Video Asylum

TVs, VCRs, DVD players, Home Theater systems and more.

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Re: VCDs: What are they?

Posted by Soundboy on March 30, 1999 at 02:44:04:
VCDs use MPEG1 compression to squeeze VHS-quality(at best) onto a CD; as to what's the maximum playing time per side, I am not sure but I will say approx 45 mins/side. VCDs are like CDs-one layer and only one sided. You can get Dolby Pro-Logic on these as they are stereo but it will not support Dolby Digital. There was at one time VCDs in the U.S. but the format was abandoned after the Hollywood studios got involved in the development of DVDs. However, VCDs are extremely popular in China/Hong Kong/Taiwan, where their low production cost(and therefore easy to pirate), even to the point of hindering the launch of DVDs in those areas. In fact, the Chinese government has just launched VCD version 2.0 on its own to enhance VCD's performance. As to whether version 2.0 VCDs will playback on DVD players, I haven't try. There are millions of VCD players in mainland China(players' brand name and appearance are also pirated). As to whether VCDs will play in DVD players, I know that most will play VCDs but not all, so check your owner's manual. I have a Pioneer DV-414 and the VCDs play on my machine. The performance of VCDs ranged from horrible(especially those from Polygram Record of Hong Kong) to acceptable(VHS quality). Personally I rather have a VHS version of the same performance. Also, despite looking like a CD, VCDs don't back on any CD player. However, there are titles available on VCDs already that are not available on DVD/LD.....example, the movie "Titanic" is on VCD(legitemate) but not on DVD.