VHS captured wrong w/letter box, lost tape, need to remove letterbox code(s

[gentamicinman]

I am brand new to the forum(s) and new to VHS/DVD problem solving.

I've luckily captured and converted quite a few VHS properly.

My last tape I did everything wrong. I've lost the tape, and now, after hours of editing images which displayed 4:3 , I find that the original mpg file, on my master DVD, indicates (using PowerDVD):

Display mode: Letterbox, and Source picture: Not letterboxed

Windows Media Player and Power DVD both state the image size as 720 x 480, but Power DVD plays it with an image size of 720 x 540. Neither, when playing the MPG file, show letterboxing.

When the MPG is used to produce a DVD and when the DVD is played then letterboxing appears and the MPG image is stretched and shortened.

I simply hope there is a way to change/remove whatever code is on the MPG (and I assume there is header information) that specifies the resulting DVD must be letterboxed.

(I've tried conversions to MPG2, custom MPG1, etc. - but the letterboxing stays with the output)

Any comments, tips, words of wisdom, would be appreciated.

[Baldrick]

You can change the mpeg2 headers with dvdpatcher. You must demultiplex/split the video and audio streams first...check under our tools section for video de/multplixers.

is used to produce a dvd?

What are you using to a make dvd from the mpg? With some authoring tools you can set the aspect ratio manual.

[gentamicinman]

You can change the mpeg2 headers with dvdpatcher. You must demultiplex/split the video and audio streams first...check under our tools section for video de/multplixers.

is used to produce a dvd?

What are you using to a make dvd from the mpg? With some authoring tools you can set the aspect ratio manual.

I've used Ulead Video Stdio and Wombie MPEG Video Wizard.

Setting the aspect ratio didn't help, as the Letter Box is added at the DVD burn stage - there could be a perfect 640x480 inside the letterboxed image- but it still is played as letterboxed on the tv, which distorts the image....
I'll try to get my brain around dvdpatcher. It should do the trick.

[Alex_ander]

I've used Ulead Video Stdio and Wombie MPEG_Video_Wizard

There's a FAQ in the help file for MPEG Video Wizard DVD. Q&A #6 is about changing aspect ratio in this program, maybe this helps to find the hidden settings:

Q:
Is there a way to change aspect ratio with MPEG Video Wizard? I have a 16:9 clip that I need to convert to 4:3.

A:
First, please note that the editor selects the display mode based on the coded information ("pel_aspect_ratio") found in an MPEG video sequence header.

To change this flag, follow the following steps.

1. Put the video clip on the video track of the timeline.

2. Export the timeline selecting the "Custom" template.

3. Switch to Video page in the Export window.

4. Press the Expert button on the Video page.

5. Select the desired aspect ratio flag from the PAR list.

6. Switch to the Monitor page and press Start.

7. Check the exported video file in the Input monitor.

[gentamicinman]

Thanks for the reference to the MPEG Video Wizard FAQ.

I've tried that solution to no avail.

My images were captured at 4:3 and when the "mpg" is "played" it shows at the correct or hoped for image size.

When it is burned to a DVD (image file or real DVD) the resulting movie plays in letterbox dimensions.

Since the mpg plays in expected size, that is how I was able to edit for hours before learning I was dog food and that my bridge to the original vhs tape had been burned up!

These thoughts of mine could be mumbo jumbo, I'm writing down what seems to have happened. Someone more experienced might report my activities in a different way.