Question/Looking for software recommendation...

[jgazebo]

Hey everybody,

Here is my question. I have a few TV series that in DIVX format that I have been burning to DVD and then watching on my TV. I recently upgraded to a dual layer dvd burner, and I am looking for a program that supports dual layer burners AND (this is important) will auto add letterbox to the burns so that it doesn't screw up the aspect ratio. I had been using Super DVD Creator, but it doesn't have DL support. I just got "ConvertXtoDVD," I beleive it supports Dual Layer, but it doesn't have an add letterbox option. What a pain in the ass! Anyway, just wondering if anyone knows of a good program. Thanks in advance for any advice.

[guns1inger]

ConvertXtoDVD has two options. You can burn 16:9, which will give you a true 16:9 output, or 4:3, which will letterbox widescreen material.

Silly question - why would you want to letterbox ? If you have widescreen source you are better off encoding as 16:9. It will playback fine on a 4:3 TV if your player is configured properly, and prepares you for when you do get a widescreen TV.

[jgazebo]

Well, first off, let me say I'm no expert at this stuff. But when I have it burn it in the widescreen format, I not only get the black bars on the top and bottom, but on the sides as well. So it looks like a box, that is lame. I dont' think the original DIVX on my computer is widescreen...perhaps that is the problem. However, when I burn it in 4:3, it cuts off the top and bottom of the screen. ( I can tell, because peoples heads go off screen) which is also very annoying. No matter what setting I use on my DVD player, it doesn't help. So I guess my question now is this: Why if my original source isn't widescreen, would the picture get cut off when I burn it in 4:3? For the record, I'm burning episodes of Entourage. Doesn't HBO seem to film everything in that anamorphic widescreen? Would that be the problem? I'm totally lost here, in over my head.

I had been using Super DVD Creator to burn these movies, and it worked perfectly when I would check "auto add letterbox." The only problem is that program doesn't support DL discs, and I want to burn to them, so I can fit more shows on one disc. Any other ideas? Thanks again!!!!