VCD is a special "Video CD" format. These discs will play in any multimedia computer with the right software, in a standalone VCD player (common in Europe and Asia, less so in the US), or in many (but not all) consumer DVD players. VCDs are not restricted to NTSC or PAL...the conversion is done automatically by the player at the time you play the disc. The advantages of VCDs include:
- Size (the size of an ordinary compact disc...taking up much less space than a bulky tape)
- Durability (VHS tapes gradually degrade as you use them, and have a limited shelf life, while VCDs should remain as high-quality forever as the day you receive them, even if you leave them on freeze-frame for long periods, which would be harmful to a tape)
- Versatility (for example, some VCD-capable DVD players, and virtually all VCD computer software offers features such as digital zoom, which aren't available on VHS tapes).
- Our vcd's are made on a professional vcd burner...not on the desktop using inferior software as some you may have seen before are, the picture quality is superb. They are digital quality when played at their native size of 320x240. when viewed at half screen they are video tape quality, and when viewed full screen on a computer screen or television they are 95% of video tape quality.
Virtually any computer that can view this page can also play VCDs. For MS Windows users, we reccomend QuickVCD (requires Windows Media Player 7).
VCDs will play on any computer but may not play on some dvd players that arent compatible with VCDs and/or CD-Rs. Check your DVD player's owners manual before ordering.
In the near future we hope to offer more information about the VCD format and various other options for players. In the meantime, other players for various platforms are available from the following sites:
To use Windows Media Player for VCDs, follow these steps:
- Open Windows Media Player
- Select "File/Open Movie" (type: all files)
- Select the CD drive
- Select the folder "MPEGAV"
- Select MUSIC01.DAT
- Click Open and the first track will play. (IRL's VCDs use only one track.)