How to create a BluRay from odd format videos and not distort the picture?

[Peterk312]

I'm trying to preserve the original ratio of a video file in an MKV container that is 1280 x 536. I'm using TSmuxer to create BluRay format folders (BDMV and Certificate). Problem is TSmuxeR only gives you sizes of 1920:1080, 1280:720, 720:576, and 720:480. When I use the 1280:720 ratio the video looks like it gets pushed inward from the sides. The original video also plays with a letterbox type format while the new video fills the entire screen. There's no setting to change on my BluRay player for this. If the ratio for BluRay needs to be 1280 x 720, how do I burn a BluRay disc using the original file but still preserve the original ratio without distorting the way the video looks?

[manono]

You add black bars above and below to maintain the aspect ratio. For your 1280x536 video, to make it into a 1280x720 video you add a total of 184 rows of black pixels, maybe 92 both above and below.

I don't use TSMuxer so I have no idea whether or not it's capable of adding in the black bars. But since it's a muxer and not an encoder, and since doing what has to be done requires a reencode, I doubt if it's the right program to use for what you have to do.

[fritzi93]

Use uncropmkv to add back the bars and output a file with compliant resolution. It will re-encode, but no alternative to that.

[yoda313]

If you don't want to do a reencode or you have multiple files with this issue I would recommend getting a settop media player that would play back the mkv file. Wdtv media player is one such device. You can get used models for a good price at places like ebay.

What you would do is playback the original file on your media player and use the zoom feature on your tv. Assuming your tv has multiple zoom modes it should have a proper zoom mode so as to auto crop the letterboxed video without distorting it. It should fill your screen so that the proper amount of black is showing assuming the crop is at a proper level.

This way you would not have to reencode at all.

As a side note is there any chance your bluray player can playback the mkv directly? I would investigate that to see if you have the hardware already. If not getting a media player would allow you to do this without lengthy reencoding jobs.

[Peterk312]

Thank you for the replies. I think I'll try uncropmkv first.

To answer yoda313's question, Yes I can play the original MKV file on my BluRay player (Samsung BD-5500) but only through the flash drive. If I burn the MKV file to a DVD disc (as a simple data disc) the disc drive on the BluRay player cannot read the file. When I burn the MKV file to a DVD disc using BluRay formatting it will play in the disc drive. What I want to do is use a DVD to store the video, and I don't want the burned disc to distort the way the original video looks.

[yoda313]

@peterk312 - I guess I would suggest buying more flash drives. If you are looking for the least time consuming way to go about it that would be it.

I assume then you can do the tv zoom function that I am mentioning and you just want to have it work the same way on disc? And it sounds like you are using avchd then for the dvd disc?

Have you tried multiavchd or avchdcoder for avchd output on dvd disc?

Edit - another option - what is inside the mkv file? Is this h264 video? You might be able to remux it to a mp4 file and burn that to a dvd disc. Try it out and see if it will play it.

However remuxing will not correct the resolution. Only reencoding will. Which is why I would suggest looking for alternate options if you don't want to invest time in reencoding the videos.