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Redirected from: SVCD

Definition: Video CD


An earlier Compact Disc format for full-motion video. Introduced in 1993 and developed by Panasonic, Philips, Sony and JVC, a Video CD (VCD) held 74 minutes of VHS-quality video and CD-quality sound using MPEG-1 compression. A Super Video CD (SVCD) format was later introduced that used MPEG-2, but playing time was reduced to as little as 35 minutes.

Introduced three years before DVD players became available, and although popular in Asia, VCDs did not catch on in North America. Video CDs could be played on many CD-ROM and DVD drives as well as CD-I and 3DO players. Specifications were defined in the "White Book." See CD-I, 3DO, VHS and DVD.

  Video CD Resolutions

  TV
  Standard   (fps)   VCD      SVCD

  NTSC       (30)  352x240   480x480
  PAL/SECAM  (25)  352x288   480x576

  DVD Standards (for comparison)

  SDTV       (30)  704x480
  EDTV       (60)  704x480
  HDTV       (60) 1280x720
  HDTV       (30) 1920x1080
  See DTV.