From: h9265058@hkuxa.hku.hk (Wong Yui Alex) Subject: FAQ: VIDEO CD AND MOVIES OF HK (JUNE '95) *2.1 What is MPEG ? MPEG (Moving Picture Image Coding Experts Group) is a new technology, under which video image can be digitalized and greatly compressed. The typical one is MPEG-I. MPEG-I can compress the video signal at a ratio of 1 to 100, and 1 to 6.5 for audio signal. FULL SCREEN video images can be replayed in 30 frames per second. The MPEG-I is a combination of System, Video, Audio. According to ISO CD 11172 standard, resolution of MPEG-I 352x240 (Ameiran), or 352x288 (European) with 192KB/s transfer rate. "... TV quality image, CD quality sound..." 2.2 What is Video CD ? Video CD is a 5 inches disk, looks like a traditional CD, which contains compressed digital audio and video signal that can be viewed on TV or computer screen after decoded. Under compression by MPEG-I, a Video CD can store up to 74 minutes full screen movie. 2.3 Can Video CD overtake LD? Although, in fact, the quality of Video CD can only compare with a HQ VHS tape, there are several advantages of Video CD: 1. LOW PRICE - Cost of production, and hence the price, of Video CD is much lower than the LD, people are able to buy a Video CD at a price of audio CD nowaday. 2. EASY TO CARRY AND STORAGE - imagine how you deal with a CD. 3. MULTI-FUCTIONAL - Though video CD is mainly for movies collection, it is capable for Karaoke, MTV, cartoon, education, etc. 4. DURABLE - Unlike VCR tape, Video CD does not deteriorate due to high moisture and frequent replay. 5. Multi-Channel - Similar to LD, Video CD provide more than one channel for audio signal, it can be Stereo, Muti Audio or Bilingual. (Mono, you may sugguest) 2.4 How to view Video CD ? As I mentioned before, Video CD can be played in a computer or on TV. For PC ------ - A MPEG decoder boards is recommended - A single or double speed CD-ROM - Minimum CPU requirment vary from 386 to 486SX - VGA monitor For TV ------ - A MPEG decoder machine *2.4.1 Why MPEG Decoder Boards? Can't I use software to do the job? Some software can play MPEG files without Decoder Boards. You may have tried XingIT or VMPEG. These program can play tiny MPEG-I files. However, if you are asking for the playback of VCD, the answer is NO...in common configuration of today. "If I have Pentium 100, 32MB Ram, 6x CD Rom Player..., can I..." Well, why bother if you are rich?! *2.4.2 How to select a correct PC MPEG Decoder Boards ? These are the criteria in selecting a good MPEG Decoder Board: - Can it works in both Dos and Windows environments? - Can VGA signal overlaid with MPEG Screen? - Does it provide track selection function which is used in playback of Karaoke? - Is it too long? - Does it have S-output and AV output? In the U.S.A, the following MPEG card is quite typical and economical. According to the Digital Video Magazine (May 95), the properties and the price are listed below: Min CPU RAM(MB) CD-ROM Display Price(US$) ======= === ====== ======= ========== Video Blaster 386DX/33 4 2X 32000 349 MP400 (Creative Lab) MPEG Master 486/33 4 2X 24-bit 349 (Visionetics Int'l) VICPlayer 486SX 4 2X 24-bit 349 (VIC Hi-Tech Corp.) Full Video 386SX/25 2 1X 128000 329 Elite (Digital Equipment Corp.) MPEG Real 386 2 2X 24-bit 299 Video (MRV Comm.) OptiVideo 386 4 2X 24-bit 895 MPEG (OptiVision Inc.) MovieWave 386DX 4 1X 24-bit 329 Studio (Multiwave Innovation) "The quality of the playback is really based on the quality of the encoded MPEG file,... I found the playback quality of the same MPEG file to be almost identical in quality among these boards," Steven Blaize. *2.4.3 How can I get a high quality MPEG board with a lower price ? Price is important to the customers. For similar quality, MPEG board produced in Taiwan is more affordable. I am not saying that you must by a Taiwanese board. You must also consider the difficulty of maintance and technical support of the product.