DVD player (hardware) playing mpeg1 files?

[Calum]

hi. i really want to buy a cheap DVD player that will play mpeg files which are on CDs. I have a few CDs with mpeg files on and i want to play them in it without having to figure out how to make VCDs from them which will take weeks and also effort, not to mention stacks of wasted CDs.

I can't really find any information about which models do this. somebody's selling this Yamada DVD 2500 Multi-region Capable DVD Player and even though it says Video decompression: MPEG-1, MPEG-2 i am not sure if this means files encoded in these formats will be played. I know VCDs are encoded using mpeg-1 video and mp2 audio, and my parents have a machine that plays VCDs but does not play my mpeg files! i know the files are all encoded with mpeg1 video and either ac3 (dvd stylee) or mp2 audio (or maybe VERY rarely mp3 audio). So they shouldn't be too hard to play but i am having trouble finding information about this or any other model of DVD player whether it definitely plays this format or not. Any suggestions? it doesn't help that sarching for mpeg brings up anything with "MPEG-4" in it too, which is the DVD video codec of course, and searching for mpeg1 or mpeg-1 brings me back to the does-it-just-play-vcds-then dilemma.

Any thoughts appreciated!

[insomnia]

I honestly don't see any reason for buying any kind of player like that.
I'm using an old laptop (connected with my lan) for all my video needs.
It plays everything and I didn't pay anything for it.

[Calum]

so because you have a laptop there's no need for me to buy a dvd player?

the reason is that we have a tv and a PC. the PC has crap speakers and is really not fast enough to play movie files on, also it's not set up so it's comfortable to see from the sofa. The TV has none of these problems, plus the PC doesn't have a remote control. Also the TV has a much bigger screen. Not only that but i like the flexibility of being able to play the movie files on either device if i want to. Is that enough reasons? Now if it is enough reasons, perhaps you know of some resource that i can use to find out if a particular dvd player will play mpeg files?

[insomnia]

so because you have a laptop there's no need for me to buy a dvd player?

the reason is that we have a tv and a PC. the PC has crap speakers and is really not fast enough to play movie files on, also it's not set up so it's comfortable to see from the sofa. The TV has none of these problems, plus the PC doesn't have a remote control. Also the TV has a much bigger screen. Not only that but i like the flexibility of being able to play the movie files on either device if i want to. Is that enough reasons? Now if it is enough reasons, perhaps you know of some resource that i can use to find out if a particular dvd player will play mpeg files?

...
too much coffee?

I obviously use that system with my TV (the laptop is on old P1 with an nvidia card, its screen is half burned and doesn't even work properly).
I do even have a remote controller for it (I can even use this controller to download something while watching something else).

A PC (and the soft media you use with it)is actually the only kind of thing that will always work with everything (and it never gets outdated).

It's a wonderful multi media system and does indeed everything you asked for.

[Calum]

i'm not asking for something that plays everything, just something that plays mpeg files encoded with mpeg1 video and mp2, mp3 or ac3 audio. These codecs are all used in DVD and VCDs anyway, and i know for a fact that several players, probably many, play these files, because i have seen dozens that also support mp3 and divX files, and we had flatmates that owned one that played mpeg files. Also, i really didn't ask for somebody to try and talk me out of researching a DVD player before i buy it, but i was asking if anybody knows how to find out if a particular model will play mpeg files. If i get nothing in response, i haven't lost anything but if someone says something helpful then that's great. I suppose if i could get a laptop that would do all that plus remote control and not be any more untidy on the TV unit (which has quite a few silver and black boxes on it now) than a DVD player then i might consider it, but really considering the low prices for DVD players i doubt a laptop can compete in price with a dedicated device. Congratulations to you for not paying for yours but i doubt i can set the same deal up for myself.

No i hadn't had too much coffee by the way, but it was a bit of a disappointment when i saw there had been a reply, and then it turned out to be somebody telling me not to bother! Anyway, thanks for explaining what you meant.

[Ice9]

You have to look at the supported compression formats, if MPEG1 and MPEG2 are listed you should be safe.
Also you can look if the dvd player can play VCD and SVCD files, if it's the case you also should be ok.
(You can find all this pretty easily in the specs on the manufacturer's website)

Like you said most of the players out there support MPEG1/2 so I wouldn't worry too much, especially if what I wrote above is ok.

[Calum]

well, as i said, my parents have one which plays vcds but which doesn't play mpeg files, so i suspect there are a few, again probably many, which are similar. Thanks for the reply however.

Well, good news, for me and for anyone who might stumble upon this thread in future with the same issue, i found a website where you can put in the features you require and they list the machines that do the job. here:

http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers

the feature i am looking for is called MPEGISO on their site, by the looks of it, and they list 504 machines. on that basis i plan to go for one of the philips ones since they are known to be a good brand.

[Calum]

AaAaAaAaAAAAaaaaAAA!!!

so, just to let you know that list is a heap of stinky old socks. i bought one of them and while it is a fine dvd player it DOESN't play mpegs or even divxs! it won't even play mpeg files encoded to the same bitrates, screen size and with the same codecs as VCDs (which it does play).

back to square 1. Why isn't there more information about this? i see tons that claim to play divXs.....

[Ice9]

Most of the dvd players out there will gladly play divX, the problem lies with divX 3.11, many of them won't play movies encoded with the hacked M$ codec, or if they do play the movie it often is choppy.
I have a Philips DVP630 and it plays all versions of divX and mpeg files I've ever thrown at it.

[Calum]

a DVP630, eh? does it play plain mpeg files though? encoded with mpeg1 video and mp2 or mp3 audio?

[Ice9]

erm, would have to check on that.
I know I have some movies in mpeg format but I know of no other details.
I'll try to dig up the movies and see what I can find out.

What I know is that my dvd player also plays mp3 files, I can load a cd with mp3's and it will play them.