what aspect ratio should i choose on conversion to DVD video

[perfection]

Mods: Really sorry for my goof up in the last post

I have videos of varying display aspect ratios such as 2.25:1 and even 2.35:1. I am looking at converting these to DVD video for viewing on dvd player. How to know whether to choose 4:3 or 16:9 in my software? Further shall I choose letterbox, pan and scan or original setting ?

Is there some loss involved here in terms of screen real estate content?

[usually_quiet]

Probably no one here would use 4:3 for any kind of wide-screen aspect ratio video. 16:9 would be preferred.

Most members here would choose to add letterbox bars if necessary to pad the frame to 16:9 and keep as much of the original picture as possible. A smaller percentage would crop the sides of the picture if needed to get a 16:9 picture area with no letterboxing because they can't tolerate seeing black bars and don't consider anything going on at the sides of the frame to be very important.

[newpball]

Mods: Really sorry for my goof up in the last post

I have videos of varying display aspect ratios such as 2.25:1 and even 2.35:1. I am looking at converting these to DVD video for viewing on dvd player. How to know whether to choose 4:3 or 16:9 in my software? Further shall I choose letterbox, pan and scan or original setting ?

That is entirely up to you.

I'd say it depends, if you view it on this you can make the argument to go full screen:



However if viewed on this chances are you would not even ask the question:

[JVRaines]

Probably no one here would use 4:3 for any kind of wide-screen aspect ratio video. 16:9 would be preferred.

Most members here would choose to add letterbox bars if necessary to pad the frame to 16:9 and keep as much of the original picture as possible. A smaller percentage would crop the sides of the picture if needed to get a 16:9 picture area with no letterboxing because they can't tolerate seeing black bars and don't consider anything going on at the sides of the frame to be very important.

It's not just a distaste for bars. DVD-Video is low resolution by today's standards; zooming in and cropping can provide a useful boost in detail.

[manono]

DVD-Video is low resolution by today's standards; zooming in and cropping can provide a useful boost in detail.

Depends on the source resolution. A 640x272 XviD, for example, cropped and zoomed to 640x480 (720x480 for 4:3 NTSC DVD) will lose resolution and blur. And, as usually_quiet said, most here (not speaking for the world at large) would much prefer the film in its original aspect ratio. And the ignorant, if they don't like the black bars, can always use the remote control to zoom the DVD video. And make it blurry.

[newpball]

DVD-Video is low resolution by today's standards; zooming in and cropping can provide a useful boost in detail.

Which brings me back to the question that seems to upset so many members here: why still insist on using DVDs? Degrading your video because, well, DVD is simply a must!

[Cornucopia]

Why insist that people abandon something that works for them just to accommodate (only) your newest fancy? Seriously, you are being very disrespectful of many OPs' needs and constraints. Are YOU going to buy them their updated equipment?!!

Scott

[newpball]

Why insist that people abandon something that works for them just to accommodate (only) your newest fancy? Seriously, you are being very disrespectful of many OPs' needs and constraints. Are YOU going to buy them their updated equipment?!!

Inflation adjusted TVs have never been this cheap, ever!

You can buy a 32 inch 720p TV for under $200, for $100 more you have full HD.
And yes they have USB input!

You can buy a 128GB USB memory stick for under $50 and on it you can store over 50 DVD equivalent quality videos!



That's right, you can put 50 DVD equivalent quality videos on this stick, and on Amazon I saw the price all down to $40!

No, I seriously doubt the reason is money.

[hello_hello]

I've never created a Bluray video disc in my life. The last time a created a compliant DVD video disc was quite a while ago. I use standalone files such as MKV. Still, I don't recall ever needing to post a picture of an ultra widescreen monitor in a thread where someone has asked about converting video to DVD format. I've never needed to post a silly pic related to DVD burning. If I had to post a pic of a USB thumb drive to try to validate my opinion I'd probably have to admit to myself I'm just wasting bandwidth.

Suggesting an alternative after asking the OP why he's wanting to convert to a particular format might contribute something constructive, depending on the answer, but can anyone remember when newpball last contributed something constructive to a thread?

[perfection]

So what is being suggested here (apart from the flaring) is that one thinks of the device on which it will be used even if the original has a $:3 format?

[Skiller]

So what is being suggested here (apart from the flaring) is that one thinks of the device on which it will be used even if the original has a $:3 format?

(Assuming you mean 4:3) no.

You have two choices of frame sizes for DVD-Video – 4:3 and 16:9. You should choose the one that is closer to your source, so that you waste the least space on padding and make best use of the given resolution.

For example, if you have, say, a transfer of some old 8mm film footage which is approx. 1.37:1 you make a 4:3 DVD rather than 16:9 because for the 16:9 DVD you would waste about 25% of horizontal resolution for the pillarboxing.