Need help converting 544x480 VOB to avi or mp4

[pequickit]

I wonder if someone could suggest software and a process that can achieve my goal. I'm not a total nub, but I've tried a few free apps, and I can't get any to do what I want.

I have some video written to an old custom made DVD that was encoded to an odd 544x480 frame size. The source frames are letterboxed with 18 pixels on the left, 8 on the right, and 2 on top. Cropped the frame measures 518x478 (1.084:1) and is anamorphic. So it needs to be resized back to the 4:3 (1.333) AR of the original video that the DVD was made from.

At this point all the DVD VOB files are combined into one 'project.mpg' DVD compliant MPEG2 file.

I have tried cropping and resizing with advanced AutoGK settings, MeGUI, Handbrake and Mediacoder. But can't seem to get any to crop to a 4:3 544x408 H.264 mp4, or Xvid avi file where Gspot reports proper values for sar: 1.333 (4:3), par: 1.100(1:1) , and dar: 1.333 (4:3)

Thanks for any feedback.

pq

[manono]

The way you describe it, (518x478 after cropping), it's not a 1.33:1 source. You have 3 choices. You can decide it wasn't done properly and resize to a 1.33:1 ratio anyway (apparently what you're wanting to do), do additional cropping above and/or below and resize to a 1.33:1 ratio, or resize to a non-1.33:1 ratio.

I don't use any of those programs ( AutoGK won't do what you want unless you do your own cropping in the Hidden Options (but it works in Mod16 and won't ever give you 544x408)), but it's easy enough to do with your own AviSynth script fed into VDub(Mod) or another encoder. Or maybe try XviD4PSP which allows for editing the AviSynth script.

[pequickit]

The way you describe it, (518x478 after cropping), it's not a 1.33:1 source. You have 3 choices. You can decide it wasn't done properly and resize to a 1.33:1 ratio anyway

The original was an old analog TV capture that I'm certain was 4:3. But the original image was squeezed in horizontally, so the source looks tall and thin opening it VDub.

I don't use any of those programs ( AutoGK won't do what you want unless you do your own cropping in the Hidden Options (but it works in Mod16 and won't ever give you 544x408))

I used AutoGK 'Hidden' settings to crop and set the DAR to 4:3, but the result was 544 x 416 at sar: 1.308 (17:13) par: 1.000 (1:1) dar: 1.308 (17:13) I fooled around with the 3 options to set 4:3, but to no avail... probably because of mod 16.

but it's easy enough to do with your own AviSynth script fed into VDub(Mod) or another encoder. Or maybe try XviD4PSP which allows for editing the AviSynth script.

AviSynth scripts a well beyond me. I can do a few thing in them after something else has created it. But what I need to set in one to achieve what I'm doing here is beyond me. Nothing I've tried seem to want to crop the anamorphic, squeezed frames, and resize them to 4:3.

[manono]

...but the result was 544 x 416 at sar: 1.308 (17:13) par: 1.000 (1:1) dar: 1.308 (17:13) I fooled around with the 3 options to set 4:3, but to no avail... probably because of mod 16.

Partly because of Mod16, partly because, as I said before, after cropping the aspect ratio isn't 1.33:1. It's less.

Nothing I've tried seem to want to crop the anamorphic, squeezed frames, and resize them to 4:3.

As I said, it's never going to happen the way you want using AutoGK. If it's possible using the other programs you mentioned, someone else will have to help. It can be done (the cropping and resizing ) using VDub(Mod) directly, or using AviSynth scripts fed into about any encoder.

You might have better luck experimenting with a width different from 544. I'm not quite sure why the width has to be 544 since, after cropping, it's considerably less than that. You might try for 512x384. Good luck.

[jagabo]

I suggest you post a short sample with something of known geometry -- a wheel viewed directly from the side, a large ball in the middle of the picture, etc. Use DgIndex to demux the clip.

[pequickit]

I suggest you post a short sample with something of known geometry

I'm not sure what you mean there. A sample of known geometry from what? From the video I'm working on?

This is a frame snapshot from VDub:

And this is what it should look like by cropping and resizing to 4:3 in Photoshop

I'll see if I can find something round as you suggest

[jagabo]

In all likelihood that's a rec601 cap where the 4:3 image is contained in the 704x480 sub portion of the 720x480 frame. Then the 720x480 frame was downsized to 544x480 for transmission. If you crop a total of 12 lines off the left and right, leaving a 532x480 frame, and resize to a 4:3 frame size (like 640x480), you will have the right aspect ratio (and a little black border left over).

If you crop all the black borders and resize to 4:3 you'll have about a 3 percent AR error.

[pequickit]

Okay... I used MeGui to crop18 pixels on the left, and 6 on the right totaling 24 horizontally instead 26 total I had been using. Left vertical at 480 instead of cropping 2 pixels. Set resizing to 512x384 as MeGui won't upscale to 544 to 640.

Encoded as an avi Xvid file, the result was in fact a proper file that GSpot reports: sar: 1.333(4:3) par: 1.000 (1:1) dar 1.333 (4:3)

Actually, I tried my original 18, 2, 8, 0 cropping, and just setting 512x384 got me a file GSpot reports the same proper ARs.

Doing the same to make a h.164 mp4 file results in the same ARs as above, except GSpot shows no value at all for a par value.

I'll have to come back to this a bit later and see what else I might try with h.264 encoding.