Aspect Ratios?

[slysimon]

Don't shout at me, I am trying, but I'm losing too much hair.

I have just about mastered the basics of some things but I have a problem that I have been trying to solve for a few days now with no success.

I have an AVI that is 640x272 at 25fps. An Aspect Ratio of 2.35:1... so far so good.

I want to keep it as 25fps PAL and convert it to DVD Mpeg. For use on a 4:3 TV.

I am using TMPGEnc and whatever source video setting and output video settings I have tried I can't seem to get it to look right. (I may have just missed the obvious settings).

I have even tried to add letterboxing in VirtualDub to expand it to 640x360 (16:9) but ran out of disk space. So far this has been the most promising approach. Is this the only way? Do I really need to make enough space on my HD to go via this approach?

Any help will be welcomed by me and my now balding and sore scalp.

[erratic]

Video tab:
Aspect ratio: 16:9 Display

Advanced tab:
Source aspect ratio: 1:1 (VGA)
Video arrange method: Full screen (keep aspect ratio)

TMPGEnc will then make an anamorphic 16:9 letterboxed MPEG-2 file. If you choose 4:3 Display the black bars will be bigger. Even if I had a 4:3 TV I would still make an anamorphic 16:9 DVD.

[slysimon]

Thanks. I'm giving it a go.

Do I have to alter the size just above the Aspect Ratio on the video tab?

Do I set it to the original size of the AVI or do I need to do some Math?

Thanks again

[erratic]

If you use the PAL DVD template the size will be 720x576. Don't change that. If you're a beginner you should use the Project Wizard in TMPGEnc. Try this guide. I would select the DVD PAL (16:9) template, by the way.

[slysimon]

Thanks a lot. It worked a treat.

I hate using wizards for anything as you don't learn anything that way.

Just got to figure out why the playback is jerky and freezes in places when playing on my standalone. Playback on my xbox is fine.

Oh well. I will search the forums

[bugster]

Just got to figure out why the playback is jerky and freezes in places when playing on my standalone. Playback on my xbox is fine.

Most likley media/DVD player compatibility. Try a different brand media. As it plays fine on your Xbox, it looks like it was encoded/authored fine.