DVD has turned 720 into 352x576 ... can this be undone?

[Spiny Norman]

The picture below is the result of a DVD I created with TMPGenc 3. It has changed the source dimensions into 352 x 576... Resulting in the very slim look below. In reality it's 720 x 576 PAL 4:3. It also makes the subtitles appear only on the right half.
I used the Smart Rendering so I suspect the trouble was already in the source (also, I threw away the source files).

I'd much prefer NOT to have to re-encode everything. I've tried to edit the IFO files but so far that does not seem to work. The only other thing I can think of is to make a kind of stream copy with Super Encoder and see if that comes out as 720 wide.

If anyone has advice on how so solve this the smart way - perhaps some hard to find stuff with IfoEdit? - I'd be very grateful.



It's by the way a Finnish Hobbit series from 1993 (with Engish subtitles).

[DB83]

I do not really understand why it should display like that.

352*576 is pal-dvd compliant. It is called half-d1 and SHOULD display on your tv as if you had created a 720*576 dvd in the first place.

If you really want a 720*576, you will have to re-encode but I suggest that you chose 704*576 instead of 720*576.

[jagabo]

It looks like you chose to encode the video as half D1. Just change the display aspect ratio to 4:3.

[Spiny Norman]

I do not really understand why it should display like that.

352*576 is pal-dvd compliant. It is called half-d1 and SHOULD display on your tv as if you had created a 720*576 dvd in the first place.

If you really want a 720*576, you will have to re-encode but I suggest that you chose 704*576 instead of 720*576.

But other DVDs seem to play back fine. Is there no way to change a setting somewhere in an ifo file without re-encoding?
If I play just the VOB file it works fine.

[sanlyn]

What TMPGenc "3" are you using? TMPGEnc MPEG Editor v3, or the v3 encoder? Either way, if you input 720x576 they should output the same frame unless you set the output for 352x576.

[jagabo]

Is there no way to change a setting somewhere in an ifo file without re-encoding?

Yes, use IfoEdit and change the DAR to 4:3.

[DB83]

Well I guess the original dvd was 352*576 although I did not think that commercial outfits did that.

There is a setting somewhere in pgcedit and/or ifoedit to force playback to 4:3 I just forget where it is right now.

Your player probably over-rides the AR on the clip to force 4:3

[Spiny Norman]

It looks like you chose to encode the video as half D1. Just change the display aspect ratio to 4:3.

What TMPGenc "3" are you using? TMPGEnc MPEG Editor v3, or the v3 encoder? Either way, if you input 720x576 they should output the same frame unless you set the output for 352x576.

On the surface it seems fine. Just when playing back the output this occurs. And TMPGEnc DVD Author 3.

Is there no way to change a setting somewhere in an ifo file without re-encoding?

Yes, use IfoEdit and change the DAR to 4:3.

Well I guess the original dvd was 352*576 although I did not think that commercial outfits did that.

There is a setting somewhere in pgcedit and/or ifoedit to force playback to 4:3 I just forget where it is right now.

Your player probably over-rides the AR on the clip to force 4:3

At first glance IfoEdit seems to be OK. VIDEO_TS.IFO says:
"Video Manager Menu attributes: Video: MPEG-2 720x576 (PAL) (PAL 625/50) (4:3) (not specified perm.display),
Title Set 1: VTS_1 Video: MPEG-2 352x576 (PAL) (PAL 625/50) (4:3) (not specified perm.display)"
and VTS_01_0.IFO says:
"Menu attributes: Video: MPEG-1 720x480 (NTSC) (NTSC 525/60) (4:3) (pan-scan & letterboxed),
Title Set (Movie) attributes:
Video: MPEG-2 352x576 (PAL) (PAL 625/50) (4:3) (not specified perm.display)"

But I've never dug deeper than that into ifo(edit). For example I didn't know that 352x576 was a normal possibility. Does this contain any clues perhaps?

[r0lZ]

Half-D1 is a legit DVD-Video resolution.

I guess the player you have used to test the DVD has read the picture resolution in the VOB file instead of the IFO. That's not right, as the IFO takes precedence. Try to load your VOB files in DVDPatcher, and, if it displays 720x576 or 704x576 in the right pane, fix it. (Be sure to verify all other settings too.)

Your player may also be unable to display correctly half-D1. If it's the case, check with another player.

[Spiny Norman]

Half-D1 is a legit DVD-Video resolution.

I guess the player you have used to test the DVD has read the picture resolution in the VOB file instead of the IFO. That's not right, as the IFO takes precedence. Try to load your VOB files in DVDPatcher, and, if it displays 720x576 or 704x576 in the right pane, fix it. (Be sure to verify all other settings too.)

Your player may also be unable to display correctly half-D1. If it's the case, check with another player.

Thank you, that could very well be it. So... DVDpatcher's new for me, but... this result is normal?

VIDEO_TS.VOB:


VTS_01_1.VOB:

[r0lZ]

Well, according to what you wrote previously, yes, it's normal.

At first glance IfoEdit seems to be OK. VIDEO_TS.IFO says:
"Video Manager Menu attributes: Video: MPEG-2 720x576 (PAL) (PAL 625/50) (4:3) (not specified perm.display),
Title Set 1: VTS_1 Video: MPEG-2 352x576 (PAL) (PAL 625/50) (4:3) (not specified perm.display)"
and VTS_01_0.IFO says:
"Menu attributes: Video: MPEG-1 720x480 (NTSC) (NTSC 525/60) (4:3) (pan-scan & letterboxed),
Title Set (Movie) attributes:
Video: MPEG-2 352x576 (PAL) (PAL 625/50) (4:3) (not specified perm.display)"

(The video attributes of the menu of VTS 1 is NTSC, and that's illegal as you cannot mix PAL and NTSC on the same DVD, but I guess that there is no menu VOB file in VTS 1. (If VTS_01_0.VOB exists, then there is a serious error. Otherwise, you can ignore the little discrepancy, as the video attributes of VTSM 1 should never be used by the player.)

DVDPatcher prints out the real video characteristics in the right pane. But note that it doesn't update automatically the GUI options accordingly. If you want to patch the VOB file, you have to change the bitrate (to 8.0MBit) and, for VIDEO_TS.VOB, the horizontal size (to 720). I suggest also to patch the entire file.

You didn't say how you did your screenshot in the first post. If it's really the resolution stored in the video, then it is right, but many players resize the screenshots to display them with the correct aspect ratio. If it's the case, then that confirm that your player doesn't handle correctly half-D1. Your DVD is probably correct, but should be played with a better player. Try Media Player Classic Homecinema (MPC-HC) or VLC.

In the other hand, if the video is in 704x576 or 720x576, patch it with DVDPatcher and fix the picture size in the IFO with IfoEdit. But I think that that should not be the case, as I see no reason to convert a DVD in half-D1 if the original is in full resolution.

[Spiny Norman]

(The video attributes of the menu of VTS 1 is NTSC, and that's illegal as you cannot mix PAL and NTSC on the same DVD, but I guess that there is no menu VOB file in VTS 1. (If VTS_01_0.VOB exists, then there is a serious error. Otherwise, you can ignore the little discrepancy, as the video attributes of VTSM 1 should never be used by the player.)
...
Try Media Player Classic Homecinema (MPC-HC) or VLC. ... You didn't say how you did your screenshot in the first post.

That struck me too. And it's strange that TMPGEnc DVD Author should've done that. There is no VTS_01_0.VOB, but there are an IFO and a BUP for that.
I am using the latest version of VLC. I took the screenshot from VLC player using their own button. But that's how it looked anyway, when started from the menu. When I play the VOB directly it all goes well.
I'm not sure if I know exactly what to patch, or if that's necessary. How do I figure out of it's the player or the DVD?

[r0lZ]

The NTSC attributes is not a problem if the file VTS_01_0.VOB doesn't exist. TMPGEnc has left its default attributes, but it's in a place that should never be read by a player. Don't worry for that.

To test if the VOB file is really encoded in half-D1, open the DVD in PgcEdit, select the main movie in the left pane, and launch the preview. Then click the BMP button of the Preview window to save any image to disc. That image is saved without aspect ratio correction, and therefore its resolution should be 352x576. If it's not the case, then you have to patch the VOB and IFO files.

VLC seems to have a bug with Half-D1. I'm not sure, and I don't have half-D1 DVDs here to test it, but VLC has several bugs related to DVD-Video. Try MPC-HC.

Anyway, a standalone DVD player should play your DVD just fine.

[Spiny Norman]

It's definately 352 x 576. So that means nothing is wrong, and it's just a VLC bug?

Although, MPC-HC gave me this screenshot:

[Attachment 17151 - Click to enlarge]
What the-?

[r0lZ]

Yes, it seems that it's a VLC bug. MPC seems to show the right aspect ratio, but with the image upside down and bad subtitles. So, perhaps a little bug in your authoring program causes that VLC and MPC bugs. Anyway, check with a standalone player. Software players are usually not very good to test a DVD-Video.

[Spiny Norman]

Well I quit, the upside down picture is just too much for me. I don't feel like redoing the whole menu, and it plays back fine on my DVD player, and on my media player.
But thanks for the input and follow up.