What is the difference between a VDC and a DVD?
DVDs and VCDs are not the same thing. They look similar, but they are actually very different formats. DVDs hold a lot more information than VCDs, and require more specialized equipment to play. VCDs are much more common in China than in the US. (In China, they are more common than VHS video tapes.) DVDs are still not common in China. VCDs are not region encoded. DVDs are. When buying a DVD, you need to make sure it is playable on a Region 1 (US & Canada) player, or buy a “zone-free” player. With VCDs, you don’t have to worry about that… only about whether your DVD player can play VCDs. Many, but not all, DVD players can play VCDs. (Look for “VCD” on the front of the player.) One other thing to look for is whether the DVD player can play *copies* of VCDs. Many VCDs sold in China and elsewhere are actually “copies” (not necessarily illegal copies, but made using copying technology, rather than a factory press process) using a CD-R format. These will only play on DVD players that also
