16:9 to 4:3

[mcpogue]

Hi, I am creating a video presentation and all of my source footage is 4:3 aspect. I'd like to include some additional footage from another DVD, but it is only available in 16:9. Can I use virtualdub to change the aspect of this footage? How? What filters and in what order? I am converting the DVD to Xvid and would like to change aspects in the process.

Thanx

[reboot]

Open the video in virtualdub.
Select Video, Filters, Add, Resize.
Put a tick in the Expand frame and letterbox image.
Set the NEW Size (up top) to the original's size.
Set the Frame width and frame height to 320x240 (for NTSC) or 320x288 (for PAL), or whatever aspect you need that the WIDTH matches the original.
Click OK and see if it looks correct on the output screen. Adjust the Frame width and height as needed, but dont' adjust the NEW Size, or your video will get squished or stretched.

[guns1inger]

When you are looking at VirtualDub's preview window, make sure you set it to 4:3, and not the default 1:1, otherwise your resizing will be off.

[mcpogue]

Just for clarification, am trying to change 16:9 DVD to match my existing 4:3 footage, not the other way around. All footage is 720x480p.

[guns1inger]

How are you going to deal with pan and scan ? Are you happy to just take the middle of the screen and loose the ends ? or would you like it to be letterbox widescreen (i.e keep the original aspect ratio but in a 4:3 presentation) ?

If the latter, resize vertically to 360, and expanded frame to 720 x 480 and you should be OK.

[thecoalman]

Lot's of options here..... To maintain the correct aspect you need to either crop the video or as gunslinger suggested overlay it on a 4:3 video which will give you a artificial letterbox.

The best solutiion is use Authoring software that supports multiple VTS, you can create the DVD with both aspects. The DVD player will adjust the aspect as needed. Ulead DVD Workshop is one and I believe DVD Lab Pro is also capable of that. I'm pretty sure you could also do this with ifoedit and manually edit the ifo file in the DVD files..... not familiar with how though.

[mcpogue]

Guns1inger,

I don't want to chop the ends, would like to keep the 16:9 aspect in a 4:3 presentation. Could you explain the resize dialog step by step? I'm confused by the two sets of numbers.

Thanx

[dphirschler]

If your 16x9 video is anamorphic, you would resize to 720x360, then pad with black to 480 lines.


Darryl

[reboot]

A 16:9 video cannot be 720x480, yet you said all footage is 720x480...I'm confused.
Anyhow, like I said in virtualdub...set the top two boxes to 720x360, and the bottom two to 720x480, with a tick in the Expand frame and letterbox...

[thecoalman]

A 16:9 video cannot be 720x480, yet you said all footage is 720x480...

Anamorphic, all 16:9 shot on digital cam conforms to standard DVD resolutions. Here's a screenshot. The aspect is determined by the ratio not the resolution.

[dphirschler]

A 16:9 video cannot be 720x480, yet you said all footage is 720x480...I'm confused.

Bullshit. 16x9 video on DVD is 720x480. It's just anamorphic. Your 16x9 TV (if you had one) would simply stretch it horizontally to fill the screen.

@mcpogue:
Your 16x9 footage on your DVD is encoded anamorphic. That means it will appear compressed horizontally. In other words a circle will look like a tall skinny oval. If I read correctly what you want is to avoid cropping the sides. So it sounds like you want to convert the anamorphic video to letterboxed. Here is how to do that.

In Virtual Dub:

1. load your video
2. go to filters and add a resize filter.
3. set it for precise bilinear and the size to 720x360
4. check the box that reads "expand frame and letterbox image"
5. set the size to 720x480
6. click OK and you are good to go.

Good luck.


Darryl

[reboot]

OK, everyone stop jumping down my throat. I guess I should have reworded it, however...

@dphirschler
Your instructions are virtually identical to mine...sheesh.

[dphirschler]

@reboot
Not trying to "steal you glory". Just helping the guy out. Sorry if you felt like I stepped on your toes..

[reboot]

Nah, that's not it.
I think the OP has been swallowed by the ether, and we're doing all this typing for nothing.