VCD Vs. DVD

[Agent_Smith]

Never heard of a VCD player until I moved here so don't know what they're all about. My former girlfriend said they "bad quality" compared to DVD but that's about all I could get out her. I just want to buy something that'll play my CDs and the occassional rental movie. Is a VCD player good enough for that or should I just get a DVD player?

[stroller]

Nothing wrong with VCD players, considerably cheaper than DVD players. Can play almost anything you want on them (check the specs), except DVDs, of course.
But then, an adequate DVD with a year's guarantee sells for less than 2000Bt.

Rental movies are usually VCD. You don't have the menu options with VCDs.

[slimboyfat]

i thought dvd players are cheap as chips now anyway. might as well get one of them. a lot of them can play those downloaded movies now too.

[stroller]

Bought mine last month for 1600 with 3 years warranty, wasn't the cheapest, got all the works. Local Thai brand, let's wait what's gonna happen...

[Marmite the Dog]

DVD is much higher quality than VCD. VCD is basically compressed video (MPEG). It's OK, but looks shit if played on a large screen TV.

[Agent_Smith]

Thanks for the info. Might go with VCD since better selection at video store (?) than DVD. My TV's only 20 inch so not really concerned with picture quality. Not interested in the extras from DVDs, usually just watch the movie, Directors commentary boring as hell. However, if the price difference isn't that great then I'll just grab a DVD player. How's that for decision making

[Goddess of Whatever]

Well, VCD and DVD player price is just about the same. So why not DVD player?

[NickA]

DVD everytime....most movies come on 2 VCDs which is a real pain in the arse.

I have a 5 DVD changer so I don't have to get up to change from Anal Avengers IV - The Rim Master to Twatlickers 8 - **** Spurts and if I'm not too tired by then I can even flick over to Cumfaced Cocklickers (the directors cut)....................and when the wife walks in I can change to a David Attenburgh wildlife documentary on Pandas with the flick of a well muscled wrist

[Agent_Smith]

Well, VCD and DVD player price is just about the same. So why not DVD player?

Indeed.


Twatlickers 8 - **** Spurts

T.L. 8 was a little weak in character development and the pacing was all wrong. The cinematography was par for the series but the editing left something to be desired. T.L. 5 was the most serious and well crafted sequel, IMO.

[NickA]

^Dunno, I'm too busy wanking too think about it

[Agent_Smith]

^Dunno, I'm too busy wanking too think about it

It's Art! How dare you...

[stroller]

Not interested in the extras from DVDs, usually just watch the movie

But with DVD you can choose to watch the original English language version!

[RDN]

Sako SD-814B plays DVDs, VCDs, CDs, MP3s, Dolby Stereo, and it's CD-R compatible! 1090 baht from Makro.

I think I saw a cheaper one - 995 baht - at Makro, if 1090 baht stretches your finances...

[stroller]

But, most importantly, does it have Karaoke?
Or a USB port?

Yes, I know what's important, my Thai neighbour explained it to me.

[Marmite the Dog]

Has anyone ever seen a Thai made amplifier that only has a volume, treble bass and an on/off switch?

[RDN]

But, most importantly, does it have Karaoke?..

Absolutely not!! If she wants to "sing", she can go in the bedroom and use the other one. With the door shut.

...Or a USB port?

Yes, I know what's important, my Thai neighbour explained it to me.

[man with no head]

DVD is much higher quality than VCD. VCD is basically compressed video (MPEG). It's OK, but looks shit if played on a large screen TV.

That's sort of wrong. DVD also used compressed video (MPEG-2 instead of MPEG-1).

The chief difference: MPEG-1 in the VCD 'standard' is limited to 320x240 (NTSC) or 352x288 (PAL) with a bit rate of 1.5Mb/sec. This is why it looks like shit on a big TV (MPEG-1 actually allows for up to 4095x4095 resolution but is never used). MPEG-2 as used in DVDs is 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL) with a bit rate up to 15Mb/sec. Essentially you are getting 4x the resolution and up to 7x the detail (both audio and video tracks). MPEG-2 is also used in SVCD. The bit rate is largely responsible for the limitation of MPEG-1.

VCDs contain about 700MB worth of data, DVDs contain up to 9GB of data, and the HD-DVD/BlueRay up to 50GB (allowing up to 1920x1080 resolution as well as 80-300Mb/sec bit rates).

[Niteowl]

VCDs contain about 700MB worth of data, DVDs contain up to 9GB of data, and the HD-DVD/BlueRay up to 50GB (allowing up to 1920x1080 resolution as well as 80-300Mb/sec bit rates).

Surasak knows his stuff (even if that was a bit more info than us non-techi's need), but he did point out another fly in the equation: BlueRay (Hi Definition) DVDs, are just around the corner. The new BlueRay DVDs, soon to come out, won't play on the (cheap) DVD players that you buy today.

Basically, VCD's are old technology, designed to play movies on your computer, on your (old) CD-Rom drive. And, generally, there are no language options - so you have to be careful about any VCD's you might buy.

If the language limitation isn't a problem for you (and yours), I might be persuaded to go with the cheapest option now (VCD), with a view to buy BlueRay in a couple of years, when the prices are bound to come down, rather than spend more to buy a DVD player now, when I know it will be obsolete in a matter of months. (Supposedly, the new BlueRay DVD players will play all "old" DVD's, as well as BlueRay DVD's.)

[man with no head]

Another part of the equation: DVD players require the manufacturer to make royalty payments to the owners of many of the DVD/DVD-ROM patents (Philips, Sony, Pioneer and LG Electronics) whereas VCD players do not. In cut-throat markets where low cost was essential this is why VCD players were more common (not to mention that CD-ROMs are cheaper to produce). I don't recall ever seeing a VCD player for sale in the U.S..

However, keep in mind that most DVD players will in fact play all formats (DVD, VCD, SVCD).

[lom]

I don't recall ever seeing a VCD player for sale in the U.S..

You already had something worser, the LaserDisc

[man with no head]

I remember those from long ago (never had one). My wife's family has one in Nong Khai though. I bought them a DVD player two years ago because it was a PITA to put English subtitles on movies then convert them to VCD.

[stroller]

I might be persuaded to go with the cheapest option now (VCD), with a view to buy BlueRay in a couple of years,

To assume the cheapest VCD player will last you 2 years is rather optimistic...

[man with no head]

Why go with a VCD player now? Makes no sense whatsoever. It would be like buying a car that runs on coal when everyone else is using diesel.

Frankly from what I hear BR and HD-DVD are nothing more than hype. People I know that have them and have HD disks say there's little difference between the quality of the video and DVD.

[in4zip]

I might be persuaded to go with the cheapest option now (VCD), with a view to buy BlueRay in a couple of years,

To assume the cheapest VCD player will last you 2 years is rather optimistic...

that's not true

for some insane reason or maybe a tad under the effect of alcohol

I bought a tesco lotus 999(?) vcd player over 4 years ago

as soon as I got it out of the box the cd door fell off and the paint started to peel off but it still is working today
albeit I do use my foot to push the tray in sometimes
and the mechanism does make loud noises

I have a 10 year old tv that ... we'll kept this story for another time

[Marmite the Dog]

That's sort of wrong. DVD also used compressed video (MPEG-2 instead of MPEG-1).

I know, but I didn't want to bore everyone to death. I see you have no qualms with that...