Canopus ADVC 110 - Capturing in Windowbox

[nharikrishna]

Hi all,

I ran into this weird problem.

I usually capture old Black & White movies from Satellite box (S-Video) using Canopus ADVC-110 and the software to capture is WinDV.

While WinDV doesn't have any settings to mention aspect ratio (4:3, 16:9), for B&W movies it has been capturing in 4:3 and I have no issues with authoring tem to DVD.

The trouble comes with capturing some of the newer movies (color). WinDV captures those newer movies in Windowboxing mode (picture below): Is there anything that I can do to make it a proper aspect ration rather than in this windowboxed format? I edit in Premiere and my aim is to make DVD-Video with 'proper' aspect ratio. With WinDV I have no way of determining what aspect ratio the satellite box is broadcasting the movie in...Thanks.

[edDV]

Hi all,

I ran into this weird problem.

I usually capture old Black & White movies from Satellite box (S-Video) using Canopus ADVC-110 and the software to capture is WinDV.

While WinDV doesn't have any settings to mention aspect ratio (4:3, 16:9), for B&W movies it has been capturing in 4:3 and I have no issues with authoring tem to DVD.

The trouble comes with capturing some of the newer movies (color). WinDV captures those newer movies in Windowboxing mode (picture below): Is there anything that I can do to make it a proper aspect ration rather than in this windowboxed format? I edit in Premiere and my aim is to make DVD-Video with 'proper' aspect ratio. With WinDV I have no way of determining what aspect ratio the satellite box is broadcasting the movie in...Thanks.


[Attachment 9370 - Click to enlarge]

The ADVC-110 is an analog to DV converter. It can only be set to 720x480 or 720x576. Any letterbox you are getting is in the source analog video.

The side pillars are being added by your TV or player.

The DV that is delivered from the ADVC is always without the wide flag (4:3 assumed).

If you capture anamorphic analog video, it will appear horizontally squished like this (this is 720x480). You will need to edit the clip PAR properties in the editor or encoder to wide.



For example, I can change the aspect ratio flag to wide in Vegas by setting clip aspect ratio to 1.2121 and rendering the file. There is no re-encode if you export to DV. After setting the flag to wide, it will display like this.

[Cornucopia]

Correct me if I'm wrong edDV, but I thought all the ADVC line had dip switches which, among other things like TV system, allows to change the AR flag...

Scott

edit: NM, I just found the manual for the 110, and NO it doesn't have a dipswitch for that setting.

[edDV]

Nope, it assumes 4:3. The user must manually change the flag for wide source.

[nharikrishna]

The side pillars are being added by your TV or player.

Thanks edDV. On TV it shows perfectly and fills the screen. So the side pillars are being added by the Satellite set-top box. Can I set something in Premiere (after capturing) to bring it to normal (without pillars)? Also, whenever I see such windowboxing from Canopus, can I assume that the source video is analog widescreen? Black & White movies are properly pillar-boxed and NO black bars on top & bottom. Does it mean that the B&W movies were being braodcast by the set-top box in proper 4:3 format and not widescreen?

By the way, the satellite box is only Standard Definition (DVB-S) and doesn't have any digital output connectors. It has Composite, Component & S-Video.

Regards

[edDV]

The side pillars are being added by your TV or player.

Thanks edDV. On TV it shows perfectly and fills the screen. So the side pillars are being added by the Satellite set-top box. Can I set something in Premiere (after capturing) to bring it to normal (without pillars)? Also, whenever I see such windowboxing from Canopus, can I assume that the source video is analog widescreen? Black & White movies are properly pillar-boxed and NO black bars on top & bottom. Does it mean that the B&W movies were being braodcast by the set-top box in proper 4:3 format and not widescreen?

By the way, the satellite box is only Standard Definition (DVB-S) and doesn't have any digital output connectors. It has Composite, Component & S-Video.

Regards

The issues are all with your satellite box or the way you have Premiere set up. The Canopus ADVC just captures what the satellite box puts out to 720x576 DV format. It has no ability to add letterbox or side pillars.

I'm beginning to think this is a Premiere settings problem but first I need to understand what is coming out of the sat box. What do you see if you just play the DV-AVI file in VLC?

There should be two cases for standard def analog coming from the sat box.

16:9 programming should show letterbox, or it is possible that it would show horizontally squeezed like the example above.

4:3 programming should fill the frame, or it is possible the sat box is adding side pillars and sending it as 16:9.

Once we understand that, I can recommend Premiere settings.

[nharikrishna]

first I need to understand what is coming out of the sat box. What do you see if you just play the DV-AVI file in VLC?

edDV, I will post the screenshots tonight. Thanks.