VideoHelp Forum
+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 25 of 25
Thread
  1. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Search Comp PM
    Whenever I tried to convert a video file into mpeg2, or even TS as it turns out, although I was primarily looking at mpeg2, it takes a 16:9 file and squishes it so it to approx 14:9.

    I can't find any rogue setting in there that's causing this

    Can anyone help, or suggest a better alternative program, please?

    Thanks.
    Dom Robinson
    Editor, http://DVDfever.co.uk
    Quote Quote  
  2. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Deep in the Heart of Texas
    Search PM
    Samples? (both before & after).

    BTW, "MPEG2" is more rightly called MPEG2-PS (for Program Stream), "TS" is more rightly called MPEG2-TS (for Transport Stream). They are BOTH mpeg2 container formats (TS being the more rugged/robust of the 2).

    The container chosen should have NO BEARING on the encoded resolution/size, and rarely should the encoder (barring exceptions of limiting to Level & Profile). You don't say which encoder you are using, but I would think MPEG2 or MPEG4-ASP or AVC/h.264. Correct me if I'm wrong.

    As usual, MORE INFO, please!

    Scott
    Quote Quote  
  3. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Search Comp PM
    You're wrong, 'Total Video Converter'.

    It's possible it's cropping black bars from the sides, however, according to VideoHelp 'Total Video Converter' is no longer being developed and was last updated in 2010 so you really should find another program. The Question is, which one?

    Personally, I use AVISynth, NeroAACENC, SubExtractor, Subtitle Edit and the X264 command line, then I mux the component elemental streams using MKVMerge, MP4Box or TSMuxer, so I'm not much help there.
    Quote Quote  
  4. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Search Comp PM
    Cornucopia - TVC only gives me the options of "internal decoder" and "MS DirectShow DX9" if that's what you were after, but both of them come out with the same result. I've uploaded the examples to this post.
    Image Attached Files
    Dom Robinson
    Editor, http://DVDfever.co.uk
    Quote Quote  
  5. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Search Comp PM
    Yes, there are definitely black bars on the left and right sides in the source, I haven't downloaded the reencode but I'm assuming they were cropped off. Any decent encoder would do the same, otherwise it's a waste of bitrate.
    Quote Quote  
  6. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Search Comp PM
    Originally Posted by ndjamena View Post
    Yes, there are definitely black bars on the left and right sides in the source, I haven't downloaded the reencode but I'm assuming they were cropped off. Any decent encoder would do the same, otherwise it's a waste of bitrate.
    There are no black bars in the input file (test clip itv.mpg), and in the output one it just squashes the video into 14:9 and places that within a 16:9 frame, filling the difference with black bars, which is my issue.
    Dom Robinson
    Editor, http://DVDfever.co.uk
    Quote Quote  
  7. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Search Comp PM
    Oh, I downloaded the wrong one. Um, you've converted an mpg to an even larger mpg?
    Quote Quote  
  8. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Search Comp PM
    OK, loading them into VirtualDub through AVISynth I can see that the encoded videos are exactly the same size, it's just 'Total Video Converter' has added two 30 pixel black bars on the sides to make it 764x576, while the original is 704x576. Once you add a fixed aspect ratio of 16:9 to the files it LOOKS like the output file is squished once anamorphic resizing has been applied.

    We could try to figure out why, or you could just switch to another program...
    Quote Quote  
  9. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Search Comp PM
    Go into the 'Video Crop & Pad' settings and uncheck 'Enable Pad' (or replace the default 30, 30 with zeros).

    --hopefully the program doesn't leave any crap behind after I uninstall it--
    Quote Quote  
  10. Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    West Texas
    Search PM
    If you're going from various video files to mpeg2, as it says in the first post, you could use AVStoDVD and change the output from DVD-video to Muxed Mpeg2 File. Very reliable program, and can use either HCenc or ffmpeg for the conversion.
    Quote Quote  
  11. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Deep in the Heart of Texas
    Search PM
    I see the black bars. But I would have no further idea whether this a program error or a human error (whether source file, programming bug, or your choices), based only on what little I know so far. What are you steps/settings (in detail, please)?

    I'm not even sure I should trust the clips, based on that vague response - what steps did you do to get the clips? Surely that isn't the whole program, and there are GOOD and BAD ways to cut up a source for clip samples. Some do s Best to follow what has been recommended here before.

    ...

    OK, I ran both "input" and "output" through MediaInfo, and the input is standard 16:9 Anamorphic SD 704x576 MPEG2 (written by Womble, I see). The output is encoded in SD (764x576), but the encoding profile is HD (Main @ Hi1440), it has been de-interlaced (how?), the audio has changed (mp2->ac3) and it has been changed from TS container to PS.

    Now, I understand the container change & the audio change, but all the rest are suspect as well, and all fall back to what choices you made in the settings. 764 is a particularly WRONG horizontal resolution for this material. 768 would be appropriate if the material were 4:3 and you wanted square pixels. 1024 would be appropriate if you wanted 16:9 with square pixels. You could have left it anamorphic at 704 also.

    Scott
    Quote Quote  
  12. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Search Comp PM
    Hello! I've already found the solution!

    (Total Video Converter seems to add 30 pixels each side as padding by default for some reason)

    If you go here:
    https://www.videohelp.com/tools/Total-Video-Converter

    and look under 'Alternative to Total Video Converter:' it lists some other programs you could try.
    Quote Quote  
  13. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Deep in the Heart of Texas
    Search PM
    That doesn't solve much. Plus, there are the other inconsistencies that I mentioned. And it would be better if the OP got to the root of all those peculiarities and was able to intelligently arrive at a more optimal solution.

    Scott
    Quote Quote  
  14. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Search Comp PM
    The deinterlacing method and MPEG2 profile?
    Quote Quote  
  15. What's the point of re-encoding this mpeg 2 clip to mpeg 2 again? Note the source is a transport stream not an mpeg program stream so it should have the extension TS, not MPG.
    Quote Quote  
  16. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Search Comp PM
    Originally Posted by ndjamena View Post
    Oh, I downloaded the wrong one. Um, you've converted an mpg to an even larger mpg?
    I believe that's covered, the only thing I can think of is he want's it progressive for some reason, or else he just doesn't know what he's doing.

    Anyway, his initial question has been answered. Yes, there are more questions we could address, but hanging above them all is a stupefied 'Huh???'.
    Quote Quote  
  17. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Search Comp PM
    Originally Posted by ndjamena View Post
    Go into the 'Video Crop & Pad' settings and uncheck 'Enable Pad' (or replace the default 30, 30 with zeros).
    Ah, that's the answer, thankyou!

    Just took that out and it's fine. What an absolute madness of a setting!

    Thanks very much to everyone who replied. The reason the output file, on this occasion, was larger than the input was because I was trying all sorts of settings to try and fix it, so that just ended up being bigger than normal.

    The clip was just taken from a random programme I'd recorded on my PVR and I wanted something that would convert quickly when trying different settings, as well as one that featured a face so I didn't reduce the bitrate too much (which is easily identified by watching someone's face)

    The problem started because I sometimes make my own DVDs from stuff recorded from TV, and the only program I've ever liked it Ulead DVD Workshop 2. I know it's old and no longer updated, but for no apparent reason, it doesn't like anything recorded on 4Seven, and with those TV shows, it decides not to allow me to insert chapters, and then sends the sound out of sync anyway.

    On that point, if anyone can recommend a DVD creation program that's like Ulead but better and more up to date, that would be much appreciated. I know they did a replacement for it, but it seemed a bit simplistic by comparison. They might've come up with something better by now, though.
    Dom Robinson
    Editor, http://DVDfever.co.uk
    Quote Quote  
  18. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Deep in the Heart of Texas
    Search PM
    I'll add to that a stupified "huh?" regarding asking a question of your own post (at least it reads that way).

    Scott
    Quote Quote  
  19. My computer (or DVD player via usb) cannot play anything above 720. So if I get a file that is HD or 720p, I always must reduce the frame to a max of 720 (see screenshot red circle). So in Total Video Converter, I always have the first number to be 720. The second number is gotten by looking at the Gspot to get the frame size of the original file, then use a calculator to get the second number (preserve the ratio) to avoid having the picture squished or stretched. I usually make the second number about 20% bigger ( things will be stretched a little bit vertically). The purpose of this is to more fully fill the old TV screen from top to bottom.
    Image Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version

Name:	Clipboard01.jpg
Views:	181
Size:	106.8 KB
ID:	24948  

    Last edited by jimdagys; 6th May 2014 at 00:15.
    Quote Quote  
  20. Originally Posted by jimdagys View Post
    I usually make the second number about 20% bigger ( things will be stretched a little bit vertically). The purpose of this is to more fully fill the old TV screen from top to bottom.
    And this is supposed to be informed advice? To purposely give a video the wrong aspect ratio?
    Quote Quote  
  21. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Search Comp PM
    I like DVDStyler, on the one and only occasion I ever made a DVD it was the first program I downloaded and therefore it's the only one I've ever used, but I like it anyway.
    Last edited by ndjamena; 4th May 2014 at 21:05.
    Quote Quote  
  22. dvdfever, what are you actually trying to accomplish? Often you can just change the extension from .ts to .mpg and be done with it.
    Quote Quote  
  23. Originally Posted by manono View Post
    Originally Posted by jimdagys View Post
    I usually make the second number about 20% bigger ( things will be stretched a little bit vertically). The purpose of this is to more fully fill the old TV screen from top to bottom.
    And this is supposed to be informed advice? To purposely give a video the wrong aspect ratio?
    I read it twice..... I couldn't believe someone was advising to change the aspect ratio. I thought maybe I'd misread it.

    jimdagys,
    Surely it'd be better to crop a little picture from each side instead, then resize it correctly?
    As an example, you could take a video worth a 2.35:1 aspect ratio (1280x544) and resize it to something like 720x304 so it'll display correctly. If you want it to fill more of a 16:9 screen though, you could remove (as an example) 100 pixels from each side, resize to 720x362 and you're still using the same amount of screen as if you'd stretched it 20%.... only you didn't. It's like "zooming in" while encoding.

    I know some will claim even removing the sides of the picture is sacrilege but in my opinion, on a scale of 1 to 10 of encoding sins, cropping part of the picture would rate about a 3 while stretching it would be at least an 11.
    Quote Quote  
  24. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Search Comp PM
    I think maybe he's trying to explain how to remove anamorphic...

    Whenever I get stuck with an NTSC DVD I resize it to 768x576 or 1024x576, no 'abouts' about it. MOD16 AND correct aspect ratio AND compatible with some odd foreign Television System belonging to people with strange accents from over there somewhere...
    Quote Quote  
  25. Surely it'd be better to crop a little picture from each side instead, then resize it correctly?
    As an example, you could take a video worth a 2.35:1 aspect ratio (1280x544) and resize it to something like 720x304 so it'll display correctly. If you want it to fill more of a 16:9 screen though, you could remove (as an example) 100 pixels from each side, resize to 720x362 and you're still using the same amount of screen as if you'd stretched it 20%.... only you didn't. It's like "zooming in" while encoding.

    I know some will claim even removing the sides of the picture is sacrilege but in my opinion, on a scale of 1 to 10 of encoding sins, cropping part of the picture would rate about a 3 while stretching it would be at least an 11.
    Thank you for the detailed info. I didn't know about doing that. As long as there are no burned in subtitles or other text that goes to the edge of the picture, it (cropping) is a good option.
    Quote Quote  
Visit our sponsor! Try DVDFab and backup Blu-rays!