Automatic Feature in DivXToDVD

[moviebuff2]

Hi everyone:

I have a question regarding the choice "automatic" in DivXToDVD. I am using the free version 0.5.2.

After loading a video file, say an AVI, does the "automatic" choice in Aspect recognize and keep the original aspect ratio of the original video file. For example, if I load an AVI with 16:9 aspect ratio and choose "Aspect - automatic", will I get my DVD file with 16:9 aspect ratio?

Thanks

[guns1inger]

It appears to use a 'best fit' based on the aspect ratio of the file. If the AR is 1.78 or wider, it will choose 16:9, otherwise it will choose 4:3. You can over-ride this if you wish. Note : if you choose 4:3, it will give you a letterboxed imaged, not a cropped full frame image. Sometimes this is the best option, as DivxtoDVD does not apply any filters, so resizing up can produce a soft image.

[moviebuff2]

Hi guns1inger:

Thanks

I tested the software using an AVI which is 16:9. All 3 settings for aspect ratio (automatic, force 4:3 and force 16:9) yielded the same result - something close to 16:9, but not quite.

I played the original AVI to compare to the 3 DVDs I made. The width of all 4 are the same, but the heights are not. The DVDs have a little more heights than the AVI. However, part of the DVDs are cut off from the sides. For example, in one scene, there are 10 people lining up horizontally. The AVI shows all 10 people in full. The DVDs show only 8 people in full, 2 (1st & 10th) not in full.

It seems to me that in converting AVI to DVD, using DivXToDVD, a very small part of the picture is cut off to compensate for the increase in height, resulting in the ratio of 16:10 (10 is just my estimate ).

One strange thing: smartripper indicates the video of the 3 DVDs is 4:3. I think smartripper recognizes anything that is less than 16:9 as 4:3.

[guns1inger]

Were you watching on the PC, or your TV ?

Remember that

1. Your AVI files have a pixel aspect ratio of 1:1. The DVD files do not, because TVs do not.

2. Your PC display does not have overscan, so you see your AVIs in full. Your TV does, so you will lose the left and rigfht edges to the overscan area. You will still see them on your PC.

I have used DivxtoDVD and ConvertXtoDVD and have never experienced the problems you describe in 4:3 or 16:9, in PAL or NTSC.