Custom Anamorphic Settings (handbrake) for letterbox 4x3 to 16x9

[lemmy999]

I have started to use Handbrake again since I have had some issues with Freemake. But I have run in to something that I can't seem to figure out. I have a VHS source (of course 4x3) but the original VHS was letterboxed and therefore had black bars on the top and bottom. I recorded this on my HDD video recorder which records it to MPEG 720x480 4/3 aspect ratio. I am wanting to get this to display properly on a 16x9 screen by cropping off all/most of the black bars on the top and stretching it equally vertically and horizontally to fit the 16x9 screen.

I got something that did this by cropping 32 off of the top and bottom then selecting "custom" and setting width to 720, height to 416, display width to 720 and PAR width/height to 16 and 9 (I am pretty sure this isn't right). The resulting mp4 file shows (in mediainfo) to be 720x416 and 16/9. It also seems to work well on my 16x9 television. But since I still don't completely understand what I am doing (especially with display width and PAR width/height) I am afraid I am either slightly distorting the image or reducing the picture quality with my settings.

I generally understand (I think) all of the parameters I am setting, but I am just a bit confused regarding how everything works together. Also, I have read about the PAR width/height and I understand how they work together and what they do, but I don't really understand how people come up with the values. I have seen (16*2)/(9*3) which makes sense to me because your are trying to find a ratio to convert a 3/2 aspect video (720x480) to 854 width with 480 height which is 16/9. Thanks for any suggestions.

[DB83]

I'll attempt. Others will be more clear.

Your confusion comes from the reason that your mpeg2 source would have had non-square pixels whereas your new vid does not. So, effectively, this vid is NOT anamorphic. The closest to 16:9 would be, in your case, 720 * 404 - do the maths - ie 38 pixels top and bottom.

If you want this to be anamorpic, you, again, crop but actualy encode as 720*480 16:9. ie non-square pixels if the video spec you are using supports non-square. If it does not then just do 720*404 16:9.

BTW You may run into display issues doing this as your source would more likely be interlaced.

[sanlyn]

More likely interlaced or telecined, if the original was a movie film. And the actual image aspect ratio wouldn't be 16x9. Hollywood doesn't make 16x9 movies. That's only for TV programs.

[lemmy999]

Yes, it is not 16x9. It probably 1:85:1 or something more than that. The source is interlaced or telecined. I have used the decomb filter in handbrake. It is a film of John Williams (the guitarist) playing guitar in a palace in Spain.

[lemmy999]

If you want this to be anamorpic, you, again, crop but actualy encode as 720*480 16:9. ie non-square pixels if the video spec you are using supports non-square. If it does not then just do 720*404 16:9.

So I should do the crop and then have size set to 720x480...That makes sense to me I think. But what should I set the "display width", "PAR Width" and "PAR Height" parameters to? I'm really not sure where you set the aspect ratio flag in handbrake. I just assumed it set it based on the PAR settings.

[hello_hello]

I don't use HandBrake, however the principle is the same no matter what program you use.

Don't rely on MediaInfo to tell you the exact aspect ratio. It rounds too much. Instead open the encoded video with MPC-HC and use the File/Properties menu. It'll display the video size along with the exact aspect ratio. Maybe something like 720x416 (20:13).

I'm pretty sure you're getting it wrong by setting a custom aspect ratio to 16:9 using Handbrake (although I don't use it myself). You may have been lucky and 16:9 isn't too far off, but here's how it should work......
A 4:3 720x480 NTSC DVD is stretched to 4:3 on playback. That's the entire 720x480 picture area. Once you remove some of it.... the display aspect ratio of what's left changes according to how much you crop. If you crop 32 pixels top and bottom what's left should have an aspect ratio of roughly 1.54:1 (if it was a 16:9 DVD the result would be different). Handbrake should automatically work that out for you and set the correct aspect ratio. Don't change it unless you really know what you're doing.

Alternatively, instead of using anamorphic encoding (encode while setting the aspect ratio) you can resize to square pixels and then encode instead. Once again Handbrake should work out the resizing for you. You pick the width and Handbrake will adjust the height (or something similar). If you resize to square pixels the correct resizing for your example would be around 720x468, or 640x416 etc, depending on how you resize. They're both close to 1.54:1.

Bottom line though..... either use anamorphic encoding or resize to square pixels..... but let Handbrake work out the aspect ratio and/or resizing for you. At least until you understand aspect ratios more than Handbrake does. If memory serves me correctly, Anamorphic Strict gives you strict anamorphic encoding with no resizing while Anamorphic None resizes to square pixels. I'd use one of those.

To help you get your head around what Handbrake's doing, try playing around with this resize calculator:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/09v9bldu9a6hm00/YodaResizeCalculator.exe

Using your above example, select a 4:3 DVD as the input, then apply 32 pixels worth of cropping top and bottom. Under the cropping area, the remaining video dimensions are displayed (720x416). For anamorphic encoding you'd ideally encode at 720x416. Below the resize slider is the aspect ratio of the remaining video after cropping. Using your example it's 1.538:1. Down the very bottom is the aspect ratio which Handbrake should use when encoding. 20:13 or 1.538:1 (I unchecked the ITU resize option when using the calculator to get those numbers, if you leave the ITU option checked they'll be slightly different. Handbrake switches between straight resizing and ITU resizing automatically, according to how much you crop).
If you're using anamorphic encoding you can ignore the rest, but the calculator also lets you adjust the resizing when resizing to square pixels and calculates the aspect ratio distortion for you. Handbrake shouldn't be calculating the aspect ratio or resizing any differently.

For the record, many media players in TVs don't display anamorphic video in MKV files correctly. They ignore the aspect ratio and display the video as though it uses square pixles. If that's what's happening with your example it'll be displayed as 720x416, or with an aspect ratio of 1.73:1. The ultimate test is to encode the video and open it with a media player, then open the original and view them side by side. They may have different dimensions and aspect ratios due to cropping, but the objects within each should look the same. If thye appear squashed or stretched in the encoded version when compared to the original, something's wrong. If the encoded version displays correctly using a PC media player, then if you're using anamorphic encoding, try it with your hardware player and check the display aspect ratio is still correct.

[DB83]

Like I said, not all codecs/containers support non-square. Better to leave it at 720*404.