Problems with VirtualDub and aspect ratio

[hakamtzan]

Hi All

I am trying to eliminate black borders from an XVID video.
The idea is to eventualy convert to DVD.

I can convert, and have done already, to DVD using Nero VE but the result, although I have picked the 4:3 option, is still wide screen with big black borders.

I have tried to re-encode (saving an AVI file) using VirtualDub with different aspec ratio but the program keeps crashing on me. Is there anothe program which can either give me an AVI file in real 4:3 or a convertor which will give me DVD in real 4:3?

Thanks for all inputs, Hakamtzan

[guns1inger]

When you say 4:3, do you mean you want to zoom in a crop off the edges ? Add a null transform filter and you will be able to crop. Resize and frameserve to your mpeg encoder for DVD prep.

[hakamtzan]

Thanks gunslinger for your reply.

1. Some DVD players can Pan & Scan to provide 4:3 or 16:9 to the user requierments. Unfortunately my pl;ayer will not do that. The only way to get a 4:3 from a wide screen video is to zoom which crops some of the picture. I want to convert the video to 4:3 so the image takes the whole screen (or as much of it as possible, thin black borders are not a disaster...) without loosing any of the image. I have managed to do this with WinAvi but lost synch of video/audio in the result DVD.

2. The other part of your answer is not really clear to me. Could you direct me to a good guide which might help? I am really not sure how to apply your suggestions to Nero VE.

Many thanks, Hakamtzan

[guns1inger]

You cant have it both ways. You cant keep all of the image of a widescreen movie, and zoom in to fill a 4:3 screen. You have to either have all the movie and black bars, or throw away up to 30% or more by cutting off the ends.

If what you wan't is a widescreen movie that is letterboxed to display on a 4:3 screen without the vertical stretch then I would use DivxtoDVD. Set the aspect ratio to Force 4:3 and you will get what you want. It does not produce menus though.

If you want to use Virtualdub, then you need to use the resize filter. Check my sig and you will find a link to a calculator for getting the aspect ratio correct when you resize, and a brief explaination of how to use virtualdub to do this. The catch, for you, is that I don't think you can frameserve to NVE.

Check out DivxtoDVD. It's fast, it's easy, and the results are better than expected (you can probably fit 2 movies on a disk with it). I have just used it to put 6 x 28-30 minute episodes on a single disk. The quality is as good as the source (Divx files).

[hakamtzan]

Wow wee! Talk about help!!!

Many thanks for your detailed reply.

I will definately give divxtodvd a go and see. I am not too bothered about menus..

BTW - I do not mind vertical strech too much, gives the video a bit of old 70's Kung-Foo feel :P LOL.

Keep it real and keep it cool!

[reboot]

Crop in virtualdub, and frameserve to tmpgenc.
Set source aspect (on the advanced tab) at 1:1 VGA, Center (custom size), and put in 704 x 352.
This will stretch a 16:9 video a bit, and reduce the letterboxing a bit, for a totally foolish compromise