Question about DVD players

[REdDragon]

I know this is supposed to be a PC forum, but i was wondering if all DVD players will play Mpeg video files or do i have to get an expensive one.

[SonicVanguard]

The DVD format is based off MPEG-2 standards. But the video on a DVD is structured differently than it is on a standard MPEG file on your computer.

Let me give you an example: if you took a MPEG-2 file named my.mpg and burned it on a CD or DVD without properly formatting the video to be played on a DVD player, most players won't play that file. But there are some (very few) that will - and they advertise that ability right on the box. Now taking that same MPEG-2 file and burning it as a playable DVD (or VCD/SVCD) it will play in that DVD player. But if you explored the disk using your computer, you would really see my.mpg - you'd see VOB files that contain the video and the audio portion of your original file.

Dave.

[RayH]

If you are looking for one that supports VCD and SVCD, you are probably better off looking at the CHEAP one from Korea and China! They seem to do a better job of handling those formats.