Problem converting .MOV QuickTime to MPEG2 for DVDR

[justin81]

Hello,

I have a QuickTime MOV file that I would like to convert to MPEG2 for DVDR burning. Thus far, I have tried using DVDFlick, Aimersoft Video Converter, and ConvertXtoDVD. However, when each of these software applications opens the MOV file, there are black bars along the bottom and ride side of the video. Attempts to convert result in MPEG2 files with these same black bars. However, if I play the video in QuickTime, the bars aren't there. I can only surmise that the software is not loading the video at the correct resolution. Any suggestions on how to get around this?

Thanks.

[newpball]

If you need this on a DVD then crop/resize it to SD resolution and be done with it!

[Cornucopia]

It wasn't stated that the footage is NOT already SD, so that kind of response is totally unhelpful.

First, post a MediaInfo text readout of your stuff. It probably is just a misunderstanding of the AR, but we cannot tell without further details.

Scott

[usually_quiet]

Hello,

I have a QuickTime MOV file that I would like to convert to MPEG2 for DVDR burning. Thus far, I have tried using DVDFlick, Aimersoft Video Converter, and ConvertXtoDVD. However, when each of these software applications opens the MOV file, there are black bars along the bottom and ride side of the video. Attempts to convert result in MPEG2 files with these same black bars. However, if I play the video in QuickTime, the bars aren't there. I can only surmise that the software is not loading the video at the correct resolution. Any suggestions on how to get around this?

Thanks.

The maximum resolution allowed for DVD is 720x480 for NTSC or 720x576 for PAL, and there are only two aspect ratios allowed, 4:3 or 16:9. A DVD converter will normally use black bars (when necessary) to pad video so it matches the aspect ratio you choose (either 4:3 or 16:9) and will re-size the video so it has the correct resolution for DVD. If you dislike black bars, you will need to crop the video to either a 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio before converting to DVD. I haven't used DVDStyler all that much much, but it does MOV to DVD conversion, plus DVD authoring, and includes a user-friendly crop function.

[justin81]

Here are the specs. Let me know if you need more info...

General
Complete name : C:\Users\Justin\Desktop\FAUM.mov
Format : QuickTime
Format/Info : Original Apple specifications
File size : 332 MiB
Duration : 22mn 55s
Overall bit rate : 2 023 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2007-12-11 07:54:52
Tagged date : UTC 2007-12-11 08:42:38
Writing library : Apple QuickTime

Video
ID : 2
Format : H.263
Codec ID : h263
Duration : 22mn 55s
Bit rate : 483 Kbps
Width : 320 pixels
Original width : 352 pixels
Height : 240 pixels
Original height : 288 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.210
Stream size : 79.1 MiB (24%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2007-12-11 07:54:52
Tagged date : UTC 2007-12-11 08:42:38

Audio
ID : 1
Format : PCM
Format settings, Endianness : Big
Format settings, Sign : Signed
Codec ID : twos
Duration : 22mn 55s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 536 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Stream size : 252 MiB (76%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2007-12-11 07:54:52
Tagged date : UTC 2007-12-11 08:42:38

[Cornucopia]

Ok, you've got an "interesting" file there...

Problems:
1. The file's original HxW was 352x288. AKA, this was a (PAL?) CIF file which had a 4:3 DAR (ITU-type PAR). However,
2. The file's current resize/"aperture"window in Quicktime MOV format is 320x240. This makes it still 4:3 DAR (and in square pixels), but it has been resized down. Also,
3. The file's framerate is not consistent with PAL (25fps), but instead with NTSC, even though it was not originally NTSC resolution.
4. The file uses h.263 encoding.
5. Also, the file's audio is Big-Endian (most likely because this was saved on a Mac?)

Sounds like this was from some videoconference, right?

Your list of apps attempted leads me to believe that you are now using a PC - is this truly the case?

Your choices are: conform the framerate to match the (original) resolution, or conform the resolution to match the framerate. Since you do live in the US, I think the latter would be better (you tell me).
Another choice is whether to uprez it to full D1 to encode (to MPEG2) and author for DVD, or to leave the rez as-is and encode as CIF MPEG1/2 and author. DVD does support that resolution, but some apps don't/won't take advantage of it.

If it were me, I'd resize the resolution to 352x240 @ 29.97 with 4:3 DAR (aka NTSC CIF), encode to MPEG2 @ ~4-6Mbps (no need to go higher - the source quality won't show it, shouldn't go much lower even with CIF, in order to retain what little quality there is). Leave the LPCM audio as is.

With a supporting authoring app this should work out fine and give you a normal full-screen 4:3 image on a 4:3 display when played on a DVD.

Scott

<edit>I would:
A. Using QT Pro, convert the h.263 video to Uncompressed AVI at same dimensions (no resizing). Also demux the LPCM audio to WAV.
B. Using AVISynth script & HCEnc, convert the Uncompressed AVI to suggested dimensions & encode to MPEG2 (2pass VBR - Max 7.9Mbps, Avg ~4-6Mbps, Min 0.5Mbps).
C. Author, using whichever works for you stylistically & complexity-wise (as well as supporting CIF-rez sources). Start by trying DVDFlick, DVDStyler, DVDAuthorGUI, etc. (I would use DVDArchitect, Encore or DVDMaestro, but I have those tools).

[justin81]

Scott, thanks very much your advice. I'll give it a shot!