VCD quality - how is it??

[HobbesAB]

I saw the original Star Wars trilogy for sale on this site:

Star Wars VCD set

However, does anyone know if this is legal?? Also, if it is, what are your expectations on the quality?? I'm going to be traveling in the near future, and I wanted to watch Star Wars on my laptop.

Thanks.

AB

 

[UberDave]

better than many formats on the computer, but I don't know about television......those VCD sets you might be able to watch on ur comp.

 

[Gibson486]

With VCD, it depends.... have seen VCD's that are lower than VHS quality and I have seen some that are higher. Some, you cannot tell the difference.

 

[zimmie6576]

Originally posted by: HobbesAB
I saw the original Star Wars trilogy for sale on this site:

Star Wars VCD set

However, does anyone know if this is legal?? Also, if it is, what are your expectations on the quality?? I'm going to be traveling in the near future, and I wanted to watch Star Wars on my laptop.

Thanks.

AB

VCD is a valid format, but I have never seen any in the U.S. (I think they are popular in Europe). They are on normal CDs (~650 MB), and I believe they come in jewel cases. I'm not sure about quality, but I would assume somewhere between a VHS tape and DVD, though much closer to the VHS. Also, most DVD players will play them. I know mine will (it said so on the box and on the player itself), but I have never even seen a legal VCD anywhere.

 

[royaldank]

VCD is a valid format, but I have never seen any in the U.S. (I think they are popular in Europe). They are on normal CDs (~650 MB), and I believe they come in jewel cases. I'm not sure about quality, but I would assume somewhere between a VHS tape and DVD, though much closer to the VHS. Also, most DVD players will play them. I know mine will (it said so on the box and on the player itself), but I have never even seen a legal VCD anywhere.

I highly doubt that Lucas allowed a VCD release of Star Wars. So, you could probably bet the house that these babies are not legal. However, if that doesn't mean much to you, then they should be watchable. VCDs like this (which is obviously not produced by the movie studio and illegal) are ripped from somewhere else and converted. They could look great, or if the person didn't know what they were doing while ripping, they could look terrible. Hard to tell.

Just to note, the only legal VCDs I've ever seen in America were porn...and that was many years ago.

Most DVD players play VCDs, but many don't play CDRs, which is probably what these things are going to be. I think the Toshiba that everyone likes plays them. Apex players can handle them.

EDIT: After looking again at the site, these might be pressed discs, which means most DVD players shouldn't have problem with them. I would still question the legallity of these, though. But, who knows?

 

[bizmark]

heh, watch out! I think that these are legal, as they're claiming that they're THX digitally mastered, and the box and booklets look pretty nice. BUT, they're in PAL (European television) format! They probably wouldn't work on your DVD player. They may work on your computer. I don't know how all of that regional encoding stuff works, especially for VCD's.

 

[Gibson486]

VCD's are not region locked. They say PAL on them, but they still play. The only differences is that since teh resolution is different, the edges of screen will be cut off.

 

[zimmie6576]

Originally posted by: royaldank

VCD is a valid format, but I have never seen any in the U.S. (I think they are popular in Europe). They are on normal CDs (~650 MB), and I believe they come in jewel cases. I'm not sure about quality, but I would assume somewhere between a VHS tape and DVD, though much closer to the VHS. Also, most DVD players will play them. I know mine will (it said so on the box and on the player itself), but I have never even seen a legal VCD anywhere.

I highly doubt that Lucas allowed a VCD release of Star Wars. So, you could probably bet the house that these babies are not legal. However, if that doesn't mean much to you, then they should be watchable. VCDs like this (which is obviously not produced by the movie studio and illegal) are ripped from somewhere else and converted. They could look great, or if the person didn't know what they were doing while ripping, they could look terrible. Hard to tell.

Just to note, the only legal VCDs I've ever seen in America were porn...and that was many years ago.

Most DVD players play VCDs, but many don't play CDRs, which is probably what these things are going to be. I think the Toshiba that everyone likes plays them. Apex players can handle them.

EDIT: After looking again at the site, these might be pressed discs, which means most DVD players shouldn't have problem with them. I would still question the legallity of these, though. But, who knows?

I didn't say what he was looking at in particular was legal, just that VCD (in its true form) is a valid format. Many people call the bootleg movies they download "VCDs", because they usually burn them on CDs. However, they are not true VCDs, since they are not done in the same format as legal ones.

Hmm. I keep getting a "Page Cannot Be Displayed" error with the link, so I can't check it out.

 

[royaldank]

I didn't say what he was looking at in particular was legal, just that VCD (in its true form) is a valid format. Many people call the bootleg movies they download "VCDs", because they usually burn them on CDs. However, they are not true VCDs, since they are not done in the same format as legal ones.

Hmm. I keep getting a "Page Cannot Be Displayed" error with the link, so I can't check it out.

Yeah, I realize that. I was saying that the particular movies he was looking at may be bootlegs. But, they do look real and THX mastered discs would be hard to pull off without some good equipment.

I'm not trying to sound condesending or anything like that, but VCDs off the net can be actual VCDs. Granted, if someone throws an MPG or an avi on a disc and calls it a VCD, that not true. But, several places on the net (and usenet) have VCDs which are rips and are in the VCD format (meaning XX fps and XX resolution). When you burn the bin/cue to disc, you get the same VCD structure on the disc and it sets up the mpg.

But, that is getting off subject. I'd say go ahead and get these. They are THX mastered so I'd assume they look good as well. No one is going to the trouble of THX mastered VCDs that has sh!tty video. And if they are indeed properly done, you'll be satisfied with the quality, as VCD can look very similar to DVD when done properly.

 

[HobbesAB]

Thanks for the replies. I'm thinking I may take a chance, but I still need to think about it.

I think the link is working. Just in case, the site is www.vcdgallery.com and there is a link to the Star Wars trilogy on the main page for anyone that is interested. I tried to edit the original post, but it wasn't loading very quickly. This reply box came up in a second, but the Edit box wasn't available even after about a minute!! FYI, I'm on DSL, not dial-up so that's not the problem.

I may have to become a paying member!! :Q

 

[Gibson486]

And if they are indeed properly done, you'll be satisfied with the quality, as VCD can look very similar to DVD when done properly.

Not really. VCD's are Mpeg 1 while DVD's are Mpeg 2. If done properly, a VCD will be just as good if not better than VHS. VCD's are not really near the quality of DVD's at all. Infact, most VCD's, even when done properly, will easily show off little squares that make up the picture.

 

[royaldank]

Originally posted by: Gibson486

And if they are indeed properly done, you'll be satisfied with the quality, as VCD can look very similar to DVD when done properly.

Not really. VCD's are Mpeg 1 while DVD's are Mpeg 2. If done properly, a VCD will be just as good if not better than VHS. VCD's are not really near the quality of DVD's at all. Infact, most VCD's, even when done properly, will easily show off little squares that make up the picture.

I'll agree that you will probably find some pixilation here and there, but a properly done VCD will be much better than VHS. But, not as good as DVD, I'll give you that.

 

[virusag11]

VCDs can have nice quality, but are very limited in disc space, audio quality and video quality/resolution. If it is a pal vcd your TV may project it improperly as the PAL standard is different from NTSC in resolution and frequency (determines fps). VCDs are common in Europe but are very popular in asia, so this may be a product of asia.

Another bad thing about the vcd is that it can only hold 74minutes of video per disk, so you will have to change the disk out in the middle of the movie (which is annoying as hell).

 

[gregor7777]

I have this set and yes they are perfectly legal.................as long as you live in Malaysia. I'm not kidding.


I wish I could remember the site where I was first clued on to this set, but I can't. Anyhow, it had the whole story. Because it's international and the big format in a lot of countries is VCD, Lucas let these go. Nothing more could be done with the quality, so I guess he OK'd it.

Anyhow, the quality is above VHS but certainly not DVD on this particular set. The sound quality is the big winner here with 5.1 quality sound. It's funny, there are clips of AOTC on the first movie along with some international theme park.

I bought mine for $35 shipped from Eureka Movies which will ship FedEx from a warehouse in Malaysia. Shipping was actually first rate as it was faster than ordering from Dell here in the states. They use UPS.

They come in superb packaging and have their own custom box and CD cases.

I highly recommend them.

 

[royaldank]

Gregor7777 -

Thanks for the info. I have a couple friends that might be interested in these.

One question since you have the set...do they split the movies at a reasonable point, or do they split it at 74 minutes? I'm assuming the split is put somewhere not to ruin any climax points, but wanted to ask and double check.

 

[HobbesAB]

Gregor7777:

thanks for the info. I'm also interested in where the split occurs. I'm also glad that someone here has some experience with this set. Any additional input regarding the quality of these CDs would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Maetryx]

You can find out everything you want to know about VCD at VCDHelp including how to make them from scratch.

I think a good way to compare standards is to look at the vertical resolution.

VHS = 240
VCD = 240 or 288 (352x240 NTSC, 352x288 PAL)
SVHS=400
LD=425
SVCD = 480 or 576 (480x480 NTSC, 480x576 PAL)
DVD = 480 or 576 (720x480 NTSC, 720x576 PAL)

NTSC = 525 display device
PAL = 625 display device
HDTV=720 or 1080 display device

 

[gregor7777]

Originally posted by: HobbesAB
Gregor7777:

thanks for the info. I'm also interested in where the split occurs. I'm also glad that someone here has some experience with this set. Any additional input regarding the quality of these CDs would be greatly appreciated.

To be quite honest I don't remember exactly how their split although my money is that they are split right down the middle between the two discs.

I play with VCD's alot and it's never really to big of a pain to drop in the other disc.

I can check when I get home from work though tonight.

Here's a review (although not the original one I was talking about.)

Review for you

 

[HobbesAB]

bump

 

[gregor7777]

For example, disk one of The Empire Strikes Back ends ~58:00 into the movie at no real logical spot, disk two is a total of ~65 minutes.