Some might call this the guide for stupid Americans like myself, but this is basically for all the newbies who don't have a clue and just want to convert an AVI into a VCD. Because I like to simplify everything in my life, I've come up with this "idiot's guide" for people who don't want to download all the extra software and don't understand scripts and command-line programs.
What you need:
This KVCD template:
352x240_120_min
Or this one:
352x240_180_min
TMPGEnc-
http://www.Tmpgenc.net/e_download.html
VirtualDub-
http://virtualdub.sourceforge.net
Nero Burning Rom
* Before you start, I should say you need to load the 2 KVCD templates into your TMPGEnc templates folder. (Be sure they don't save as .txt files, if they do just rename them so they have .mcf on the end)
1) Using TMPGEnc, extract the audio file from the avi, save as MP2.
a. First, cancel the project wizard.
b. Click on the audio source browse button and select your avi movie.
c. Click on "setting" in the bottom right corner, make sure stream type is set to MPEG-1 Audio Layer II, frequency - 44100 Hz, Dual Channel, and 112 kb/sec. When you click on start, it should save your audio as a mp2 file.
EDIT FROM DIALHOT : this does NOT work if the audio is MP3 VBR. In such case, tmpgenc can't handle the audio and produce a file that is abnormally long (4 hours for instance).
NEVER USE Tmpgenc for encoding audio. ALWAYS use virtualdub to isolate the audio and besweet or headac3che to encode it.
Remember the name of this guide : it is IDIOT
2) Delete audio from original avi.
a. Open VirtualDub, select File --> Open video file, and open the AVI file.
b. Select Audio --> No Audio.
c. Select Video --> Direct Stream Copy.
d. Select File --> Save as AVI, select a file name and click OK.
e. You’ll end up with an AVI file with just the video.
3) Encode the video to m1v.
a. Open TMPGEnc and cancel out of the project wizard.
b. Select File, New Project, to reset TMPGEnc.
c. Open your video source, click "Browse" and select the video-only avi you made w/ Virtual Dub
d. Click the "load" button in the bottom right corner and browse until you find the TMGEnc templates folder. (Depending on movie length, select either the 120 minute one or the 180 minute one. If its less than 2 hrs always pick the 120 minute template b/c it's higher quality)
e. Click "start" and let TMPGEnc encode the video. This will take many, many hours depending on your computer.
4) Using the MPEG Tools in TMPGEnc, Multiplex the video and audio files.
a. Select File --> MPEG Tools, select the Simple Multiplex tab.
b. At the top, Select --> "MPEG-1 VideoCD non-standard"
c. On Video Input, click on Browse and select the m1v file created on step 3.
d. On Audio Input click on Browse and select the MP2 file created on step 1.
e. On Output File click on Browse and select the output MPG file name and location.
f. Click on Run and wait a few minutes
5) If video is larger than 800 MB, trim off opening and ending credits
a. In TMPGEnc, Select File --> MPEG Tools
b. Click on --> "Merge & Cut" tab, click on --> "Add", browse for your mpeg, click -->"Edit".
c. Select the range you want to keep, click--> "ok", click--> "browse" and rename the trimmed mpeg, save.
d. Click--> "run"
6) Burn your VCD onto a new 80 min CD-R
Open your cd burning program and select "create new video cd". I use Nero Express. In your cd burning program, find where you can uncheck "Create standard compliant CD". This is very important to uncheck this or it won't work correctly. In Nero, you may have to toggle between Express and the regular version in order to access the options menu where it allows you to uncheck "Create Standard Compliant CD". Also, be sure to burn at a slower speed b/c some DVD players have trouble reading it if you don't. I use 24x and it seems to work fine. You're off to the races, good luck!