can't rezise video properly so that it won't be cut off by overscan

[topherpsu]

Ok, here's the deal... I've downloaded a few videos that have been ripped to 704x396 by somebody. These are subtitled anime...s, and I've been trying to get them to display properly. As my DVD player is divx certified, I'm trying to convert all of them to divx format, and put them all on 1 dvd so I can watch them. Every time I try this, however the sides of the video are cut off.
I've tried resizing the video in virtualdub, tried resizing it and adding borders to it, so that it's 720x480, I've tried to use premiere and create a black video image, at 720x480 and then place the video within that frame, and simply resize it by shrinking the selection square around the video in the monitor window. All of this seems to work properly, and the files which I encode seem to be fine.
Once I've done this, I then use the divx converter to convert them to divx (duh) and the videos still seem fine. However, when I actually burn either the avi straight out of premiere, or the divx file, after it's been converted, I still have the same exact problem.

PLEASE help me figure this out - ANYBODY. I'm running out of discs - lol

[guns1inger]

Load the video virtualdub. Add the resize filter. Set the resize to the actual resolution of the video, so the image isn't resized, now tick the box marked Expand Frame and Letterbox Image. Set this to 720 x 480. Close the filters dialogue and check the output window to see the change. Now, with the video mode set to Full Processing, and the audio mode set to Direct Stream Copy, encode a new version of the video. If the video mode is set to Direct Stream Copy then the processing will be very fast, but all filters will be ignored.

[topherpsu]

I don't mean to sound like a jerk or anything, but I've already tried it. And just to be sure, I tried it again, making sure I followed your directions exactly. Same result. Any other ideas?

[guns1inger]

When you look at the output window, do you see the border ?
When you encode the video, do you see the border ?

If the answer to either of these is no then you aren't doing it correctly. I tested my instructions as I typed them to make sure they were accurate. They work.

Your other option is FitCD and avisynth.

[topherpsu]

When I look at the output window, yes, I see the border. When I view the encoded/processed file, I see the border, but when I convert it to divx, and burn it and view it, it still cuts off some of the video on both sides.

I did a full process of the entire file, and I also did about a 2 minute long short clip, so I can just burn it to a multisession disc, and stop running through them like water.

Regardless, it didn't work.

I am looking into fitcd, and avisynth, however, avisynth apparently requires programming knowledge, which I do not have.

And does fitcd need to use avisynth? I'm looking at the program, and am a little confused.

[manono]

So the top and bottom are fine? And you see all the subs, left and right, as well as top and bottom? Maybe not. Sometimes some writing on the left and/or right is cut off? Then you didn't add enough black to the left and right sides. 720-704=16. You're adding 8 pixels to both the right and left sides, or a total of a little over 2% of the width. Since the overscan might average 5-10%, and is sometimes even greater, it stands to reason that you'll have to add more black to the sides.

Me, I'd fix it with an AviSynth script generated by FitCD with some "Blocks Overscan" added. 2 Blocks usually adds 24 pixels to both the left and right. It's up to you to find the amount needed for your particular TV set. But since you're doing all of this via VDub filtering, then you, together with guns1inger's help, can get it sorted, I'm sure.

I don't know anything about DivX Converter, and don't know if it's messing you up somehow. Why aren't you using VDub(Mod) for the whole thing?

Edit Later: After playing around FitCD for awhile, I realized it won't give you back a script where both source and destination are 1:1 with blocks overscan. I gave another suggestion below.

[prof_unto]

I guess your videos are MPEG-4 encoded.
704x396 is a perfect 16:9 aspect ratio by resolution
Since DivX certificate only accept 1:1 aspect ratio, adding black borders from 704x396 to 720x480 would mess up the image/aspect ratio.

1. Demux the audio using VirtualDubMod
2. "Demux" the video to .avi without the audio using VirtualDubMod (Direct Stream Copy)
3. Create AviSynth script with Notepad:

AVISource("g:\video.avi")
Lanczos4Resize(672,364)
Addborders(16,16,16,16)

save as xxxx.avs

4. Load xxxx.avs using VirtualDub(Mod) and do re-encode
5. Mux the result with the audio using VirtualDub(Mod)

The weakness is 672x364 is 1.85 not 16:9, but its close to 16:9

[Alex_ander]

Why do you want to resize a video with 16:9 pixel ratio? I suppose you have an xviD file, maybe your player supports both Divx/xviD (my does though doesn't mention in manual) - try it. If it does not and you want to add borders for making a letterboxed Divx, you have to complement it to 704x528 (4:3), not 720x480 (that's 3:2 and is just used for mpeg encodings).

[manono]

Since DivX certificate only accept 1:1 aspect ratio, adding black borders from 704x396 to 720x480 would mess up the image/aspect ratio.

No it won't. It's still going to be played as 1:1 by his standalone DVD/MPEG-4 player, and inside of that 720x480 video with all the black around the outside is still the original 704x396 video. This is assuming it was created with the equivalent of

AddBorders(8,42,8,42)

which is what guns1inger's instructions do.

No, you're the one giving him bad AR with that script of yours, as you freely admit. If you want to keep the AR, and add more black to the left and right, at least give him a 1.78:1 ratio when downsizing.

LanczosResize(672,378)#yeah, I know, not Mod16
AddBorders(16,16,16,16)#or add as much as he likes

He could do similar in VDub as he did before, and as gunslinger suggested, by resizing down and adding more black to the sides than he did originally.

[prof_unto]

You're right, I forgot adding black bars wont not affect the image in 1:1, I was twisted with DAR in DVD

672,378 is a perfect 16:9 but what if the source interlaced?

[manono]

It's an AVI. Almost by definition it's progressive. At least I think the source is another AVI. It's already been resized to 704x396 and 1:1.

However, I do think he should at least finish with Mod16 resolutions, so he can juggle how much black he adds to make it so. Maybe add black to the 672x378 video to make it 720x416. Something like that.