a program to add black bars for mpeg?!?

[reccamaster]

hi there, is there a program to resize or add black bars at the upper and bottom part of a movie?
i have been trying to convert my avi animes to vcd but when i play it on my tv, the 352:240 vcd framesize just won't fit...it cuts the some of the upper and bottom part of the movie and sometimes i can't even read the subtitles becuz of it....
can anybody tell me if such a program exists?

thank you in advance ^_^

[Baldrick]

tmpgenc, panasonic mpeg encoder can add black borders. look under the advanced options.

[reccamaster]

i have audio problem using panasonic and tmpeg can only cut and can't add borders (resizing the frame)..is it really possbile to add borders with tmepg?
if yes, can u plz help me out
thanks ^_^

[Truman]

If you want to resize and add borders, you have to reencode of course. Sure, you need to know what is the source aspect ratio and what aspect ratio you finally want.
If the subs are cutted left and right when watching on TV, it is because of TV overscan. You have to resize.
Tell, what is your source, what do you want to have and you'll get the help you need.

[reccamaster]

i want to have a movie that has an aspect ratio 4:3 ntsc from an 640:480 23.976 fps movie and can fit perfectly in my tv screen

up to now, i haven't been able to encode somtin to fit exactly my tv screen, always cut at the upper and bottom part of the screen....and some anime subs are very low so i can hardly read it

is it possible to have it resized without changing the original quality, i know i cna reencode using Vdub but then i have to change the compression etc and sometimes i have sound problem with it....

thanks for ur help = )

[hitechjunkie]

also, when re-encoding and changing the aspect ratio for the source and/or the output, ALWAYS use the preview window (File->Preview) before encoding to decide whether or not the final aspect ratio looks right. this is a lot easier to do if the final mpeg's ratio is the same as your output monitor/TV. for example, a 4:3 mpeg (320x240 or 640x480) to be played out to a 4:3 monitor/TV.

if your mpeg's rez is 352x240 (VCD), then when previewing it in TMPGEnc, it should appear slightly shorter or squashed from top to bottom. once played back on your standalone to your 4:3 TV, it will display properly, much like a 320x240 or 640x480 mpeg looks like on a PC's monitor.

[Truman]

Your source is AVI 640x480 4:3 NTSC (no borders)
In TMPG> advanced setting set video arrange method "center (costom size)" 320x208
In TMPG> video set aspect ratio to 4:3 525 line NTSC, 352x240
I assume you want to have a mpeg file for VCD.
Resize is only possible by encode.

[reccamaster]

WHOA, truman, u r GOOD!!!!
does "center (costom size)" 320x208 can be applied to any other frame size, like for example 512x384? or there is a calculation to it?
oh and one more question, which is better, to interlace or progressive for mpeg vcd/svcd?

thank you again truman ^_^ ^_^

[Truman]

Don't celebrate me before it is working correctly.
I think 512x384 (4:3 without borders) is the same ratio as 640x480. So you can use costom size 320x208 too. The idea behind is to add 16pixel-borders to all sides, so the TV displays the whole frame. Normally a TV monitor has a overscan area, thatswhy the subs are very close to the edge or even behind.
You should test costom size 320x208 with a short clip to see whether the ratio is correct or not.
Cut a clip with VirtualDub . You can try FitCD to calculate rezised ratios. But I'm afraid, it is incorrect sometimes.
The interlace/progressive setting depends on the source.

[Greg12]

just a lil not.

custom has a 'u' in it, not an 'o'