Stretch conversion

[blueleo65]

Hello,

I have some AVI videos that have original aspect of 16x9, but somehow they are squeezed into a 4x3 frame. I need to convert the video clips back to 16x9 and stretch the aspect ratio. Most converters I've used convert the video to 16x9 but it does not stretch the video it keeps it at 4x3 with black bars on the side to fill in the void. So, any help on how I can do this? I'm not sure if it's been discussed before, most search entries I've read involved converting without changing the actual picture. Thanks.

Mike

[minidv2dvd]

hi and welcome to the forum!

use mediainfo (tree view) and get the info about the source video for us. post a screenshot of the info so we have a little more to go on.

[blueleo65]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. Here is what mediainfo says:

General
Complete name :Fair Catch.avi
Format : AVI
Format/Info : Audio Video Interleave
File size : 1.15 GiB
Duration : 1h 36mn
Overall bit rate : 1 703 Kbps

Video
Format : MPEG-4 Visual
Format profile : Simple@L1
Format settings, BVOP : No
Format settings, QPel : No
Format settings, GMC : No warppoints
Format settings, Matrix : Default (H.263)
Codec ID : DIVX
Codec ID/Info : Project Mayo
Codec ID/Hint : DivX 4
Duration : 1h 36mn
Bit rate : 1 497 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 1.500
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Resolution : 24 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.145
Stream size : 1.01 GiB (88%)
Writing library : avc2.0.11.1110

Audio
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 3
Codec ID : 55
Codec ID/Hint : MP3
Duration : 1h 36mn
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Resolution : 16 bits
Stream size : 133 MiB (11%)
Alignment : Aligned on interleaves
Interleave, duration : 24 ms (0.72 video frame)

[minidv2dvd]

that's a pretty strange one. you don't usually see mpeg-4 with a display aspect ratio of 1.5, normally it's 1.0.

what you need to do is re-encode it to 1080x480 will square pixels to get it to look right. more like 2.35/1 than 16/9.

make sure whatever you use for an encoder you can turn off the "keep aspect ratio" option or it won't work.

[blueleo65]

Thanks again,

This is where I am having the problem. Which program and which encoder should I use with some sort of direction in how to use it? Thanks.

[jagabo]

In all likelihood your video was a 16:9 DVD and encoded with Divx4 as square pixel. I don't know if it will work on Divx4 but try using Mpeg4Modifier to set the PAR to NTSC 16:9 or DAR to 16:9 Display. That way you won't have to reencode and you won't lose any quality. Of course, you'll have to use a player that respects the PAR/DAR flags (MPCHC, VLC, KMPlayer, etc.).

I just checked Mpeg4Modifier works with the DIVX fourcc.

[minidv2dvd]

avidemux should be able to re-encode it if you want. set video to mpeg-4 avc x264. configure it to constant bitrate 1500. click filter and double click the resize. uncheck the lock aspect ratios. set size to 1080x480. set audio to copy. set format to mp4. click save video and give it a name with the .mp4 extension.

[blueleo65]

Thanks so much everyone for all your help. I'll try the above and keep my fingers crossed.

-Mike

[blueleo65]

Hello Again,

The conversion as discribed by minidv2dvd worked very well, except that the video is only playing on vlc. Quicktime and Realplayer won't play it. QT is giving me the following error. "error 2041: an invalid sample discription was found in the movie..." I've posted the mediainfo tree of the converted video. Thanks for everyone's help.

General
Complete name :Fair Catch16x9.mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom
File size : 1.14 GiB
Duration : 1h 36mn
Overall bit rate : 1 686 Kbps
Movie name : High Octane - Fair Catch16x9.mp4
Performer : Avidemux
Screenplay by : Avidemux
Encoded date : UTC 1970-01-01 00:00:00
Tagged date : UTC 1970-01-01 00:00:00
Writing application : Lavf51.12.1

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L3.0
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 2 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 1h 36mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 1 489 Kbps
Nominal bit rate : 1 500 Kbps
Width : 688 pixels
Height : 384 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16/9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Resolution : 24 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.188
Stream size : 1.01 GiB (88%)
Writing library : x264 core 66 r1101M b69548a
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=1 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=hex / subme=6 / psy_rd=1.0:0.0 / mixed_ref=0 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=0 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=6 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / mbaff=0 / bframes=2 / b_pyramid=0 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / wpredb=1 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40(pre) / rc=abr / bitrate=1500 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / pb_ratio=1.30 / aq=1:1.00
Encoded date : UTC 1970-01-01 00:00:00
Tagged date : UTC 1970-01-01 00:00:00

Audio
ID : 2
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 3
Codec ID : 6B
Duration : 1h 36mn
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Resolution : 16 bits
Stream size : 133 MiB (11%)
Encoded date : UTC 1970-01-01 00:00:00
Tagged date : UTC 1970-01-01 00:00:00

[biking_brian]

Hopefully it's OK to post to an existing thread rather than starting a new one. I have a similar problem in that my Samsung SC-MX20 camcorder always saves as 720x480, regardless of whether 16:9 or 4:3 is chosen. Info from GSpot for a 16:9 clip is below.



I know how to "stretch" the video by re-encoding, but is there a way to do it by changing the headers without re-encoding?

[edDV]

Hopefully it's OK to post to an existing thread rather than starting a new one. I have a similar problem in that my Samsung SC-MX20 camcorder always saves as 720x480, regardless of whether 16:9 or 4:3 is chosen. ...

This is normal and explained 2,000 times now.

[biking_brian]

Could you point me to 1 of the 2,000 threads.

The problems I am having with this are:

1. The native MP4 always plays back in Quicktime in a 3:2 aspect ratio.

2. When I pull a clip recorded in 16:9 mode into a Pinnacle Studio 12 widescreen project, it will handle it as a 4:3 and pillarbox the edges.

[edDV]

720x480 is intended for DVD or You-Tube conversion as advertised. Since this camera records MPeg4 instead of more standard MPeg2, you need to tell the edit software the aspect ratio you shot. This is usually done in clip properties. Most software will default to 4:3 unless told the clip is 16:9.

It may be possible the enclosed Cyberlink Medi@Show has been modified to detect the aspect ratio from this non-standard camcorder but everything else will just see 720x480 and make a guess.

[biking_brian]

Thanks for the info. There's a little trick to tell Pinnacle Studio 12 that it's 16:9 - the folks on the Pinnacle support forums were able to clue me into that!

[edDV]

Thanks for the info. There's a little trick to tell Pinnacle Studio 12 that it's 16:9 - the folks on the Pinnacle support forums were able to clue me into that!

Share with us. Usually you would edit source clip properties in other apps.

[biking_brian]

When the "edit" tab is selected, and you're browsing the directory of clips in the window below, right clicking on the clip will give a menu of various options, two of which will be "aspect ratio 4:3" and "aspect ratio 16:9". Often times both of these will be grayed out and the 4:3 will be checked. Apparently that's because there's no associated .scn file. If that's the case, drag the clip into the project thereby forcing a scene detection and generating a .scn file. Then delete the clip from the project, right click on the clip, and then the 16:9 option is available.

Still, I'd rather just set the H.264 MP4 source properties in another app - but I haven't figured out how to do that without re-encoding the video.