Page 1 of My Alba 114 WON`T play VCDs!! HELP!!!!!!!

everyone seems to be saying that the Alba 114 plays VCDs with no problems.And it does say on the box and in the instructions that it will play VCD.
I went out and bought one yesterday but it will not read or play my homemade vcds at all. Multiregion is fine but how can i make it play CD-Rs with video or mp3 on them?
Is there a hack? Or should i be using particular CD-Rs?

My 114 plays all my VCDs (both home-made and otherwise) without problems.

What software are you using to make the VCDs? What actually happens when you try to play them? Have you tried them in any other standalone player?

I`ve made several VCDs in Nero (using the "Video CD" tab, of course) and they all play fine. As for CD-Rs, this player doesn`t appear to be fussy about the type used, but you could always try some high quality branded blanks (such as Verbatim DataLifePlus) to see if that`s the problem.

Mike

Yeah, i dont understand it either!
I already own a Wharfedale 750 which WILL play my VCDs but when i put `em in the Alba it tries to read them but ends up sending me a message saying insert a playable disc.
This player isnt for me its a birthday pressie which i am giving out on Saturday so i am desperate to get it playing all kinds of discs.Thats what i bought it for. I chose it using the recomendations of people on this very site.
By the way i am using PRASSI PRIMO DVD to make the discs which came with Windows XP.

could be a few things
first does the player actually state it can play VCD, does a VCD menu come up? In the Alba DVD108, vcd is disabled in the firmware so that Alba can buy the machine cheaper because no $10 licence is payable to Phillips for vcd. Could be same this model, Alba (or perhaps their suppliers) seem to be clever in their cost cutting by selling machines with initially lots of capabilities, then getting later stock with less (eg less outputs on later model of 108)
Could be lower tolerance to CDR in the Alba than the Wharfedale - try cutting your VCD to CDRW - seems to work for many machines that wont play CDR
Could be the VCD software isnt putting out %100 compliant VCD - there are so many variations in the format, maybe the Alba doesnt handle some deviations from the main

The Alba 114 plays VCD and Multi Region out of the box but plays SVCD without sound for some reason

Mine (bought from Argos) plays all of my SVCDs *with* sound.

I think this possibly boils down to different firmware versions - as Wacket mentioned, they may now have released a version without VCD playback. Something like:

Version 1 : plays VCD, but SVCDs have no sound.
Version 2 : plays VCD, SVCDs play with sound.
Version 3 : (?) doesn`t play VCD.

If this is the case, it should be possible to flash (or otherwise) upgrade players with the crippled versions. Exactly how is another question, but I`ll be delving inside my Alba to investigate (and will certainly dump the firmware if possible).

The player does appear to be very compatible as far as CD-Rs are concerned, so I doubt that`s the problem. You can always verify it by attempting to play a music CD burned onto the same media. Note that there is no mention of VCD on the packaging or in the instruction manual.

Mike

This item was edited on Friday, 8th November 2002, 11:13

This Alba 114 that a few people seem to have purchased from Argos and people have said its not in the catalogue(correct) and you have to go up to the counter and ask for this machine how did they know to ask for this anyway seeing as Argos dont appear to displaying this information anywhere only reason I ask is because Ive been to 4 stores and they dont know what Im on about 2 even said I need to have a catalogue number for something which as far as they`re concerned doesn`t exist within their retailing how the hell have people got hold of this machine

We only know about it because people have reported going into Argos with the intention of buying a 108, and being given a 114 instead! It seems there was a shortage of 108s, so Argos got 114s in as substitutes, and many stores ended up with a mixture of both models.

Basically, write down the 108 catalogue number, walk up to the checkout and ask if a different model is currently being substituted for it (it will come up on their screen if this is the case). If they say "yes", ask if it`s the 114.

Mike

hi i work for argos 108`s seem to be in short supply we`ve been using 114`s and had a few 109`s got some 108xi`s in 2day don`t know if they`re different to the old 108`s the cat no is 533/2247. there is a bulletin on the screen saying it wont play vcds .

Mackems, do you know what is Argos line on the fact that newer 108`s have less outputs, am I entitled to go in & demand replacement one the same as the display model which has s-video & optical out, mine doesnt. Do they have any power in regards getting setup codes for VCD from Alba (probably not). Any obvious visual differences between the 108xi & 108? Where do they go for repair? they would have to have tech specs etc. What do 109s or 114s look like compared to 108?