I'm new in VCD and DVD making. How can I do to make my own VCD with my Mac. I have Toast 3.5.6 and M Pack What i the simplest way to make DVD with Mac ?

-- Patrick (patrick.dupont@advalvas.be), August 18, 1999

Answers

You need to let MPack create the MPEG streams. MPack, contrary to popular opinion, does NOT create standard MPEG stream files. It has a special header which only Toast recognizes. (Just try playing an encoded MPEG with Quicktime MPEG extensions and you'll see what I mean).

MPack will convert Quicktime format files for you, and then you can burn them using Toast (select VideoCD and then select One or More MPEG Streams for the input files).

What I am having a problem with is this:

I am trying to get MPack to convert and existing MPEG-1 file, which I have burned successfully on PCs with Easy CD Creator, into the special format which only Toast recognizes. It's not easy. The only way I've gotten around it is to take the MPEG file, and using a PC split the file into separate Audio and Video MPEGS using a program like iFilmEdit. Then I bring the two pieces back over to the Mac, use the MPack Multiplexer which then puts the two files back together into one file. That resulting file can then be used with Toast.

Is there a simpler way? I would certainly hope so! This is the most convoluted way to get around this and I would think it would be so much easier if Toast would just let me give it a standard MPEG stream file instead of one which was generated by an Astarte product!

-- Jim B (jimbo987@my-deja.com), August 18, 1999.

Hey, if you've found an easier way to do this since your posting, the rest of us out here would love to know! I think a bunch of people are having the same problems you were (are?) Thx.

-- Dave Winkler (dwinkler@cs.cmu.edu), January 25, 2000.

I have had good luck using Astarte M. Pact, Toast 3.5.7 and Editing Final Cut Pro. The key is that some Video CD, CD-R, CD-RW seem to troubles with playback. My discs play perfect in Philips brand DVD Players. (Even ones that don't say they support Video CD) The Pioneer DV-525 seems to be problematic with this set up. I did get good results out of a high end Sony DVD Player. Video looked the best on the Philips DVD players. Anxious to try out the Apex P

-- John Mortensen (mort@thinkatron.com), March 17, 2000.

According to Roxio (the new software unit of Adaptec), the new Toast 5 will support encoding of Video CDs, no more MPack! Ships spring 2001:

http://www.roxio.com/en/products/toast/toast5.html

-- Eric Williams (ericw61@yahoo.com), January 21, 2001.

hahahahahahaha when Apple start doing stuff the way they used to, then we can make one easily, but untill they wake up or will they ever sinse MS bought them, then we are f****d

The "apps" available now tell you they are supposed to convert to vcd format but they cant even read an mpg normally. There is no real efficient tool known to me that makes a mpg.

if you have a friend with a PC, call him, get easy cd creator for him and use his cd burner.

BTW, I am a 5 years experienced mac user with a brand new G4 400 (1 year ago that is) and I am p******d off trying to make vcd too. and toast 5... bwahahahaha

bye

-- Z (zhadum@softhome.net), March 04, 2001.