Newwbie Question

[Bunkermania]

I have just bought a standalone DVD-player and also a brand new PC (costed about 5000 USD). I'm quite new to this DVD-thing (no DVD on the old computer).
I have a few movies I have downloaded and they are in .mpg, .avi and .divx format. As I understand it VCD's are in .mpg format and should be able to play on a standalone DVD player. Does that goes for any .mpg file or is there special .mpg formats that is VCD's? How do I check a file if it's playable on my standalone DVD? I've read som other posts here and as I understand it I have to convert my .avi files using TMPEGenc to get them into VCD-format. That thing I can work out later by reading on here.
The .divx files, what are they? Can they be played on the standalone DVD or do I have to convert them in any way?
I plan to connect the PC to my TV so then I can play the files in the PC and watch them on the TV, but some stuff I would like to be able to play on the standalone DVD so I want them on CD's.
Thanks in advance.
Bunkermania

[setarip]

The only "stuff" you MAY (more on "MAY" in a bit) be able to play on your standalone will be DVDs, VCDs, and SVCDs. VCDs and SVCDs are modified versions of MPEG1 and MPEG2 files, respectively.

(More about "MAY") Although the docs for your standalone player might state that it can play VDCs and SVCDs, that is a reference to COMMERCIALLY created (not burned to a CD-R) CDs. Many standalone players, if at all capable of playing burned CD-R VCDs and/or SVCDs are typically very picky about which brands of CD-R or R/W CDs they'll recognize.

For information about the capabilities/limitations of your specific standalone player, go to:

http://www.vcdhelp.com/