Widescreen VCD

[equinox]

What settings do i use in TMPGEnc to encode a widescreen avi move to MPEG1 so that i can watch it on my DVD player? I want it to be encoded so that on a 4:3 tv (like mine), it shows letterboxed, but on a 16:9 tv, it shows full-screen. When i encode it normally, it is shown on my tv in 4:3 with a green bar down the right of the picture. and black bars down the left and right hand sides.

[vitualis]

Firstly, you can't make anamorphic SVCDs (that will work properly on all TVs) as SVCDs don't support a display aspect ratio of 16:9.

However, that doesn't quite explain what you described in your post.

It would be useful if you posted your exact method (e.g., TMPGEnc settings) and then someone will be able to help you.

Regards.

[Corkey]

I have been trying to do the same thing, but without success. Using a setting of "fullscreen, retain aspect ratio (2)" in the advanced settings works well for the letterbox on a 4:3 TV, depending on whether you trimmed the black bars off your 16:9 source (you did din't you?)

The problem with a true 16:9 TV is that a VCD cannot send the auto aspect ratio adjust signal like a DVD can. I have to rely on the fact that my TV allows me to set different aspect ratios from the remote control, so I can set 16:9, 14:9, 4:3, widescreen etc depending on the (D)(S)(V)CD that I'm watching.

In the UK it is possible for a broadcast TV channel to send the 16:9 signal in the picture information but, sadly, only Channel 4 seem to bother.

Not sure that helps, unless your TV has selectable aspect ratios. If you find a way of sending the 16:9 signal from a VCD, I'm sure there will be a lot of interest.

[equinox]

The source is an AVI movie in 16:9 screen ratio & format. (No black bars ) When I encode to mpeg1 using ANY ratios in TMPGEnc, i get a square picture with black bars on the left & right sides when the movie is played back on my Sony TV. There is also a green bar on the right of the picture. Depending on the screen ratios i set in TMPGEnc, i get a certain amount of the picture in that square. My DVD player lets me set the output screen ratio, but that doesn't seem to make any difference to the output. My TV doesn't.

BTW, my Sony TV is 4:3, but the actual screen is a bit wider compared to the standard 4:3 width to height ratio. If that makes any sense .

Thanx for the replies.

[Verbatim]

Firstly, you can't make anamorphic SVCDs (that will work properly on all TVs) as SVCDs don't support a display aspect ratio of 16:9.

I know if you want widecreens find a player that takes mpeg-2s they will play widescreen. I do this with my DVD player.

[vitualis]

What do you mean exactly?

All DVD players can play MPEG-2...

However, that doesn't mean that they will honour a non-4:3 DAR for a SVCD (e.g., my player doesn't).

Regards.

[equinox]

Why do 16:9 DVDs play in widescreen on my 4:3 tv, but 16:9 (S)VCDs dont?

[equinox]

Someone else must have this problem...

[svdf]

Someone else must have this problem...

well you know... i think that that is the problem: everyone has the problem, but no one the answer... me neither.. sorry

but i jus make my vcd's at a resolution of 480 X 576 and fullscreen(keep ratio) (still don't know what the difference is between that one and fullscreen (keep ratio 2) anyone?)
and then i use the zoom feature of my tv, that's the only solution for me...

[MadMax_911]

I've seen an anamorphic SVCD working. A friend of mine bought it in Malaysia and it worked in computers (PowerDVD atleast) and in his Player.
That was before I had a DVD-player that handled SVCDs so I dDon't have a copy of it nor do I know where he lives anymore. If Anyone ever have seen one or know where to find one there might be a chance of discovering how to do it. Might be a setting wich no commercial software uses yet.

[Tachyon]

I recorded a widescreen movie from UK digital TV using a Panasonic DMRE20 DVD recorder, and it played back in widescreen, adjusting my Philips TV OK. Next, I pulled the weird file off the DVD-RAM on a PC, and served it with DVD2AVI, then encoded it to VCD using Kwag's template. I set both source and destination formats as 16:9 PAL, and it plays beautifully on my TV, with the DMRE20 switching the TV to widescreen properly as soon as the VCD plays back.

Maybe it's just a question of compatible hardware? My Cyberhome ADM512 doesn't autoswitch the TV for this VCD - but then again, it doesn't switch for half of the DVDs I own, either.

Tachyon.

[BTIP]

I've been experimenting with this a fair bit!
Using TMPGEnc, I converted a Div X into an SVCD using source
file VGA 1:1 and streaming to PAL 4:3.
When playing back on my 32" widescreen I got a perfect 1 and a half inch border top and bottom....perfect!

[vitualis]

You can of course make a letterboxed S/VCD with no problems... However, the issue is that you probably can't make an anamorphic S/VCD that will play properly in the majority of stand-alone players.

Regards.