However, despite the popularity of DVD, it is not the only disc-based video format available. The Video CD (VCD) has actually been around a lot longer than DVD, but has now garnered renewed interest in the industry a viable video format. Think of a Video CD as a VHS quality video on a disc, rather than VHS tape. A CD has the ability to hold up to 74 minutes of CD Video. As a bonus, Video CD recordings are playable on many DVD Players.
Video CD play-only units have been a popular stand-alone movie-viewing format in, of all places, The People's Republic of China for years. Having largely bypassed the analog VCR revolution of the 80's and early 90's, China jumped on the digital bandwagon early with the Video CD Player. The Video CD format also provided an excellent medium for karaoke enthusiasts.
With such a large penetration of VHS VCRs everywhere else in the world, Video CD never really caught on outside China and other Asian markets. However, with the addition of recording capability (as an outgrowth of CD-R/RW popularity amongest computer users), renewed interest in VCD by both computer and home entertainment manufacturers is enabling American and European consumers more access to this technology as part of their home entertainment experience.
Ever since the introduction of DVD, many consumers have been clammering for a recordable-DVD format to replace the aging VCR. Although DVD recorders are now finally affpordable, incompatibility of competing formats, and lack of standardization with current DVD players, leave the current state of recordable DVD somewhat confusing.
Surprisingly, for those who wish a disc-based video recording format, the Video CD has popped up on the scene as an inexpensive alternative to recordable DVD. It has been available for some time in the form of the PC CD-Writer. With a modest software upgrade, almost all current PC's have the ability to record CD video. Also, as stated earlier, unlike recordable DVD, many current DVD players can actually play both commercially available or homemade VCDs.
As an outgrowth of the PC-CD writer, some companies, have taken this concept a step further with the introduction of standalone CD Video Recorders (referred to sometimes as CD-DVD). CD Video is a great way to copy such sources as Camcorder tapes (Video CDs don't wear out like tape does!). These products are also being marketed to institutions and business that need an effective way of storing and archiving video presentations and records. Admittedly, the image quality of a VCD is not as good as that of an actual DVD, but, having put up with the inferior quality of VHS for over two decades, the Video CD delivers what we are used to in home video recording.
With the Video CD recorder alternative, blank CD-R disk prices almost as cheap as blank audio or video cassettes, Video CD recording is an interesting (and affordable) alternative to videotape.
What began as a little-known video playback system for an obsure CD format, became a dominant video playback system in China, has now been elevated to a new world-wide popularity, thanks in part by the acceptance of the PC-CD writer and the DVD player.
Do you own a standalone VCD player or have made VCDs or your PC? Tell us about your experiences with this video format. Join in on the discussion on my Forum: VCD: Viable Video Format Or Just A DVD Wannabee?.
