I cannot seem to get VDub to render a 4:3 file right...

[CursedLemon]

I've usually been capturing 16:9 video from my DV camera and when I use VDub to make it a flagged MPEG4 file, everything works fine. But for some reason, VDub absolutely REFUSES to render my 4:3 files correctly. They never end up 640x480, they're always slightly off. I'm rendering it for PC viewing so I don't want to leave it in its raw state.

I've tried setting the DAR and the PAR as 4:3 but it never ends up right. I don't want to have to resize the image. Any ideas?

[Bjs]

16:9 to 4:3 ... not without resize filter applied ... thou it may also point to possible issue with system decoders or camera itself ... vdub can only do so much with the source file

Slightly off is also covered by decoder / camera issues ... resize / crop to correct

Flagging ... nope ... but try MPEG4 Modifier to correct ... also Enosoft DV Processor

When in doubt ... resize / crop ... cannot be avoided

[jagabo]

VirtualDub resize filters work exactly as they should. You are simply doing something wrong. Describe your source and your process.

[CursedLemon]

I'm not trying to make a 4:3 out of a 16:9, I'm trying to make DV 4:3 video (720x480, obviously) turn out correctly. I was under the impression that I wouldn't HAVE to do any resizing since it's just a simple 4:3 video...

I import it into VDub, then do a Yadif deinterlace with the doubled framerate, then exporting with MPEG4 compression with either a DAR of 4:3 or a PAR of 4:3 (which both don't work). Are the flags just being ignored or something?

When I do this exact process with 16:9 files, everything's fine.

[Gavino]

What do you actually get as your output file?
Post a GSpot or MediaInfo screenshot.

[jagabo]

I'm not trying to make a 4:3 out of a 16:9, I'm trying to make DV 4:3 video (720x480, obviously) turn out correctly. I was under the impression that I wouldn't HAVE to do any resizing since it's just a simple 4:3 video...

720/480 = 3/2, not 4/3. VirtualDub will show you a 3:2 image because it doesn't scale for PAR/DAR (unless you force the windows to a particular PAR/DAR).

I import it into VDub, then do a Yadif deinterlace with the doubled framerate, then exporting with MPEG4 compression with either a DAR of 4:3 or a PAR of 4:3 (which both don't work). Are the flags just being ignored or something?

Keep in mind that the AVI container doesn't really support aspect ratios. Some codecs include aspect ratios in their private data but not all programs know how to get at this information.

What codec are you using? Xvid? Most media players can see the Xvid PAR/DAR flags and will obey them. This can be effected by what AVI file reader, AVI splitter, Xvid decoder, and output renderer you have installed. But if your process works for 16:9 it should also work for 4:3. How far off is your result?

[CursedLemon]

The original DV capture:

General
Complete name                    : F:\FF Vids\DV CUT\FF1\The Strangling Ritual\3 buddhastatue.avi
Format                           : AVI
Format/Info                      : Audio Video Interleave
File size                        : 48.7 MiB
Duration                         : 13s 714ms
Overall bit rate                 : 29.8 Mbps
Recorded date                    : 2009-04-10 13:49:14
Writing library                  : VirtualDub build 32593/release

Video
ID                               : 0
Format                           : Digital Video
Codec ID                         : dvsd
Codec ID/Hint                    : Sony
Duration                         : 13s 713ms
Bit rate                         : 28.8 Mbps
Width                            : 720 pixels
Height                           : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 1.500
Original display aspect ratio    : 4:3
Frame rate mode                  : Constant
Frame rate                       : 29.970 fps
Standard                         : NTSC
Resolution                       : 24 bits
Colorimetry                      : 4:1:1
Scan type                        : Interlaced
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 2.778
Stream size                      : 47.0 MiB (97%)

Audio
Format                           : PCM
Format settings, Endianness      : Little
Format settings, Sign            : Unsigned
Codec ID                         : 1
Codec ID/Hint                    : Microsoft
Duration                         : 13s 714ms
Bit rate mode                    : Constant
Bit rate                         : 1 024 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 2 channels
Sampling rate                    : 32.0 KHz
Resolution                       : 16 bits
Stream size                      : 1.67 MiB (3%)
Interleave, duration             : 34 ms (1.03 video frame)
Interleave, preload duration     : 500 ms

The new file exported from VDub after a Yadif double-framerate deinterlace and Xvid MPEG4 compression with the DAR set to 4:3:

General
Complete name                    : C:\Users\Cursed Lemon\Desktop\buddhastatue.avi
Format                           : AVI
Format/Info                      : Audio Video Interleave
File size                        : 13.3 MiB
Duration                         : 13s 714ms
Overall bit rate                 : 8 146 Kbps
Writing library                  : VirtualDub build 32593/release

Video
ID                               : 0
Format                           : MPEG-4 Visual
Format profile                   : AdvancedSimple@L5
Format settings, BVOP            : Yes
Format settings, QPel            : No
Format settings, GMC             : No warppoints
Format settings, Matrix          : Default (H.263)
Muxing mode                      : Packed bitstream
Codec ID                         : XVID
Codec ID/Hint                    : XviD
Duration                         : 13s 713ms
Bit rate                         : 7 093 Kbps
Width                            : 720 pixels
Height                           : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 4:3
Frame rate                       : 59.940 fps
Standard                         : NTSC
Resolution                       : 24 bits
Colorimetry                      : 4:2:0
Scan type                        : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.342
Stream size                      : 11.6 MiB (87%)
Writing library                  : XviD 1.2.1 (UTC 2008-12-04)

Audio
Format                           : PCM
Format settings, Endianness      : Little
Format settings, Sign            : Unsigned
Codec ID                         : 1
Codec ID/Hint                    : Microsoft
Duration                         : 13s 714ms
Bit rate mode                    : Constant
Bit rate                         : 1 024 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 2 channels
Sampling rate                    : 32.0 KHz
Resolution                       : 16 bits
Stream size                      : 1.67 MiB (13%)
Interleave, duration             : 17 ms (1.04 video frame)
Interleave, preload duration     : 500 ms

[poisondeathray]

It should appear with the 4:3 AR in most media players e.g. mpchc, kmplayer, vlc etc... are you saying this is not the case? What are you using to view them?

[CursedLemon]

VLC. It's what I use to "check" my files.

The file ends up as, like...720x540. Which I now suddenly realize is 4:3 except upsized.

[poisondeathray]

What does it display as?

Note some media players will display 4:3 NTSC as 720x540 instead of 640x480, but the AR is the same

What happens if you use another media player to check? I think KMplayer plays most 4:3 NTSC as 640x480 instead of 720x540, so if it bothers you that much, you can try that.

You could also remux into mkv and set the flag with mkvmerge, but your current video should display AR normally

[CursedLemon]

Media Player Classic seems to get it to a 640x480 file.

Hm.

[jagabo]

Media Player Classic seems to get it to a 640x480 file.

No. The file is still the same 720x480. To adjust the aspect ratio FOR DISPLAY some players upscale, some downscale. It doesn't matter which.