Aspect Ratio

[mistycat]

I have a friend who is set up exactly as I am in MainConcept yet he gets black side bars on every encode he does. The original avi's all play fine but those encoded don't. GSpot shows the encoded Aspect Ratio to be 720 x xxx. These bars show on the laptop and also on the T.V. Could this be related to Codecs?

[mats.hogberg]

720 x xxx isn't the AR, but the resolution. For a Video DVD, this can be displayed at AR 4:3 or 16:9

/Mats

[mistycat]

Sorry, confusion between AR and Resolution may be my problem. Say a video of 576 x 304 is converted to 720 x 450 at 16.9, it's perfect for me but has black side bars for him. Thanks

[mats.hogberg]

For Video DVD, it should be 720x576 (PAL) or 720x480 (NTSC). Nothing else.
Then flag it as 4:3 or 16:9. Use FitCD to get help with resize calculations.

/Mats

[mistycat]

This is kept as a 720 x 480 (NTSC) and a resolution calculator shows the proper size to enter in Crop and Scale and encoded as 4.3 or 16.9.

[mistycat]

The only difference in settings and things is I use the XVID codec and he uses DIVX, could that be the cause?

[mats.hogberg]

Nope. Source codec doesn't matter.

/Mats

[MysticE]

This is kept as a 720 x 480 (NTSC) and a resolution calculator shows the proper size to enter in Crop and Scale and encoded as 4.3 or 16.9.

What resolution calculator are you using?

[mistycat]

http://www.tomzavodny.cz/program/bitcalc/index_en.php (the avi Bitrate calculator) at #8, enter your resolution from source, select NTSC or PAL, select 720 x 480 (4.3) or 720 x 576 (4.3) and your resolution will appear below. To achieve 16.9, multiply the result by 1.33.