Aspect ratios of .avi files not burning correctly

[ClayinCA]

Hoping somebody out there can help me out here: I've been having difficulty making DVDs with the proper aspect ratio. I have some .avi files which are in widescreen, but the DVDs I make with these files end up stretching the picture tall and thin into full screen. I've been using WinDVD Creator and using a Video Filter to correct the problem, but this results in the following additional problems:

- Because I'm using a video effect to stretch the picture back out to widescreen, it takes a l-o-n-g time to render the effect across the entire project (some of the files I'm using are as long as 45 minutes each).
- If I format the DVD to record at anything below SP (to fit more than two 45-minute files onto a disc), the video effect then seems to go haywire and actually squishes the picture even more than necessary.

I've tried using Easy Media Creator 7.0, but it too stretches the picture out to tall, thin fullscreen, and it has no option for forcing the picture to go back to widescreen using a video effect. (It has a widescreen mask, but this just puts black bars over a stretched-out image.)

So it seems to me that what I need to do is figure out a way to tell the program that it's supposed to be reading these files as widescreen and outputting them that way - but I can't find any way to do that. I've asked about this before, but it's in old thread and I was hoping someone could offer some more pointers. I apologize for the extra post - I'm just getting so frustrated...!

Thanks in advance for any help!

[reboot]

I think the problem is with the software you're using.
16:9 avi's don't just magically appear properly. You have to adjust your encoder.
There are two ways to do 16:9 on a 4:3 TV set.
One is to encode it fullscreen, so the sides are cut off.
Two is to encode it letterboxed, so there's black bars top and bottom, but you see the whole screen, and things aren't squished or streteched.
In standalone encoders such as tmpgenc, canopus and mainconcept, this is easily accomplished.
In all-in-one tools, such as WinAVI, EasyMediaCreator etc., they just don't have the proper options.

[Cornucopia]

3 is to encode it anamorphically (like you've probably already done), but use a better authoring app that understands anamorphic encodes and will flag them correctly so they'll play back correctly according to your taste on whatever software or hardware player you use.

Try TDA, DVDLab Pro, DVD Encore, DVD Architect, or something better.

Scott

[reboot]

Good point.
I just wasn't sure the OP wanted to get into more advanced authoring at this stage.
Better to learn a proper encode first, move on to anamorphic encodes and aspect ratio flags later

[ClayinCA]

I hate to sound like an idiot (though I suspect it's too late to avoid that!), but I'm confused already. From what I'm seeing, it sounds like I have to do something to the file itself, right? And then I just use the program I've been using, or another program altogether to author DVDs?

If I download the tmpgenc freeware, can I use it to do something to the .avi files to make them widescreen (which is what I want)? And then, do I use tmpgenc to author the DVD, or can I keep using my current program?

Sorry to be so slow...thanks for the advice!

[Cornucopia]

Sounds like either the encoder or the authoring apps that you're using aren't up to snuff when it comes to 16:9 stuff.

I was just on another thread that had a similar problem:
https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=269456&highlight=
That may help you.

What apps are you using?

TMPEGEnc is fine for encoding, but is only freeware for MPEG1. For MPEG2 (which would be what you'd use on most DVD's), it's 30-day trialware.
TMPEGEnc doesn't author DVD's. You'd need a different authoring app (e.g. TDA)--but what you've got doesn't sound like it's capable enough for 16:9

Scott

[reboot]

For a beginner, tmpgenc or Mainconcept mpeg encoder are good places to start.
Encoding a proper 16:9 video in either of those is simple.
For good authoring, you'll need TDA, DVDLab, or similar.

[manono]

Hi-

If they've been encoded as 4:3 and they should be 16:9, you can always convert the DAR without reencoding with Restream. Open the .m2v, and in the top center where it says 4:3, change to 16:9 and save (bottom right="Write!"). This will work OK for stuff at 1.78:1 or so. It won't work with 2.35:1 material which is supposed to have black bars added above and below. Play it when done to make sure it looks OK.

After using Restream, then go ahead and author.

[ClayinCA]

I have to confess that an awful lot of what's been said here is over my head - I'm beginning to think I should just give up (unless there's one of those "...For Dummies" books about making DVDs out there). I do really appreciate everyone's help here, though - you guys are awesome! I'm just sadly in over my head, I think...

As to the files I'm working with, I got these files off of a friend, so I'm not sure where he got them from or how they were encoded. I do know that when I play the files back in Media Player that they play in the correct widescreen format; also, when I use the "preview" function in WinDVD, they display correctly - it's only when the disc is burning that things get fouled up. It looks like I should look into getting tmpgenc and DVDLab, maybe...I'm just a little leery of laying out cash on programs that might be too hard to figure out (since I'm doing such a bang-up job so far)!

Thanks again for all your posts, everyone! Again, sorry to be such a lunkhead...

[DarrellS]

I've been having difficulty making DVDs with the proper aspect ratio. I have some .avi files which are in widescreen, but the DVDs I make with these files end up stretching the picture tall and thin into full screen.

I've been using VSO DivXToDVD to convert 24 widescreen AVI files to DVD and they all converted perfectly.
By default, the program keeps the same aspect ratio as the original files (which can be a large number of different file types, not just AVI) or you can choose a different ratio in options if you so wish.