Repeating video (endless loop) at DVinfo.net

Mike Rehmus · August 27th, 2003, 05:50 PM

I've been asked to convert a Corporate Video that I produced a few years back and for which I also created an AVI version to play on a CD player.

Now they want me to make a version that will repeat play, still on CD media, on a DVD player. I don't think that can be done.

What do you think?

My Sony DVD player has a repeat function and I could burn a DVD for them with no problem. I think.

Oh, and they asked me a few minutes ago and need it tomorrow!

Gints Klimanis · August 27th, 2003, 06:11 PM

Mike,

Before DVD burners, I distributed my videos in MPEG-1 format on CD-R. Most of my audience did not own a DVD player, so they used a computer. Forget about distributing an MPEG1 or MPEG2 files on CD. Only a few players (Apex and *very* recently, others) allow disk navigation. On my Apex players, I have no trouble looping single MPEG1 or MPEG2 files using the repeat function. I haven't tried my new Sony DVD player. I won't be
able to check the Sony by tomorrow, though.

For standalone DVD players, VCD (MPEG1) support was ok. This year, some DVD players have dropped VCD support. SVCD (MPEG2) offers a higher bit rate, but you shouldn't exceed 2600 kbits/sec, or you'll risk skipping during playback on many units.
Some of the older DVD players (Sony, for one) wouldn't accept CD-R but would do CD-RW. I think CD-RW has wider support on DVD players. I used Nero to create the SVCD, but it was a bit of a pain.

Do you have to worry about broad DVD player support, including
Sony PS2s ?

Mike Rehmus · August 27th, 2003, 06:53 PM

Not broad support, no. But support for an unknown DVD player they are renting in Los Angeles. $500 for the player and a TV for a week!

I suggested they go out and buy their own portable DVD player and rent the TV (or buy one and give it away as a door prize at the end of the show)

MPEG has never been a winner for me on CD. Only AVI files seem to work well on computer-drives.

You used the Repeat function to achieve repeat, right?

After my original posting, I called the tech and he thought that he'd taken a CD that I made and played it on his home DVD player. Didn't know they would do that!

Thanks for the fast response, Gints.

Gints Klimanis · August 27th, 2003, 07:24 PM

Mike,

I've been able to loop MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 files using the Repeat function on my Apex DVD players. I bought the Apex units specifically for playing/looping MPEG-1 files written to CD-R. Several DVD players can do this, although these extended features are often deleted from advertisements. Check www.vcdhelp.com and click on the DVD Players menu item to check player compatibility.

Your friends should buy a cheap Apex player from Walmart for
under $50. It's ass-cheap and looks it, but it plays everything. I mean, write a CD-R or DVD-R with MPEG-1, MPEG-2, JPEG, MP3, and it will loop through all of them.

I would write 10-20 MPEG-1 files (fight videos!) burned at 3000 kbits/second. My audience used a variety of computers: Windows, MacOS, Linux, IRIX. MPEG-1 was the only video format that would play on all without requiring software installation. Some of my audience weren't allowed to install software on their computers.

Mike Rehmus · August 27th, 2003, 09:35 PM

Thanks.

I"ll get the client to buy a cheepie and get on with his life.

Adrian Douglas · August 27th, 2003, 10:10 PM

Do you use Flash or Director Mike? You can quite easily make looping files in both and then export as .avi. Director handles video the best of the two but Flash MX isn't to shabby

Gints Klimanis · August 27th, 2003, 10:12 PM

Adrian,

I'm pretty sure the standalone DVD players won't support these AVI file features.

Gints Klimanis · August 27th, 2003, 10:22 PM

Mike,

Not all cheapie DVD players will support the individual file looping.
I bought my Apex 1100-W for $58 at Walmart. Walmart is selling
the Apex DVD/CD/MP3 Player AD-1600 for $54. My 1100-W plays MPEG-1 and MPEG-2, but doesn't allow fast forward/rewind when these file formats are played as files from CD-R or DVD-R.

The advertised formats are nothing compared to the tested formats:

Advertised features:

Video: DVD, SVCD, Kodak Picture CD, JPEG
Audio: CD, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3, WMA

Features as listed on www.dvdrhelp.com :

http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvdplayers.php?DVDname=apex+1600&Submit=Search&Search=Search

There are many complains against this unit for its loss of VCD
support. I never bothered with VCDs because the bitrate is too low.

Excerpt:
"This unit did support CDR's with MP3's/ WMA files/ and both Kodak and JPEG based picture's. In fact it would even play both MPEG1 & 2 files if they had not been formatted into a VCD.
"

Mike Rehmus · August 27th, 2003, 10:35 PM

I'm going to advise the client to use a DVD I'll burn and to put it in a DVD player that supports the Repeat function.

It certainly works in my entertainment system. He can go out and buy (or I will) a DVD player that does this.

Thanks for all the help, guys.

Walter Matlock · August 28th, 2003, 06:35 PM

Another thing you can do if your making a DVD is create a link from the end of you video back to the beginning of the video. This should cause the video to repeat unless the menu button is pressed. Im not sure how to do this in any authoring package other than ReelDVD, but it is an avenue you may want to explore.

Gints Klimanis · August 28th, 2003, 06:48 PM

Also, if the video is made to be the motion background for the menu, it will loop on insertion. The menu buttons can be deleted or hidden. Some packages don't allow this, so do a single chapter, make the button as small as possible and hide it in a corner. There are a number of workarounds.

Adrian Douglas · August 28th, 2003, 07:48 PM

Quote:

I'm pretty sure the standalone DVD players won't support these AVI file features.

Maybe not, but once you then bring the AVI into an NLE and export it as the required format then you shouldn't have any problems.

Jake Russell · August 29th, 2003, 05:21 PM

For cd media it will depend on how big the loop is as to whether this is possible for you.

Author a dvd and write the video_ts & audio_ts folders to cd along with the director files(autorun.inf, exe, mac projector, Xtras folder etc). You can use something like Toast on mac or Gear Pro ME on pc to master the disc.

So if it's put in a dvd settop player that supports cd-r then it will play the 'dvd-video' version and if in a computer the director version.

Jake

August 27th, 2003, 05:50 PM	#1
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	Repeating video (endless loop) I've been asked to convert a Corporate Video that I produced a few years back and for which I also created an AVI version to play on a CD player. Now they want me to make a version that will repeat play, still on CD media, on a DVD player. I don't think that can be done. What do you think? My Sony DVD player has a repeat function and I could burn a DVD for them with no problem. I think. Oh, and they asked me a few minutes ago and need it tomorrow! __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

August 27th, 2003, 06:53 PM	#3
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	Not broad support, no. But support for an unknown DVD player they are renting in Los Angeles. $500 for the player and a TV for a week! I suggested they go out and buy their own portable DVD player and rent the TV (or buy one and give it away as a door prize at the end of the show) MPEG has never been a winner for me on CD. Only AVI files seem to work well on computer-drives. You used the Repeat function to achieve repeat, right? After my original posting, I called the tech and he thought that he'd taken a CD that I made and played it on his home DVD player. Didn't know they would do that! Thanks for the fast response, Gints. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

August 27th, 2003, 09:35 PM	#5
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	Thanks. I"ll get the client to buy a cheepie and get on with his life. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

August 27th, 2003, 10:10 PM	#6
Adrian Douglas Trustee Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Chigasaki, Japan. Posts: 1,660	Do you use Flash or Director Mike? You can quite easily make looping files in both and then export as .avi. Director handles video the best of the two but Flash MX isn't to shabby __________________ Adrian DVInfo.net Search for quick answers Where to buy? From the best in the business...DVInfo.net sponsors

August 27th, 2003, 10:35 PM	#9
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	I'm going to advise the client to use a DVD I'll burn and to put it in a DVD player that supports the Repeat function. It certainly works in my entertainment system. He can go out and buy (or I will) a DVD player that does this. Thanks for all the help, guys. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

August 27th, 2003, 06:11 PM	#2
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	Mike, Before DVD burners, I distributed my videos in MPEG-1 format on CD-R. Most of my audience did not own a DVD player, so they used a computer. Forget about distributing an MPEG1 or MPEG2 files on CD. Only a few players (Apex and very recently, others) allow disk navigation. On my Apex players, I have no trouble looping single MPEG1 or MPEG2 files using the repeat function. I haven't tried my new Sony DVD player. I won't be able to check the Sony by tomorrow, though. For standalone DVD players, VCD (MPEG1) support was ok. This year, some DVD players have dropped VCD support. SVCD (MPEG2) offers a higher bit rate, but you shouldn't exceed 2600 kbits/sec, or you'll risk skipping during playback on many units. Some of the older DVD players (Sony, for one) wouldn't accept CD-R but would do CD-RW. I think CD-RW has wider support on DVD players. I used Nero to create the SVCD, but it was a bit of a pain. Do you have to worry about broad DVD player support, including Sony PS2s ?

August 27th, 2003, 07:24 PM	#4
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	Mike, I've been able to loop MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 files using the Repeat function on my Apex DVD players. I bought the Apex units specifically for playing/looping MPEG-1 files written to CD-R. Several DVD players can do this, although these extended features are often deleted from advertisements. Check www.vcdhelp.com and click on the DVD Players menu item to check player compatibility. Your friends should buy a cheap Apex player from Walmart for under $50. It's ass-cheap and looks it, but it plays everything. I mean, write a CD-R or DVD-R with MPEG-1, MPEG-2, JPEG, MP3, and it will loop through all of them. I would write 10-20 MPEG-1 files (fight videos!) burned at 3000 kbits/second. My audience used a variety of computers: Windows, MacOS, Linux, IRIX. MPEG-1 was the only video format that would play on all without requiring software installation. Some of my audience weren't allowed to install software on their computers.

August 27th, 2003, 10:12 PM	#7
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	Adrian, I'm pretty sure the standalone DVD players won't support these AVI file features.

August 27th, 2003, 10:22 PM	#8
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	Mike, Not all cheapie DVD players will support the individual file looping. I bought my Apex 1100-W for $58 at Walmart. Walmart is selling the Apex DVD/CD/MP3 Player AD-1600 for $54. My 1100-W plays MPEG-1 and MPEG-2, but doesn't allow fast forward/rewind when these file formats are played as files from CD-R or DVD-R. The advertised formats are nothing compared to the tested formats: Advertised features: Video: DVD, SVCD, Kodak Picture CD, JPEG Audio: CD, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3, WMA Features as listed on www.dvdrhelp.com : http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvdplayers.php?DVDname=apex+1600&Submit=Search&Search=Search There are many complains against this unit for its loss of VCD support. I never bothered with VCDs because the bitrate is too low. Excerpt: "This unit did support CDR's with MP3's/ WMA files/ and both Kodak and JPEG based picture's. In fact it would even play both MPEG1 & 2 files if they had not been formatted into a VCD. "

August 28th, 2003, 06:35 PM	#10
Walter Matlock New Boot Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Posts: 9	Another thing you can do if your making a DVD is create a link from the end of you video back to the beginning of the video. This should cause the video to repeat unless the menu button is pressed. Im not sure how to do this in any authoring package other than ReelDVD, but it is an avenue you may want to explore.

August 28th, 2003, 06:48 PM	#11
Gints Klimanis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,222	Also, if the video is made to be the motion background for the menu, it will loop on insertion. The menu buttons can be deleted or hidden. Some packages don't allow this, so do a single chapter, make the button as small as possible and hide it in a corner. There are a number of workarounds.

August 29th, 2003, 05:21 PM	#13
Jake Russell Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 177	For cd media it will depend on how big the loop is as to whether this is possible for you. Author a dvd and write the video_ts & audio_ts folders to cd along with the director files(autorun.inf, exe, mac projector, Xtras folder etc). You can use something like Toast on mac or Gear Pro ME on pc to master the disc. So if it's put in a dvd settop player that supports cd-r then it will play the 'dvd-video' version and if in a computer the director version. Jake