Automatically cropping 4:3 to 16:9

[RockVideoDude]

I'm a newbie to video production and would like to hear your feedback on an aspect ratio issue.

We ran into an issue at our church where I need to shoot video with 4:3 Sony DXC-D30 standard def cameras, run it through a Sony DFS-700 switcher, and project it live on a screen in 16:9 aspect ratio without stretching the image.

None of this equipment will automatically crop off the top and bottom of a 4:3 image to simulate a 16:9 aspect ratio.

My thought is to shoot video without using the top and bottom portion of the frame, knowing that the top and bottom will be cropped off to simulate a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Questions:
- Does technology exist that will take live video coming out of the DFS-700 switcher and automatically crop off the top and bottom of the image to produce a faux 16:9 image that can be projected to the screens?
- Is there an easier way to accomplish this goal?

Thanks for the help!

[johns0]

To do what you want requires re-encoding,a lot easier solution is to get a camera that shoots in 16:9,there's lots of forum members that can further help you with the right camera and welcome to the forums.

[RockVideoDude]

Thanks for the welcome and the quick response!

I forgot to mention a critical point - the equipment was donated to the church and they have no budget for new cameras
I was hoping that some manual workaround exists.

[johns0]

No work around,you will have to re-encode.

[edDV]

You would need to re-encode on the fly in a hardware box (expensive) or software (requires very fast CPU).

The hardware approach is used by TV station master control. Consult your local TV station Chief Engineers for hardware suggestions.

For software transform/recode call Telestream. Their FlipFactory or Vantage product will do it but requires adequate CPU. Expect $$$ software price.
http://www.telestream.net/flipfactory/overview.htm
http://www.telestream.net/vantage-transcoding/overview.htm

[Cornucopia]

I was hoping to suggest an anamorphic WS adapter for your lens, but since your budget is ZERO, that doesn't help either.

BTW, is there a reason you have to have WS projection? Why not just make do with 4:3 (even if the screen is 16:9 that'll still work). So what it's not the most MODERN thing, then again, neither is your equipment.

Scott

[intracube]

rockvideodude; You haven't said what the key piece of equipment in your setup is - the projector.

It's capabilities might limit what's possible.

The switcher/vision mixer can do various wipes. I don't know if it's possible to cut between the cameras and simultaneously leave the mixer on a manual wipe with a black source. Choose a wipe that creates bars at the top/bottom of the frame and leave it at a point that creates a 16:9 window.

The mixer might also be able to do CSO/chroma keying. If it does, there might be another way to do what you want.

And what Cornucopia said. How important is it to project a 16:9 image?