have the files extracted from a VCD into a folder. The video library shows the folder but how can I play it?

[sub]

There is no built in support for VCD. Sorry.

[dennit]

There is no built in support for VCD. Sorry.

It's been a while since I watched VCDs, but IIRC, the VCD format is just mpg, usually with the extension of .dat. I suspect he could rename the main video file in his VCD folder to .mpg as a simple fix.

[vskatusa]

dennit,

You are right one could just rename *.DAT to &.avi and the avi's should play. I would like to get the "menu" functionality (just like *.dvd format that shows when you point to dvd folder).

[dennit]

dennit,

You are right one could just rename *.DAT to &.avi and the avi's should play. I would like to get the "menu" functionality (just like *.dvd format that shows when you point to dvd folder).

If menus are important:
Another alternative, if you want to do the work, would be to do what I do with BluRay discs - turn it into an .iso. Then select the iso through the Video Library and play that. Selecting an iso causes GBPVR to run Daemon Tools to mount the disc, then the newly mounted disc gets played with the internal DVD player.

I changed the line in config so instead of running DT directly, it runs a batch file that runs DT. The batch file figures out if the mounted disc is a BD iso or a regular DVD, then it plays the BD with PowerDVD or returns to GBPVR to play a regular DVD. You could do the same, but test for VCD and play with whatever you prefer. There's a thread here with the batch file. I used a task killer to stop PVRX2 before playing the BD and then restarted after exiting PowerDVD.

[zehd]

Selecting an iso causes GBPVR to run Daemon Tools to mount the disc, then the newly mounted disc gets played with the internal DVD player.

Sorry to hijack, this was a great explanation.

Do you know if there's a way to compress while creating an ISO so that the ISO isn't that big?

[vskatusa]

I ended up converting VCD to DVD and everything works fine.

I have tried Daemon tools but I get all kinds of problems loading ISO and hence I am taking the "common denominator" route by using VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folder. This is the MOST compatible format IMHO.

[dennit]

Do you know if there's a way to compress while creating an ISO so that the ISO isn't that big?

I think of the iso as being the size needed to hold whatever is on it. If it's a DVD video disc then it's going to be pretty big compared to the same file compressed with modern compression tools. If it's got a Blu-Ray on it, then it'll be even bigger. I suppose if you wanted to, you could put an mkv compressed file on an iso, mount the iso and play with an external player, but you might as well play the mkv directly.

[HtV]

What if you would make the video-dir a compressed dir? I don't know the exact name for it but I know you can compress dirs in windows.

Hans

[zehd]

What if you would make the video-dir a compressed dir? I don't know the exact name for it but I know you can compress dirs in windows.

Hans

Actually, I had 'DUH!!!' moment. I used DVD shrink to pull the main movie out, and skip extra audio and languages, then compress to the smallest it would let me. I still have a couple of Vobs, A two hour movie is about 1.5 Gb, Quality is quite good... At this size compression, I would say it's double the size and probably double the quality of HD rips torrents...

Then I teaked ZProcess so that it will join the two or three VOBs on the fly, so It's a seemless view on the MVP...