Understanding VCD, DVD and SVCD Formats
MPEG
stands for ‘Moving Pictures Experts Groups’.
It is a group working under the directives of
the International Standards Organization (ISO)
and the International
Electro-Technical Commission (IEC). MPEG
is a committee of experts from the audio, video
and computer industries developing an evolving
series of standards for compression of moving
images. The committee has created several
standard methods for encoding video and audio.
DVDs and VCDs use the MPEG 2 and MPEG 1
standards, respectively.
MPEG-1 defines a
framework for compressing video and audio, significantly
reducing the amount of storage needed while keeping
acceptable quality. The MPEG-1 video compression
method takes advantage of the fact that often, many
frames in a row are very similar (showing the same
background and objects, for instance, with only an
actor's face and hands moving). For each frame, it
is only necessary to record how it differs from the previous frame, saving
storage space. In addition, the audio encoding
uses something called psychoacoustics—compression
removes the high and low frequencies a normal human ear
cannot hear.
MPEG-2 is not a
successor to MPEG-1. Both of these formats have
their applications. MPEG-1 is used in VCDs and on
the web for short video and animation files. One
of the MPEG-1 audio compression standards, MPEG 1 Layer
III, is the most common compression method for audio
files used on portable devices, under the name "MP3."
MPEG-2 is used for higher resolution video, digital
television and on DVD's.
What is a VCD?
VCD stands for
Video
Compact Disc. Video and audio are encoded
using MPEG-1. A CD-ROM can hold about 800
megabytes of data. Most stand-alone DVD players
can play VCDs.
VCD is still the most
universally compatible format for wide video
distribution. Anybody with a DVD player, VCD
player or a computer with CD-ROM drive can play VCDs.
The video quality is better than most other formats and
is adequate for typical home viewing. The physical
medium used, CD-R or CD-RW, is very inexpensive and
widely available.
What is a DVD?
DVD stands for
Digital Versatile Disc. A DVD stores its audio
and video in MPEG-2 format. A DVD player or a
computer equipped with a DVD drive is required to play
DVDs. Almost all DVD players also play VCDs.
A DVD holds
significantly more data than a CD (including a VCD).
A 2 hour movie requires two VCDs. The same movie
requires only one DVD. Also, movies on DVD have a
200% sharper picture and far better sound quality than
VCDs.
DVD has gained
tremendous popularity with its high-quality video and
high storage capability.
What is a SVCD?
SVCD stands for
Super
Video CD. SVCD is the successor to Video CD.
An SVCD contains an MPEG-2 video stream and MPEG-1 or
MPEG-2 audio. Like VCDs, SVCDs are recorded on
standard recordable CD media. Most DVD players
play SVCDs.
SVCD video quality can
be better than VCD. If recorded using the highest
quality, it is virtually DVD quality. Since SVCD
is still restricted to 800Mb of data, the number of
SVCDs required to store a movie is more than double the
number of VCDs.
Video
Broadcasting Standards
MPEG video is the
compression format for digital TV. There are video
broadcasting standards, also called picture standards,
which differ from country to country.
The PAL
Picture Standard
PAL (Phase Alternating
Line) is the TV standard introduced in the early 1960’s
in Europe. PAL is used in most of the western
European countries (except France, where SECAM is used),
Australia, some countries of Africa, some countries of
South America and some Asian countries.
The NTSC
Picture Standard
NTSC (National
Television Standards Committee) is a color TV standard
developed in the U.S. in 1953. The United States,
Canada, Japan, most of the Western Hemisphere and
various Asian countries follow NTSC standards. The
rest of the world uses either some variety of PAL or
SECAM standards.
MPEG Variations
At a Glance
| Disc |
Picture Standard |
Disc Type |
MPEG Type |
Dimensions |
Frame Rate
(FPS) |
Video Bit-rate
(Kbps) |
Audio Bit-rate
(Kbps) |
| VCD |
NTSC |
CD
|
MPEG -1 |
320 x 240 |
29.97 |
1152
|
224 |
| VCD |
PAL |
CD |
MPEG -1 |
352 x 288 |
25 |
1152 |
224 |
| SVCD |
NTSC |
CD |
MPEG -2 |
480 x 480 |
29.97 |
2500 |
224 |
| SVCD |
PAL |
CD |
MPEG -2 |
480 x 576 |
25 |
2500 |
224 |
| DVD |
NTSC |
DVD |
MPEG -2 |
720 x 480 |
29.97 |
6000 |
224 |
| DVD |
PAL |
DVD |
MPEG -2 |
720 x 576 |
25 |
6000 |
224 |
Using Digital
Media Converter to make MPEG movies for VCD, SVCD and
DVD Creating VCD, SVCD or DVD involves:
- Make the MPEG movie conform to the standard
that the disc accepts, taking into consideration
the picture standard.
- Burning (encoding) the audio and video data
to the appropriate disc format - either CD or
DVD.
Step 1 : Make MPEG Movies
Authoring a DVD requires converting all video
and audio sources into MPEG-2 format.
Similarly, creating a VCD requires converting
video and audio into MPEG-1 format.
To convert videos from any format (AVI, WMV
etc.) to MPEG, use Digital Media Converter. Converting
many files to create a VCD or DVD, one at a
time, is a slow process. Digital Media
Converter’s mass conversion capability lets you
create a list of many files or folders, then
convert them in a single operation.
To create files in the correct format for
mastering a VCD, SVCD or DVD, click on the
Settings option on the toolbar. Select
the required format along with NTSC or PAL from
the
Convert to Format box and click
OK. To start the
conversion, click the
Convert toolbar
button.
Step 2:
CD Burning (Creating the Disc)
The next step is to burn these files onto the
appropriate medium (CD or DVD). For this,
you’ll need authoring software like Nero Burning
ROM. A CD or DVD writer is required to
burn CDs or DVDs.