Convert downloaded films, TV etc to VCD

Hello all, sorry if this has been posted before - I've been about 10 or so pages back in the forum and can't find any mention of it! I'm new to all this Limewire stuff, so would appreciate some advice...

If I download a film in say .avi format, what do I then need to do to watch it on my DVD player, bearing in mind my mac doesn't have a DVD burner, just a CD writer (my DVD player plays VCDs of course).

I assume I need some software to convert .avi to VCD...? If so, is there a free download available for Mac anywhere? Is there anything else I need to do, or is there a simpler way to create the VCD?

Thanks very much.

To burn VCD, Toast is the best. There's some others ... some come, some gone. Apple have their own cd/dvd burning package depending on which mac OS you have. I think iDVD can also do the job if you have OSX. But I'm not sure about that. It's best to search the mac free update sites to see what there is ... freeware, donateware, or shareware.

Toast 7 will convert all the avi formats AFAIK that you'll downld. You can also set menus.

*** VCD's should always be burnt at "minimum" speed the burner allows!!! VCD is complex arrangement, high data flow required. Burn at min speeds & you'll much more likely get a readible vcd. Check it out with a cd-rw 1st to check it's how you'd prefer. BTW SVCD allows higher definition of picture & uses mpeg2 instead of mpeg1. You'll fit less on, but a much better picture quality. But be sure your dvd player "can" play svcd's. (BTW the higher the mpeg # then the more effective a codec at conversion for quality v's size)

I initially put all my video training projects on vcd, & the tutor took them all. lol That was one subject I did particularly well in. Playback is fine. But since I still have the originals on vcd-rw, I'll be glad to get it onto a dvd format so I can clear some space.

BTW if you want to capture TV/video to disk, you'll need a capture card or external device. I use an external device. Quality is fine. And yes, it can very easily be put to disk (vcd/dvd)