Play Svcds On The Dreamcast?

[DWells55]

Is there anyway to play SVCDs on the Dreamcast? My DVD player won't play SVCDs, and I don't want to go out and buy a new one. I've heard of playing VCDs on the Dreamcast, but is it possible to do it with SVCDs? If so, could someone suggest a Dreamcast program that can do this and link me to where to get it? THis would be really appreciated. Thanks.

[ck-uk]

mate....unsure,you could put the svcd on dvdr..

http://www.videohelp.com/svcddvdr.htm

[DWells55]

YEah, but that's a pain, not to mention blank DVD+rs are pricey.

[MicroScreen2]

Originally posted by DWells55@31 July 2004 - 02:21
YEah, but that's a pain, not to mention blank DVD+rs are pricey.
you wont need a dvd-r. i dont think :huh:

[3RA1N1AC]

Originally posted by DWells55@29 July 2004 - 23:45
Is there anyway to play SVCDs on the Dreamcast?  My DVD player won't play SVCDs, and I don't want to go out and buy a new one.  I've heard of playing VCDs on the Dreamcast, but is it possible to do it with SVCDs?  If so, could someone suggest a Dreamcast program that can do this and link me to where to get it?  THis would be really appreciated.  Thanks.
nah, dreamcast just doesn't have enough juice to do the job, at least not with any existing programs. same for divx/avi files... there are programs for it, but it plays higher quality avi very poorly.

i'd suggest converting the SVCD to VCD, or just buy a cheapo SVCD-compatible DVD player. APEX brand DVD players can be had for less than $50, and they're superior to most other lower-to-middle end brands. it beats the hell out of spending 10 hours (or however long your PC takes) re-encoding each SVCD movie.

[DWells55]

Really? I heard the VCD players for dreamcast were good, how much harder can a SVCD be? Besides, wouldn't a Dreamcast be mor epowerful than a cheap DVD player?

[3RA1N1AC]

i'm sure the dreamcast's CPU is way more powerful than the average DVD player's CPU, but DVD players have a video chip designed specifically to display MPEG files which takes most of the workload off the CPU. the dreamcast relies completely on its CPU, which is just not an efficient way to play those discs.

a similar example: there used to be a time when you couldn't play SVCD/DVD on a PC without installing a video card that had an MPEG decoder chip, because PC CPUs weren't powerful enough to decode the files at full speed. nowadays an MPEG decoder chip is pretty much optional for PCs because, even though decoding with the CPU is less efficient, modern PC CPUs have more than enough power to spare. but there was a time when they didn't.

[DWells55]

Like my old Goldstar 386? LOL :lol:

But how much harder is it to play a SVCD than a VCD? Everything I've read says the VCD software for Dreamcast works great...

[3RA1N1AC]

it depends on which program and what type of CPU. googling around for a few opinions, it sounds like... without an MPEG decoder chip, you'd need approx. a 266mhz PC or Mac G3 CPU to display VCDs smoothly, and about 500mhz PC or Mac G4 to display SVCD/DVD.

the same numbers don't necessarily apply to Dreamcast 'cause it uses a different CPU design, but the PC requirements should give you a rough idea of the difference between VCD and SVCD.

[DWells55]

Well, Dreamcast obviously doesn't have that. I guess Ps2 has an MPEG decoder, it's what, 233 MHz, and plays DVDs all perty and smooth.