Coverting from PAL SVCD to NTSC DVD ratio problem.

[Kool_Aid]

The image on the left is 480X576 PAL SVCD

The image on the right is 720X480 NTSC DVD
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I use the Mainconcept MPEG Encoder, and I'm happy with the results, except for the ratio.

I can't figure out how to end up with less of a letterbox ratio.

Is there a way to get the full width, and a little more height?

Thanks.

[FulciLives]

When you resize a PAL SVCD to NTSC DVD format then it is proper to go from 480x576 to 720x480

The aspect ratio is the same!

So I have no clue what you are going on about?!?!?

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Kool_Aid]

Can you see the images?

Is there a way to end up with less of a letterbox ratio, on the DVD NTSC?

[junkmalle]

If the SVGA image has the correct aspect ratio on a PAL TV (ie, it was encoded properly) then the DVD image will have the correct aspect ratio on an NTSC TV.

[FulciLives]

Yes I can see the pictures.

I think what you are asking ... is there a way to make the NTSC DVD full screen i.e., no black on the top and bottom.

The simple answer is NO because for that to happen you have to either:

1.) Distort the original aspect ratio thus distorting the image
2.) Resize the image to fit the screen top to bottom which means you must cut off information from the sides

Neither is really an acceptable option.

That is why so much concern goes into video these days in terms of keeping the aspect ratio as per the original.

What I was trying to say in my first post is that resizing from PAL SVCD 480x576 to NTSC DVD 720x480 retains the original aspect ratio of the original SVCD.

In short you have done nothing wrong with the way you did your resize per your conversion from SVCD PAL to NTSC DVD.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Kool_Aid]

OK, thanks.

On my 65" widscreen TV, the DVD NTSC finished product looks like about 1/3 of the screen, with 2/3's being black bars.

Needless to say, it doesn't look very pleasant.

[FulciLives]

OK, thanks.

On my 65" widscreen TV, the DVD NTSC finished product looks like about 1/3 of the screen, with 2/3's being black bars.

Needless to say, it doesn't look very pleasant.

Well that doesn't make a whole lot of sense because most films are no wider than 2.35:1 which means your image should fill about the middle 60% of your TV with 20% black above and 20% black below.

Based on the SVCD image (hard to tell since it is so small) but based on that posted image it looks like the original aspect ratio was maybe 1.85:1

If you can can you post a screen shot here of the SVCD? Load it into VirtualDubMod and make a copy of one of the images. Leave it at the same resolution (480x576) then post a JPG image of it here.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Kool_Aid]

[junkmalle]

Did you resize that image at all? I measured the movie frame (including black bars) as 400 pixels wide by 480 tall. Resizing that to 640x480 makes the pixel aspect ratio of the man look proper on a computer monitor, that is, not too fat, not too skinny. That is the equivalent of resizing to 720x480 for TV. So it looks like the file is 4:3 frame size.

On my 65" widscreen TV, the DVD NTSC finished product looks like about 1/3 of the screen, with 2/3's being black bars.

Did you encode as 16:9 or 4:3 picture aspect ratio? You should encode to MPEG as 4:3. Of course, then you'll end up with narrow black bars on all four sides of the wide screen TV.

[FulciLives]

I am sorry if I didn't make myself clear but I wanted you to use VirtualDubMod to load the PAL SVCD then save an image from it.

I think this can be done in more than one way and right now I just got a new HDD and in the middle of doing a complete re-do (new OS installation and installing all my programs) and I haven't gotten around to loading VirtualDubMod yet but if I recall you go to EDIT and then COPY FRAME TO CLIPBOARD then go to your image editing program (such as Photoshop etc.) and paste it then save it.

This will give you a full image at whatever resolution the original file is (in this case 480x576).

You just did a screen print of VirtualDubMod which is no good for our purposes here!

If you want to do this yourself ... resize the captured image from 480x576 to 720x480 and that is what it should like like when you resize is PROPERLY with ... in your case ... Mainconcept MPEG encoder.

If you resize from 480x576 to 640x480 then it will look exactly like it will on your TV screen. DVD video is 720x480 (well NTSC is) but is played back at 640x480 ... so ... resize from 480x576 to 640x480 and that should match what you see on your TV although remember because of TV overscan you will be seeing a bit less of the edges of the image on your TV.

Hope that is clear!

If you want us to check it for you ...

Post the 480x576 image from the PAL SVCD like I described and then do the same for your re-encoded 720x480 NTSC DVD file. Then I can 100% verify if you resized correctly or not.

Also as mentioned you should have encoded as 4:3 not 16x9 but if you have a 16x9 TV then you could do 16x9 but you would have to do some cropping etc. so I'd rather not even get into that unless you really want to re-do it as 16x9 ... which really only makes sense to do IF you have a 16x9 TV.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Skynet107]

What movie is that? Is that Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle?

Anyway, the confusion comes in because the rez of an SVCD is obviously stretched but when played on a standalone DVD or on a computer using the proper codec the image is squeezed and has the correct aspect ratio.

You don't have to do ANYTHING when you are re-encoding, just let the encoder resize to 720x480 and when played back it will look perfect. Why are you trying to get rid of the letterboxing? The original movie is letterboxed!

If you really wanted to encode it as 16x9 you can do it as anamorphic.