HOW TO: Autoplay Video CD (VCD) in Windows

A pure Video CD (VCD) will not Autoplay (automatically play the video on an inserted disc) in Microsoft Windows without some sort of "helper" application. Although there are several ways to create a Video CD that will Autoplay without a "helper" application, the following procedure, based on Windows Media Player, is arguably the simplest, easiest, and cleanest.

Requirements (player computer):

Method

Both of these two files must be placed in the root directory of the Video CD, as described below. They should not interfere with playing the Video CD on a Video CD or DVD player.

AUTORUN.INF

The contents of the AUTORUN.INF text file are always (assuming the .ASX file is named VCD.ASX):

*Method 1*	*Comments*
[autorun] ShellExecute=VCD.ASX	The 2nd line (ShellExecute) uses the registered .ASX file association to process the .ASX Windows Media Metafile. The registered application is usually (but not necessarily) the current version of Windows Media Player; if so, playback begins in a default window. Method 1 is preferred unless you want playback to begin full screen, in which case use Method 2.
*Method 2*	*Comments*
[autorun] ShellExecute=mplayer2 /fullscreen VCD.ASX	Method 2 is used to begin playback full screen. It should explicitly invoke the older version (6.4) of Windows Media Player, which (unlike the latest version) supports the "/fullscreen" parameter. The older version apparently remains installed even when the newer version is installed (on Windows XP at least).

.ASX file

The .ASX file contains text commands that allow you to control Windows Media Player. Simple examples:

*Play single video clip*	*Comments*
<ASX Version = "3.0"> <Title>Name of my Video CD</Title> <Entry> <Title>My Video Clip #1</Title> <Ref href = "MPEGAV\AVSEQ01.DAT" /> </Entry> </ASX>	The first Title line (with "Name of my Video CD" as an example) is optional; if present, Windows Media Player will display your framed text as a title for the entire Video CD. The lines from <Entry> to </Entry> play a single clip; repeat those lines if there are additional clips to be played, as in the 2nd example. The Title line in a given Entry ("My Video Clip #1" and "My Video Clip #2" in the examples) is also optional; if present, Windows Media Player will display your framed text as a title for the clip. The Ref line tells Windows Media Player where to find the clip. When a Video CD is created, your clip(s) will placed in the "MPEGAV" root folder (directory) on the CD. The particular clip names depend on the CD authoring software you use; the example above is for ahead Nero Burning ROM (highly recommended for Video as well as other types of CDs and now DVDs). The file extension is usually .DAT, rather than (say) .MPG, but Windows Media Player will still recognize the format and play the file (if the correct codec is installed). For complete documentation on Windows Media Metafiles, see the Windows Media Player SDK.
*Play two video clips*
<ASX Version = "3.0"> <Title>Name of my Video CD</Title> <Entry> <Title>My Video Clip #1</Title> <Ref href = "MPEGAV\AVSEQ01.DAT" /> </Entry> <Entry> <Title>My Video Clip #2</Title> <Ref href = "MPEGAV\AVSEQ02.DAT" /> </Entry> </ASX>

Creating the Video CD

Getting the .ASX Windows Media Metafile and the AUTORUN.INF file into the root directory of a Video CD can be easy or hard depending on the CD authoring software you use. In Nero Burning ROM (version 5) it's easy: after a Video CD compilation (layout) has been created, use the clip names in the "MPEGAV" folder (directory) to create the .ASX file, drag and drop the .ASX and AUTORUN.INF files into the upper right pane of the compilation window (set to "\" root), and then burn.