VCD Playback

[Mr_X]

My understanding is that Sage 2 can record VCD compliant MPGs but cannot play them back.

Is there any way that this can be fixed? I archive all of my programs to VCD, but I'd also like to be able to watch them in Sage 2.

-Andy.

[xlr8shun]

a friend added .dat to his library extensions property, then added his cd/dvd drive as a location in his media library.. he can play vcd's now

[Mr_X]

Sorry - I wasn't being clear.

I can play the VCD format MPGs (recorded with Sage 2) if they are part of the Media Library, but cannot if they are filed under "Recordings".

Not sure what the problem is, but since the program has the capability of playing the file, it must be a bug that it cannot play it if it's listed as a recording.

It's weird. If I make a VCD recording with Sage, if I try to watch it when it's listed under "recordings" Sage 2 locks up completely and I have to use task manager to close it.

If I go into windows explorer and move the recording to one of my media library folders, then I can view it in Sage 2 using "Media Library and DVD/Imported Video Files"

-Andy.

[Mr_X]

anyone?

[mlbdude]

I will try tonight. It is supposed to let you do all this. Only limitation I remember is no time-shifting with MPEG1.

[Mr_X]

Did you have a chance to try it?

-Andy

[mlbdude]

Sorry, forgot to. I will try again tonight .

[mlbdude]

Are you doing VCD or SVCD? I don't see a VCD recording profile. Did you create your own? Maybe this is the problem.

[stanger89]

AFAIK VCD (not SVCD) is MPEG-1, where as normal recordings are MPEG-2.

Now, when you play files in the library, Sage lets Directshow build the graph (ie choose decoders/renderers), at least for non-mpegs, my guess is that the decoder you have chosen in Detailed setup doesn't support MPEG-1.

When you play the files in WMP what decoder is it using? (File-Properties).

[Mr_X]

I created a VCD recording profile as per Sage's FAQ instructions.

Attached is the properties when the VCD is played in WMP.

I am using the Hauppauge decoder. You'd think it would support MPEG-1, wouldn't it?

-Andy.

[stanger89]

Sounds like it doesn't.

[kny3twalker]

the hauppauge decoder supports mpeg 1 because you can record in winTV2000 in mpeg1
and with that program you have to watch it

[Mr_X]

Sounds like it doesn't.

I don't really think that's the problem.

They play back fine in BTV with the Hauppauge decoder. (This is the one called "Intervideo Non-CSS video decoder")

Is this then a bug?

[kny3twalker]

probably I never liked mpeg1 quality so I have never tried it
even before I had my DVD burner I used SVCD which is mpeg2

let frey know

[mlbdude]

Sice Sage is just a front end between the decoder and the recording it is probably not a bug with Sage. I could be a bad recording quality you are using. Have you tried different variants?

The only thing that is odd is that Sage will play it fine from the Library but not from the Sage Recordings section. Can you post the two lines you added to the properties file for the VCD quality you are using?

[Mr_X]

Can you post the two lines you added to the properties file for the VCD quality you are using?

mmc/python2_encoding/VCD=videobitrate\=1520000|width\=352|height\=240|audiobitrate\=224|outputstreamtype\=11|audiosampling\=44100

seeker/recording_qualities/VCD=VCD,224,44100,1520000

This comes from this text file: http://www.freytechnologies.com/2_papers/HPquality.txt, except I fixed the seeker line from that page which had an extra zero (it said 15200000 for bitrate)

Notice also that this message has reformatted the actual lines. It's word wrapped it and added a space between the items sage/python2_encoding/ and VCD where there isn't one in the actual sage.properties file.

-Andy.

[Mr_X]

FYI - I sent in a support request about this. Unfortunately, my trial has expired so if they ask me to change something and try it again, I won't be able to.
Maybe if they fix this problem, someone else can test it for me.

The VCD recording/playback is a important point which factors into my decision whether to purchase or not.

[Mr_X]

Well, unfortunately it doesn't look like there's a fix for v2.0. The developers say they will fix this problem in v2.1. There's no eta on v2.1.

I guess the workaround for now is to move all VCD recordings to the media library and import them, don't try to view them while they're recording or still in the "recorded" library.

-Andy.