Problem with changing aspect ratio of .ts file (ReStream)

[lemmy999]

I have been capturing a standard definition over the air broadcast (HDHomeRun -> NextPVR) which gives me a .ts file (704x480 29.97fps, MPEG-2 video, AC-3 audio). The problem is that the local station has the aspect ratio wrong. I have contacted them and the engineer agreed that it wasn't correct, but never did anything about it. It is an old sitcom that was 4:3. It is broadcast with the aspect ratio flag as 4:3 and so it takes the 4:3 with black bars and further squeezes it to add more black bars. Thankfully I found an easy and free solution, in ReStream. I simply load the file in ReStream, change the aspect ratio from 4:3 to 16:9 and I don't touch anything else. The result is perfect aspect ratio.

I then use either Smart Cutter (sometimes doesn't cut on the correct frame or has audio sync issues) or Womble MPEG Video Wizard DVD to edit out the commercials. The resulting .ts is then converted to an .mkv file (x265, aac audio) with Handbrake (VidCoder)

I have watched these videos and maybe 8 or 9 times in each of the 25 minutes video there will be some momentary blockiness, a slight pause, or an audio glitch sound. I have kept each file (original, ReStream output, Womble output, and the final mkv) and have found that the original file is always fine a few of the glitches first showed up in the ReStream output file. This surprised me since I think it only edits the header.

Is there anything I could be doing in ReStream that is causing this? I have included what the ReStream window looks like before I save it. Are there any other tools out there that can change the aspect ratio for me? Or would I be better keeping it in the wrong aspect ratio until I do the encoding with Handbrake?


[Attachment 59536 - Click to enlarge]


Also, is there a better tool to use for cutting out the commercials? Form the description it is difficult to determine if the cuts are frame accurate. Smart Cutter claims to be and usually is, but sometimes it isn't. But the bigger issue is that I often have issues with audio sync afterwards. MPEG Video Wizard DVD does a good job but I still get lots of these blocks and pauses. Lots of people suggest VideoRedo, but it is quite expensive and I have heard some mixed reviews on it. Also I am not sure it supports the closed captioning that is in the broadcast. I have considered trying SolveignMM Video Splitter, but I am not sure if it is frame accurate or not. Thanks.

[lemmy999]

I did a file compare of the files before and after using ReStream and there were significant differences in the file for some reason.

I then did some research and found out the pattern to look for the aspect ratio flag. 00 00 01 B3 2C 01 E0 24 [ 00 00 01 B3 = header, 2C 0 = 704 horizontal resolution, 1 E0 = 480 vertical resolution, 2 = 4:3 aspect ratio, 4 = 29.97 fps]. So I manually changed the "2" to a "3". I didn't expect it to work since there were over 2800 instances of that pattern, but I played it in VLC and it played correctly and also used MediaInfo and it reported 16:9. I'm not sure why they ignore they only look at the first header that is now set to 16:9 and none of the other ones that say 4:3. But oddly enough many of those glitches are now gone and the final encoding (with no commercials removed) turned out pretty good.

However I have determined that I can get the same end result with the aspect ratio settings in Handbrake. So now I will try to edit the commercials out of the original file with Womble MPEG Video Wizard DVD and then fix the aspect ratio in the x265 encoding process.

[ProWo]

You can change the display aspect ratio (DAR) easely and fast, without recode and quality loss, with clever FFmpeg-GUI.

[codehound]

Also, is there a better tool to use for cutting out the commercials?

Use Avidemux (free) to remove commercials. Drag and drop the .ts video file into the app. ONLY use the up + down curser keys to travel back and forth along the video - don't grab the slider with the mouse.


[Attachment 59545 - Click to enlarge]

- then you will be solely on i-frames keeping the video/audio in sync - and use the A+B markers for start and end of commercial break you want to cut and hit DEL. Do as many times as you want along the timeline of the video, and click

1- 'Output format' from the drop down box required > SAVE.


[Attachment 59546 - Click to enlarge]

PS

2- You can force 16:9 AR in Avidemux too as part of the 'Save'.


[Attachment 59547 - Click to enlarge]

[lemmy999]

Thanks for the suggestions. Is Avidemux capable of frame accurate cuts?

[lemmy999]

You can change the display aspect ratio (DAR) easely and fast, without recode and quality loss, with clever FFmpeg-GUI.

thanks. I had never heard of this gui before. I was considering writing a small program to manually change all of the header sequence entries, but I would much rather use something that is already available as I am not much of a programmer.