Abstract

A method and apparatus for handling both proprietary and non-proprietary formatted compact discs in the same video playback system. In one embodiment, the audio and video data signals are in a Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) format. Portions of the novel system operate within a high level format independent software library and portions of the novel system operate within a low level software driver of the playback system that receives disc information from a proprietary or non-proprietary disc present to the playback system to be played. The novel system of the present invention includes a disc format determinator for checking the data contained on a disc to see if it includes proprietary information specific to the playback system. In the present invention the proprietary information may be either VideoCD or CD-I disc format information. If a disc presented to the playback system is formatted for a non-proprietary disc format i.e., VideoCD or CD-I, the disc format determination procedure configures the disc in order to enable the playback system to read and playback information contained on such a disc.