How do I convert 4:3 DV to pillarboxed 16:9 DV?

[brassplyer]

I want to take a 4:3 DV clip and convert it to pillarboxed 16:9 with the ultimate goal of making faux HD for upload to Youtube.

I'm using Virtualdub, I've got the Mainconcept DV codec. I find if I resize it to 1080 x 720 and then do letterbox/crop to size 1280 x 720, it achieves the desired effect in the preview screen, but it won't let me save it as DV, even though I have 16:9 checked in the configuration box for the Mainconcept codec. It will however let me save it as Huffyuv.

What do I need to do to save it as 16:9 DV?

Thanks for all input.

[Baldrick]

DV is ONLY 720x480 or 720x576. If you want it as 16:9 DV you should save it as 720x480 with 16:9 aspect ratio.

[Alex_ander]

Resize from 720x480 to 544x480, add borders to complement it back to 720x480, then save as 16:9 DV.
In VDub's resize filter pillarboxing can be done by typing 544x480 for 'new width / new height' and leaving default 720x480 for 'frame width / frame height', with checked box 'expand frame and letterbox image".

[brassplyer]

Resize from 720x480 to 544x480, add borders to complement it back to 720x480, then save as 16:9 DV.
In VDub's resize filter pillarboxing can be done by typing 544x480 for 'new width / new height' and leaving default 720x480 for 'frame width / frame height', with checked box 'expand frame and letterbox image".

I find when I use those specific numbers, it looks okay in K media player and Quick Time, but but looks squeezed when processed by Youtube.

[manono]

YouTube doesn't respect any DARs. They'll only make them 1:1. Don't use DV. Don't use MPEG-2. Use something that's 1:1 and then do a proper resize to some 1.78:1 ratio, such as 1280x720, 854x480, 624x352, 512x288, etc. Maybe use XviD, DivX, MP4, etc.

[Alex_ander]

AFAIK, youtube wants for HD uploads 720p or 1080p h.264/mp4/wmv. Then you can't use DV and need to resize your 720x480 to 960x720 for outer frame size 1280x720.

P.S. Here are some unofficial recommendations for uploading in HD:
http://www.louish.com/2008/12/Uploading_and_Embed_720p_HD_videos_to_YouTube/

[brassplyer]

AFAIK, youtube wants for HD uploads 720p or 1080p h.264/mp4/wmv. Then you can't use DV and need to resize your 720x480 to 960x720 for outer frame size 1280x720.

P.S. Here are some unofficial recommendations for uploading in HD:
http://www.louish.com/2008/12/Uploading_and_Embed_720p_HD_videos_to_YouTube/

Interesting, but I don't have Vista and therefore don't have the version of Windows Movie Maker they're referring to.

If I'm starting out with 4:3 DV, what steps should I take to turn it into pillarboxed faux HD?

I have Virtualdub and Super.

[manono]

Lanczos4Resize(960,720)
AddBorders(160,0,160,0)

[brassplyer]

Lanczos4Resize(960,720)
AddBorders(160,0,160,0)

Not seeing an add borders function.

[manono]

It's an AviSynth script. I don't use VDub for filtering as I prefer both speed and quality. VDub has the ability to add pillarbars, I think. Look around.

[brassplyer]

It's an AviSynth script. I don't use VDub for filtering as I prefer both speed and quality. VDub has the ability to add pillarbars, I think. Look around.

Okay, thanks. I did get it to work as far as showing up in Vdub, but won't save as DV. Ended up saving as Huffyuv and then converting to mp4 w/AAC audio in Super.

It does come up with the HD option on YouTube, and the sound is in stereo however the motion is very jerky.

[jagabo]

You can only save 720x480 29.97 fps, or 720x576 25 fps as DV. DV encoders will refuse to save any other frame size.

You can add pillarbox bars in VirtualDub with the resize filter. Use the "Letterbox/Crop to size" option in the lower section.

[brassplyer]

You can only save 720x480 29.97 fps, or 720x576 25 fps as DV. DV encoders will refuse to save any other frame size.

You can add pillarbox bars in VirtualDub with the resize filter. Use the "Letterbox/Crop to size" option in the lower section.

Thanks. I've had success in getting the HD sizing, what codec do you recommend saving as with VDub before conversion with Super?

I wonder if it has any bearing on the jerkiness of motion I'm getting once on YouTube?

[jagabo]

If you must use Super afterwards (rather than uploading VirtualDub's output to Youtube) compress with HuffYUV, Lagarith, or uncompressed to retain as much quality as possible. The intermediate file will be large. It may also be possible to frameserve (pass uncompressed frames directly from VirtualDub to another application without saving to an intermediate file) to Super.

Also, since you are no longer using a DV encoder you may find it better to use a 16:9 frame size with square pixels. For example, resize your 4:3 720x480 source to 960x720, add pillarbox bars to bring the frame width up to 1280 (160 each side), then encode as Xvid/MP3 AVI. Upload that to Youtube.

[brassplyer]

.

[manono]

Both versions seem to play smoothly for me.

[jagabo]

What issues? I didn't see any significant difference except the HD version was sharper.

[brassplyer]

What issues? I didn't see any significant difference except the HD version was sharper.

You know what... I copied the cache'd file from YouTube and played it with Kmedia player and it plays fine. Apparently the issue is with playback on YouTube. Happens in both IE and Firefox.

So, apparently what I need to ask is what could be causing this? I just uploaded the latest Flashplayer the other day.

[jagabo]

not enough bandwidth, overloaded server

[brassplyer]

not enough bandwidth, overloaded server

It does it even when I allow the video to load completely and there's no data transfer activity.

[jagabo]

Crappy player? The browser based player doesn't use video overlay. So it has to do a lot more work, especially when playing full screen.

[brassplyer]

Crappy player? The browser based player doesn't use video overlay. So it has to do a lot more work, especially when playing full screen.

But it's the same one everyone else sees, correct? Others report they don't see the choppiness when playing on Youtube.

[jagabo]

Crappy player + 2.4 GHz P4? Graphics card settings could have an effect too. I have a Core 2 Quad Q6600. I don't know what manono has. Start up Task Manager and check the CPU usage while the video is playing. I see about 15 percent when the HD video is playing in the small window, about 25 percent when playing full screen. The last value is a little hard to read because you can't see the CPU usage while the video is playing, you have to eyeball the graph afterwards.

A single core on my Q6600 is faster than a 2.4 GHz P4. So if I'm getting 25 percent you will probably be pegged at 100 percent.

The reason the player comes into the picture is because the browser based player doesn't use the graphics card's video overlay feature. Without video overlay the CPU has to convert the video from it's native YUV colorspace to RGB and scale the image to the screen (or window) size. When using video overlay the graphics card performs the colorspace conversion and scaling. So a lot of work is offloaded from the CPU to the graphics card.

[brassplyer]

Crappy player + 2.4 GHz P4? Graphics card settings could have an effect too. I have a Core 2 Quad Q6600. I don't know what manono has. Start up Task Manager and check the CPU usage while the video is playing. I see about 15 percent when the HD video is playing in the small window, about 25 percent when playing full screen.

Ah ha. Okay. When playing on Youtube the usage bounces between around 95 - 100, often staying at 100. When playing the cache'd file on Kmedia player it's around 75 - 85%.