Playing VCD on DVD player

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Video CD : One Thread

I recently picked up a Phillips DVD player in farEast and some DVD and VCD movies. It is a all-zone player and I was told this player would play anything (any DVD, VCD, PAL, NTSC, ...). When I came home I found a few problems.

First of all, I found anything in PAL (DVD, VCD) will not sync on my TV. After a long distance call to the store that I purchased the Player, I was told that the machine would play PAL format but I need a PAL or Multi TV to see it. I was not happy to hear this.

For VCDs, I converted them from PAL to NTSC then they play fine on the DVD player. However, I found another interesting problem. Some VCDs are NTSC coded but at 23fps or 25fps (instead of 29.97fps). I have problem play those too. Can some one explain a bit on the different fps please? Can a VCD player handle different frame rate VCD?

-- Bill Ng (waltz2k8@hotomail.com), December 23, 2001

Answers

Your problem with PAL DVDs or VCDs is due to poor design on Philips part. I have an Apex AD703 and it converts PAL output to NTSC compatible output. It is highly unusual that your player does not do this too. I have a friend with a cheap Toshiba and it correctly displays PAL VCD on his NTSC TV. It seems to me that your Philips is not converting everything it plays to NTSC output. If that is correct and it's not simply a setting you made a mistake on (make sure you set video output on your DVD player to NTSC - anything else is a mistake), you will have to get another DVD player. You might try calling Philips and asking them about your problem. Salesmen in stores are not always correct in what they tell you and I doubt that whoever you talked to understands much on this subject. Valid frame rates are 24 fps (NTSC film), 25 fps (PAL), and 29.97 fps (NTSC). Frame rates of 23 or 25 are very bad for NTSC and that means that whoever made the VCD did not know what they were doing. Any non-valid frame rate is likely to not be played correctly, if at all, by a VCD/DVD player.

-- Jason (Jason.Shumate@equant.com), December 24, 2001.

i need xing player.

-- iden_bobo (iden_bobo@yahoo.com), December 28, 2001.

I'm back after a long break.

Okay, frame rates where the orignal way of stalling movie releases, now we have Regions. 23FPS is commonly known as SECAM a French standard. They wanted nothing to do with the rest of the world so came up with there own standard. 25FPS is a European/African Standard, commonly known at PAL. And then we have NTSC which runs at 29.97FPS, this is an American/Japanese standard format. If you have a VCD that plays at 23FPS then you are going to have to either bin it, or convert the *.DAT to MPG and then re-encode it to your frame rate.

The conversion tool is VCD-Cutter, and then use FlaskMPG to change the frame rate. Personally I would bin it.

Your TV could do with an up-grade also, you need a Multi-System TV, most high street brands now operate them anyway. Best cheap DVD player I have found is the Wharfdale M5 (Tescos £150.00 (UK Supermarket)), multi-region capable, MP3 and CD-R compatible. Just my thoughts, it also has all the sounds options you need...

Regards

The Boss

-- The Boss (TheBoss@CherryDVD.co.uk), December 28, 2001.


In relation to the comment made about the Phillips player being of poor quality, I must say that i have had no problem with mine of which is a phillips 711 DVD player, my only concern is how to convert this unit for multi zone playing? as I understand you can open up these players by using a code through the remote controller however no one seems to know much about the subject at all! in W.A. why should I be surprised? Sales persons need to sell not to know what they are selling! I'am sure many consumers would agree! Please Help!

-- Ronnie Arnold (eldorado@iinet.net.au), May 28, 2002.

I Have a DVD Phillips Mx-1050D Or Mx-1060D it won't play Copy DVDS that is vcd is there a reason.

-- Deborah Skinner (dskinner67s@aol.com), March 14, 2003.


open drawer enter 8421 with "select" button of your remote select region 9 close drawer

Now you can play all zones

-- Alex Csendes (alex@dabco.com.au), September 24, 2003.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ