Creating DVDs / Pixel Aspect Ratio

[stshipley]

Hello All,

I'm converting AVI movies to DVD, and using Sizzle to author the DVDs. When I convert the AVI, I use the DVD ffmpeg preset, and change it to DVD 16:9.

The resulting MPG file, if you keep elementary streams as I do, for a 16x9 file is not 720x480, with a longer 16x9 pixel aspect ratio, but rather a 720x404 with normal pixels. When this gets turned into the VOB in the VIDEO_TS file, you can see the quality isn't as good.

Is there anyway to use ffmpegX to make true 720x480 16:9 DVDs? I feel like I must be doing something wrong in the encoding process.

Thanks,

-STS

[major]

When you select "DVD 16:9", the video tab should display the size 720x480. When you open the resulting MPG file in ffmpegX, the summary tab should display the size 720x480.

[stshipley]

Major,

You are indeed correct, the resultant shows up as 720x480 in ffmpegX. That is a relief!

It also shows up as a full 480 pixels in height in both VLC and MPlayer.

So why does it show up in Quicktime as 720x404?

Thanks,

-STS

[Ironhide]

DVD resolution is 720x480. Whether we're dealing 4:3 or 16:9, that's the resolution DVD's expect. To not get over-complicated, that's just how things work. You can google up dvd formats and aspect ratios for more info on the subject.

But to answer, when you set ffmpegX to make a 16:9 DVD it flags the output so it knows to display at 16:9 resolution rather than 4:3. That's what I've gathered from my own googling anyhow.

Hope it helps.

[major]

So why does it show up in Quicktime as 720x404?

Because Quicktime incorrectly applies an aspect ratio correction to it. You may go in the Quicktime options with apple-J and set the display size manually.

[broaddd]

So if you have a 16:9 avi that you want to convert to VIDEO_TS format, to play on both 4:3 and 16:9 TVs, is it correct that you should choose the DVD 16:9 option and untick letterboxes? And thus the 4:3 TV will have automatically added black bars and the 16:9 TV will show it in anamorphic goodness?

[major]

Yes, that is correct.