Easiest way to make a 16:9 DVD into a 4:3 XViD?

[bconnolly]

I have a few live concert DVDs that I've authored that I now want to put on Google Video and Youtube. Problem is that these DVDs are 16:9 and those sites use 4:3 for videos.

I need an easy solution to add in letterbox bars so that the final XViD is 4:3 but still has the proper AR.

In the past I only did 4:3 DVDs so I could just use AutoGK to encode to XViD but now I'm not sure how to go about this.

[zagortenej]

You can try stting manually aspect ratio to 4:3 in AutoGK. Load your file and press Ctrl +F9 to enter hidden options; you will see that there is''aspect' option so mark 'override input AR' and select 4:3 option. That sould letterbox your 16:9 video. Hope it work for you.

[Baldrick]

Youtube keeps the aspect ratio/adds black borders. I uploaded a 512x288 clip, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOaj9e28ZBU .

[bconnolly]

Oh snap I didn't know Youtube had that capability. I also didn't know AutoGK had a "hidden menu". Thanks for both of those pieces of info.

So does Google Video also do that?

[Baldrick]

I'm testing google now...

[Baldrick]

Yep, it works with google video also. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1330368181717061635

[bconnolly]

Sweet. What the hell tv show is that clip from? Oz? Prison Break?

[otpw1]

Figures that Baldrick would know how to get decent video onto youtube and google.
Now to just get everyone else to........

[Baldrick]

Prison break with SWEDISH actor Peter Stormare!

[bconnolly]

I ended up putting it on Google Video and it looks ok:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6378615787166191804&hl=en

Then I found out about Stage6 and it looks amazing:

http://stage6.divx.com/user/bconnolly/video/1276057/Explosions-In-The-Sky---2007-05-06-Neumo%5C's---Seattle,-WA

[Baldrick]

Yep, stage6 uses much higher video bitrate and resolution so it will look better. BUT it requires that you install yet another plugin ... I would rather have it as flash video but with higher video bitrate and resolution, any such service out yet?