Trouble getting DVD Patcher to convert successfully to 16:9

[gastrof]

I recorded something using my DVD recorder from a widescreen source. No letterboxing. The full widescreen picture was recorded to the DVD.

The recorder doesn't have the ability to mark the recording as widescreen, so it plays out on older TVs (4:3) distorted. (Fills the screen with the widescreen content; everyone looks tall and thin.)

I drag'n'dropped the folders off the DVD to my computer's hard drive, and used DVD Patcher on each of the .VOB files, changing them to 16:9.

I then tried to play the entire content of the folders in VLC, but both the menu and the video come out as 4:3 by default.

If I play the .VOB files independently in VLC, they play as 16:9 by default.

What's forcing them back into 4:3 when VLC tries to play the virtual DVD?

Oh, I did try stringing all four .VOB files together in Avidemux and creating an .mpg, but the joining points aren't playing cleanly, so that's not going to work.

Back to the original question-
Any idea why the virtual DVD is still playing as 4:3 by default? Is there something else that also needs to be changed to 16:9? DVD Patcher seems to only like mpeg and .VOB files. It doesn't even deal with IFOs.

[sambat]

Maybe try this: app sets the IFO file to 16:9

https://www.videohelp.com/tools/IfoAR2WS

[nic2k4]

Look here

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/229366-Change-Aspect-Ratio-on-a-DVD-with-IFOEDIT-possible

[jman98]

I suggest nic2k4's link, which is how I would do it. There are actually 2 different places where it gets defined whether it's 4:3 or 16:9 and you need to change both because some playback devices will fall back to 4:3 if they aren't changed to 16:9 in both places.

[Skiller]

You can also use PgcEdit to patch the IFOs – it changes the flag in both places (VIDEO_TS.IFO and VTS_xx_0.IFO) so it's less tedious than using IfoEdit.

[usually_quiet]

For anamorphic recodings from my DVD recorders, I have to either change the aspect ratio from 4:3 in both the IFOs (with IFOEdit or PgcEdit) and in the MPEG-2 video (with DVDPatcher) after authoring, or use Restream on the m2v file prior to authoring and author with 16:9 aspect ratio. My DVD players won't display the video with the correct aspect ratio unless I change it in both the IFOs and the video itself. I don't recommend trying to the aspect ratio for the menus after authoring because I have found highlights don't match up correctly with the menu afterwards.

One other thing, 16:9 aspect ratio is only valid for 720x480, 704x480,720x576 and 704x676 resolution DVD video. Some authoring software might only allow 4:3 for other DVD resolutions.

[gastrof]

Thanks guys. I'll figure this out with the help you've given...hopefully.

Good thing is that since the recordings originated on a DVD player, the videos are 720x480.

[Cornucopia]

@usually_quiet, you should amend that to read 720x480(576) AND 704x480(576), as the 704width is just as valid for both 4:3 and 16:9 material (this is twice I've mentioned this today for some reason!).

Your other part is correct: the 1/2D1 and CIF sizes are ONLY 4:3DAR, and I don't know of ANY app or device that allows otherwise.

Scott

[gastrof]

Uh, guys?

I downloaded PgcEdit.

Have absolutely no idea what to do. Obviously, this calls for someone having a lot more sophisticated knowledge (including of computer code?) than I have.

DVD Patcher was simple. Change the aspect ratio from 4:3 to 16:9. Done and done.

With PgcEdit, I see NOTHING that plain on how to change the .IFO files to 16:9.

A little help? (Or would IFOedit be the simple program I'm looking for? Having already downloaded Pgc, I don't want to download anything else until I know for sure.)

Thanks.

[usually_quiet]

@usually_quiet, you should amend that to read 720x480(576) AND 704x480(576), as the 704width is just as valid for both 4:3 and 16:9 material (this is twice I've mentioned this today for some reason!).

Your other part is correct: the 1/2D1 and CIF sizes are ONLY 4:3DAR, and I don't know of ANY app or device that allows otherwise.

Scott

I didn't just pull the requirements for 16:9 out of my hat. The "What Is DVD" page here at VideoHelp says "16:9 Anamorphic (only supported by 720x480) " under NTSC and "16:9 Anamorphic (only supported by 720x576)" under PAL. So if you are right, my post is not the only thing around here that needs to be corrected.

That being said, my players support 704x480 at 16:9, but I'm pretty sure I patched the aspect ratio manually. It has been a while since I tried authoring anamorphic 704x480 video to DVD, but I seem to recall 704x480 video at 16:9 aspect ratio being rejected by what I was using at the time for authoring DVDs. I'll have to check my authoring software again later to see what it does.

[nic2k4]

PGCedit is pretty powerful and can be daunting at first. For a simple task like yours IFOedit is much easier. Just click the open button find the VTS IFO file that matches the VOB, you'll see this screen



Double click the Video line in the lower pane, change the AR to 4:3 and check the automatic pan&scan radio button, click Ok, then hit the save button and say yes to update the BUP file. Repeat for other VTS', when you're all done open the VIDEO_TS IFO and do the same for all the VTS listings that you changed, save and that's it.

[gastrof]

Okay, I got IFOedit, was able to change the two IFO files in the Video_TS folder.

I could not get the type of screen you show for the Video_RM folder's IFO file. Only the file path showed. I clicked on it, but nothing happened.

When the two IFO files in the Video_TS files were changed, I tried to play the virtual DVD with VLC.

The menu came up as 4x3, but the when the video was selected, it did begin to play as widescreen. The recording is nearly two hours long, so I don't know if the whole thing is working right.

Still, one step closer to what I wanted.

Thanks....so far. :P

Why can I not change the IFO in the Video_RM folder?

Why is the menu still coming out as 4x3?

[gastrof]

Never mind. I'm sorry.

The Video_RM folder is still a problem, but I did something to the Video_TS folder. Found a file that was still showing as 4x3. I changed it to widescreen, and saved it. (Maybe forgot to save the first time?)

The menu AND the video are coming out as widescreen now. It's all good.

Thanks so much guys. VERY much. I can reburn this and I'm guessing it'll play widescreen even on an older TV.

Right?

[usually_quiet]

Don't patch the menu to 16:9 or the button highlights won't be where they should be.

[Edit]I just tried this. The location of the highlights was OK on VLC and MPCHC, but they were stretched/distorted.

[Cornucopia]

@usually_quiet, you should amend that to read 720x480(576) AND 704x480(576), as the 704width is just as valid for both 4:3 and 16:9 material (this is twice I've mentioned this today for some reason!).

Your other part is correct: the 1/2D1 and CIF sizes are ONLY 4:3DAR, and I don't know of ANY app or device that allows otherwise.

Scott

I didn't just pull the requirements for 16:9 out of my hat. The "What Is DVD" page here at VideoHelp says "16:9 Anamorphic (only supported by 720x480) " under NTSC and "16:9 Anamorphic (only supported by 720x576)" under PAL. So if you are right, my post is not the only thing around here that needs to be corrected.

That being said, my players support 704x480 at 16:9, but I'm pretty sure I patched the aspect ratio manually. It has been a while since I tried authoring anamorphic 704x480 video to DVD, but I seem to recall 704x480 video at 16:9 aspect ratio being rejected by what I was using at the time for authoring DVDs. I'll have to check my authoring software again later to see what it does.

I'm getting my info from the DVD Demystified textbook (Jim Taylor, Andy Parsons) and from...ahem!...DVDspec document. Plus, SpruceDVD Maestro & Sonic Scenarist encoding & manuals. Don't know how much better you can get than that unless you were to have the $50k+ package of NDA documents.

Yes, this site, and Wikipedia, and a few other sites have a few things wrong with them. Don't get me started on what needs to be fixed WRT stereo3D on Wikipedia!

After a few bothersome rounds with pandy, I now make sure I get my references straight from the horse's (aka mftr's/specs') mouth (though that still won't satisfy some people).

Scott

*************

...Here it is:

[Cornucopia]

@gastrof, I'm not surprised IFOedit isn't working for your Video_RM folder - it wasn't designed to work with those.

As you know (I hope), the DVD family includes a number of specs: standard "DVD-Video" application, "DVD-Audio" application, but also the "DVD-VR" and "DVD+VR" as well as "DVD-AR" and "DVD-SR" recording application specs (as well as the physical specs).

If I understand correctly, yours is the DVD+VR (Philips) format. IFOedit & PGCedit were designed to work with the DVD-Video format. Any possibility of them working with any of the other format specs is purely by chance.

Read this thread: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/240474-Why-VIDEO_RM-folder. Likely the stuff in your Video_RM folder is just temp/EDL info anyway and so would be unusable in a standard DVD player (though clearly not in a DVD+VR recorder/player).

Scott

[usually_quiet]

@usually_quiet, you should amend that to read 720x480(576) AND 704x480(576), as the 704width is just as valid for both 4:3 and 16:9 material (this is twice I've mentioned this today for some reason!).

Your other part is correct: the 1/2D1 and CIF sizes are ONLY 4:3DAR, and I don't know of ANY app or device that allows otherwise.

Scott

I didn't just pull the requirements for 16:9 out of my hat. The "What Is DVD" page here at VideoHelp says "16:9 Anamorphic (only supported by 720x480) " under NTSC and "16:9 Anamorphic (only supported by 720x576)" under PAL. So if you are right, my post is not the only thing around here that needs to be corrected.

That being said, my players support 704x480 at 16:9, but I'm pretty sure I patched the aspect ratio manually. It has been a while since I tried authoring anamorphic 704x480 video to DVD, but I seem to recall 704x480 video at 16:9 aspect ratio being rejected by what I was using at the time for authoring DVDs. I'll have to check my authoring software again later to see what it does.

I'm getting my info from the DVD Demystified textbook (Jim Taylor, Andy Parsons) and from...ahem!...DVDspec document. Plus, SpruceDVD Maestro & Sonic Scenarist encoding & manuals. Don't know how much better you can get than that unless you were to have the $50k+ package of NDA documents.

Yes, this site, and Wikipedia, and a few other sites have a few things wrong with them. Don't get me started on what needs to be fixed WRT stereo3D on Wikipedia!

After a few bothersome rounds with pandy, I now make sure I get my references straight from the horse's (aka mftr's/specs') mouth (though that still won't satisfy some people).

Scott

*************

...Here it is:

The source was all I needed. Thanks. Maybe you could mention the omission to Baldrick. I haven't tested my authoring software yet, but all of it is freeware or ordinary consumer software. There might be some discrepancies.

[orsetto]

For anamorphic recodings from my DVD recorders, I have to either change the aspect ratio from 4:3 in both the IFOs (with IFOEdit or PgcEdit) and in the MPEG-2 video (with DVDPatcher) after authoring, or use Restream on the m2v file prior to authoring and author with 16:9 aspect ratio.

Could you elaborate just a bit further on this? I'm curious, because I have never done your additional MPEG-2 correction (in boldface above). I am working with straight-up rips of the VIDEO_TS folders from DVDs finalized on various recorders. I load these into pgcEdit, where I set the first play pgc of my choice (usually the menu) and then "16:9 +letterbox" as domain stream attribute for each Title/VOB. Burning this modified VIDEO_TS folder to disc results in a new DVD that (so far) auto-plays properly in true 16:9 or 4:3 letterbox according to the player and connected display.

Your mention of additionally patching the MPEG2 using a separate program has me wondering if I might run into problems down the road with these discs I've modified using only pgcEdit (despite not having any issues at the moment). Is additionally patching the MPEG2 only required if one discards the DVD recorder-created menu structure and re-authors with alternative software (something I never do)? Would appreciate your clarification on this, thanks!

[usually_quiet]

For anamorphic recodings from my DVD recorders, I have to either change the aspect ratio from 4:3 in both the IFOs (with IFOEdit or PgcEdit) and in the MPEG-2 video (with DVDPatcher) after authoring, or use Restream on the m2v file prior to authoring and author with 16:9 aspect ratio.

Could you elaborate just a bit further on this? I'm curious, because I have never done your additional MPEG-2 correction (in boldface above). I am working with straight-up rips of the VIDEO_TS folders from DVDs finalized on various recorders. I load these into pgcEdit, where I set the first play pgc of my choice (usually the menu) and then "16:9 +letterbox" as domain stream attribute for each Title/VOB. Burning this modified VIDEO_TS folder to disc results in a new DVD that (so far) auto-plays properly in true 16:9 or 4:3 letterbox according to the player and connected display.

Your mention of additionally patching the MPEG2 using a separate program has me wondering if I might run into problems down the road with these discs I've modified using only pgcEdit (despite not having any issues at the moment). Is additionally patching the MPEG2 only required if one discards the DVD recorder-created menu structure and re-authors with alternative software (something I never do)? Would appreciate your clarification on this, thanks!

It apparently depends on the DVD player. Some DVD players only need the IFO is patched. Too many people have written that they just patch the IFOs and all is well with their player.

However, when I first tried anamorphic recording, I only had my Panasonic DMR-ES10 DVD recorder for recording or playing DVDs. It can automatically set 16:9 aspect ratio flags for 16:9 PAL sources recorded on DVD-RAM, but always sets a 4:3 AR for NTSC video. There is no manual setting for the aspect ratio to be used when recording. Anamorphic recordings could not be made to display with the correct aspect ratio on a 4:3 TV I had at the time unless I changed the flags in both the video and the IFO. I tried changing the aspect ratio flags only in the IFO, but it wasn't enough. ...and yes I nearly always edit to remove commercials and re-author anything I want to save.

[nic2k4]

The Video_RM folder is still a problem, but I did something to the Video_TS folder.

Glad you got it working. Like Scott said DVD players "only know" how to read the Video_TS folder (except Panasonic, maybe, if I recall they read DVD-RAM disc), you can just ignore the Video_RM folder. DVD camcorders have the same disc structure as recorders. The Sony camcorders I've dealt with would only set the 16:9 flag in the IFO, but would record the VOB's in 4:3. One of the programs I use to edit does not read the IFO on import and would always change the AR all I'd have to do is change it back with IFOedit after rendering. So far, I've never had anyone complain their movie was playing with the wrong AR.

As usually_quiet mentioned don't change the menu AR or your buttons won't highlight in the right spot when you select them. Actually you could fix the highlight position with PGCedit, but I haven't seen any guides on that and last time I fiddled with that as I recall it was a fairly convoluted process.