Trying to convert 16:9 MPEG2 to 4:3 Letterboxed Quicktime

[Digital_X]

I am sure this is a really simple procesure that I am totally overlooking something - so I need some help.

I have a client that wants me to use some clips from a DVD they did some time back in a new video program that I am creating in Media 100. The clips from the DVD are true 16:9 widescreen that opens up on widescreen TVs or gives a 4:3 letterboxed picture on normal TVs - and most of the clips are cartoon / drawing animation that I think was done at 24 fps with a 3:2 pulldown for NTSC video.

The "new program" I am working on is a mixture of 16:9 letterboxed footage and normal 4:3 footage - so the final program has to be 4:3 for normal TVs. That is what the client wants.

Now - I an really reluctant to digitize / capture the footage off the DVD and was hoping to be able to rip / convert the chapters / sections I need and transcode them into Media 100 format or a LOSSLESS Quicktime codec to them import into Media 100.

I searched the web to try and find a program that lets you do this - and the closest thing I could find was the newest verson of "ffmpeg" that used VOB letterboxing.

Now - here is my problem. Th eonly selection that lets you use the VOB Letterbox feature is the "mpeg2enc" which clearly states in the documentation is not a thing to use to go straight to DVD or whatever. When I tried it - the encode was less than great - I couldn't seem to get the data rate to go over 200k. LOSSLESS is 500k and higher.

I was hoping to find a program that would let me take the 16:9 .m2v or VOB file and let me convert it right into a 4:3 letterboxed Quicktime or LOSSLESS file - but I can't find one.

Am I the first person to try and do this?

Hopefully - everthing above makes sense. If anyone can help - please post a message here ASAP. I am sort of on a tight deadline.

[major]

To go from .m2v to Quicktime you should check mpeg2decX.

[Digital_X]

I did check out mpeg2decX before I posted the message here. Mpeg2decX doesn't let you make a 4:3 letterboxed mov from a 16:9 widescreen .m2v.

It gives me a 4:3 "stretched" image.

Basically I need a 4:3 image with the black bars at the top and bottom.