New camera, new way of authoring!

[HenrikSolberg]

Hello, I'm currently using an regular 4:3 dvcam and makes some short films with it! I've edited the films I've made in Premiere, then used TMPEGenc to make the MPEG2 files and then used DVDlab to do the menus and to burn it to DVD!

Now I just ordered the Canon XL2, a camera that films in 16:9. I get the camera within one week and I now want to "prepare" my software for it!

When I choose PAL 16:9 option for new project in Premiere the project size is still 720x576 but the pixel-aspect ratio is now 1,4something (it is 1,06667 in normal PAL 4:3)
Is this what I should use when editing recordings from XL2?

And in TMPEGenc I can not choose 720x405 (which is 16:9) as a output? Why is that? Im using the TMPEG 2.5 Plus! What settings do I want to use here! The XL2 also record progressive frames, but I still need to choose the output (not the input) as interlaced in TMPEGenc (since TVs are interlaced)? Or does the DVD player convert this itself?

And finally in DVDlab, I am not able to choose a widescreen format in "project size"! Why not?

All this are 16:9 questions that I got because of the XL2 which I'm waiting for. Any suggestions or comments any one?

Excuse me for my bad english!

[thecoalman]

Well mines NTSC so this info pertains to NTSC but should be the same.

720x576 is the full resolution of PAL correct? So that would be your input and output. The aspect is determined by the video header in the file after you transfer it, not by the resolution. Also note that you can't view the 16:9 on a regular TV with the correct aspect unless you use the s-video connection. BTW it does record in both 16:9 or 4:3.

It's also the same for progressive or regular TV standard. It records in both.

Not familiar with DVD lab but providing you transfer the footage as 16:9 and encode it with the 16:9 flag it should just use the header file info so you get the correct aspect when playing from DVD.

Again this info pertains to the NTSC version which is no different than a regular Sony D8 cam accept of course the quality and options such as progressive.

[Baldrick]

In tmpgenc just change the Aspect ratio to 16:9 under Settings->Video. Import in dvd-lab and it should see it as 16:9. ..you can try with a clip and see.

[edDV]

Further to what was said above, the header determines 4x3 vs 16x9. Within digital television, this can change scene by scene to match the format used by the camera while shooting.

You seem to be stuck on the concept of square* pixels. DV, DVD and DTV use variable width pixels to achieve 4x3 vs 16x9 aspect ratio. The exact width varies depending on 720x576 or 720x480 variations. The geniuses that worked this out back in the 1980's didn't intend to confuse us normal mortals, they should have posted a warning sign.

* pixels are square in the spacially challenged computer graphics world.

[HenrikSolberg]

Okay, I think I get it! It is the pixel aspect ratio witch determines wheter it is 4:3 or 16:9 or any other aspect ratio for that matter?

So what I must do is to use 720x576 anyway, but change the pixel aspect ratio!?!

[edDV]

Okay, I think I get it! It is the pixel aspect ratio witch determines wheter it is 4:3 or 16:9 or any other aspect ratio for that matter?

So what I must do is to use 720x576 anyway, but change the pixel aspect ratio!?!

The Canon XL2 supports either 4x3 or 16x9 natively. The camcorder mode settings determine the aspect ratio. Data is recorded to the tape to identify which mode was used when the video was shot. It will shoot 720x576 pixels in either mode.

[HenrikSolberg]

Yes, I know that! But when it films in 16:9 the pixel aspect ratio is different from when it films in 4:3 right?

[bugster]

Yes, I know that! But when it films in 16:9 the pixel aspect ratio is different from when it films in 4:3 right?

Right

[HenrikSolberg]

I'll guess I'm starting to understand!
And when I make graphics in for example Photoshop I make that in 1024x576 so it will fit in a widescreen PAL project? Just like I make graphics in 768x576 to make it fit in a 4:3 PAL project!

Right?

[bugster]

I'll guess I'm starting to understand!
And when I make graphics in for example Photoshop I make that in 1024x576 so it will fit in a widescreen PAL project? Just like I make graphics in 768x576 to make it fit in a 4:3 PAL project!

Right?

Right

[HenrikSolberg]

Well, it seems like I've finally got it! Thanks a lot!

[HenrikSolberg]

Now I've just tested it with a little 8 seconds movie, and my 4:3 television understandet that "this is 16:9" and made black bars over and under itself! Brilliant! The only problem now is the meny that I make in DVDlab! I choosed 16:9 menus in DVDlab and made a little menu which just said "test" (link to the clip), but when the menu play on my television the text is showed two times horizontally!

Like this (with different colors):

test
test

I'll guess it will work on 16:9 televisions, but I don't have a 16:9 television to test it on!
The DVDplayer at my computer gets it, and shows the menu right!

Must i make 4:3 menus for 4:3 TVs and 16:9 menus for 16:9 TVs or is there a way to get my 4:3 television to show it as 16:9? Like it does with the little clip I've made?

[bugster]

That is pretty strange, never seen anything like that before. You should check your DVD player settings for how it is set to display 16:9 menus on a 4:3 TV, or make all your menus as 4:3 and just have the movie in 16:9. Many commercial widescreen movies are made this way.

(In fact IIRC, when using 16:9 menus in DVDlab, doesn't it give a warning that they may not display correctly?)

[HenrikSolberg]

Yes it does! I just wondered if there was a way to prevent it!

[bugster]

Yes there is. Use 4:3 menus !

[HenrikSolberg]

The Attack of the Clones DVD uses widescreen DVD menus and works great on the same television! Anybody who knows how?

[edDV]

I'll guess I'm starting to understand!
And when I make graphics in for example Photoshop I make that in 1024x576 so it will fit in a widescreen PAL project? Just like I make graphics in 768x576 to make it fit in a 4:3 PAL project!

Right?

Graphics get tricky unless you view your work on the 16x9 TV monitor. If you work in 720x576 for 16x9 display, everything will look squished horizontally on a square pixel computer display.

Graphics programs intended for TV production will provide proper aspect previews on the computer monitor.