Portable DVD, SVCD and miniDVD player?

[Dr Mordrid]

According to robshot.com the new AIWA Portable DVD Player (XDDW1) does 'em all. Here's the link;

http://www.robshot.com/

Dr. Mordrid

[dchip]

I've been looking at some portables recently. That newest one from Panasonic (DVD-LA85) looks nice and promises it can handle CD, DVD, VCD but no mention of SVCD and MiniDV.. By the way, what exactly is a miniDV? I am guessing it is the offspring of the copying process that I have read about using the software called Flask. Is that correct?

[Dr Mordrid]

I've had good luck building them with Sonics DVDiT! software. Even the LE version that comes with the RT-2000 can do them.

The problem is a multifaceted one:

The older DVD players look for what disk type first and finding a CD-R or CD-RW they default to MPEG-1 and the VCD file structure. Also the older ones restrict the usable data rate by switching on the low bandwidth laser, if they even have dual lasers. If not then it's over.

The new SVCD players do not default to MPEG-1/VCD when CD-R or CD-RW media is inserted so as to support SVCD, however they may only have 1x or 2x old style set-top DVD drives. This means no multi-read and no miniDVD.

Some of the very new ones, including those like the Afreey, don't use the old style set-to drives but instead use PC style multi-read DVD drives. Alas, most of these too are only 1x or 2x (threby limiting the data rate to 2600 kbps) BUT this does add multi-read funtionality. Multi-read allows miniDVD to play IF the devices ROM doesn't check disk type before enabling DVD playback.

Look for more miniDVD compatable players to arrive since many companies are beginning to see miniDVD's as a cheap alternative to the instructional VHS tape.

Dr. Mordrid


[This message has been edited by Dr Mordrid (edited 31 December 2000).]

[Sciascia]

dchip
From what I've read mini-dvd is a CD with the DVD file structure (video_ts and audio_ts folders). A lot of the DVD authoring apps will let you author the stream and menus and then "build" the disc. You can then burn them onto CD using a *.cue or just drag and drop the 2 folders into the burning app. The problem with it is that it only plays on PC's with DVD player SW on it. I have heard some rumors about set-tops playing them, but they are rare. Apparently it has something to do with the DVD player using a different speed and laser for VCD/SVCD mode and looking for a VCD/SVCD file structure. Even the mini-DVD's that I have built (very few) had problems on my PC. Very choppy playback and the quality of the image was actually lower than SVCD and the file size is bigger (720*480 compared to 480*480). The only advantage I see is that you can program chapter points and hotspots. With I-Author you I fake these close enough and it will play on my set-top player.