Problems with Aspect Ratio in VirtualDub and Handbrake

[Manulis]

Hello,

I've been capturing my old VHS tapes using an Elgato capture card and VIrtualDub2. For some reason, every video I capture with VirtualDub has some strange Aspect ratio, its usually 4.5:3. I have no idea why this is happening and what I can do to fix it. I only notice it when I open it in Handbrake for encoding and I see the source Aspect ratio as 4.5:3

Anyone know how I can fix this?

VirtualDub2 Settings:

Video Compression: UtVideo T2 YUV422 BT.601 VCM (I don't change any of these default settings)

[davexnet]

Open your capture file in media info, view>text, post the details here

[Manulis]

After encoding:

Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42 (mp42/iso2/mp41)
File size : 1.10 GiB
Duration : 1 h 27 min
Overall bit rate : 1 800 kb/s
Encoded date : UTC 2022-06-05 06:59:41
Tagged date : UTC 2022-06-05 06:59:41
Writing application : HandBrake 1.5.1 2022011000

Video
ID : 1
Format : HEVC
Format/Info : High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile : Main@L3@Main
Codec ID : hvc1
Codec ID/Info : High Efficiency Video Coding
Duration : 1 h 27 min
Bit rate : 1 631 kb/s
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 3:2
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 29.970 (30000/1001) FPS
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.157
Stream size : 1 023 MiB (91%)
Encoded date : UTC 2022-06-05 06:59:41
Tagged date : UTC 2022-06-05 06:59:41
Color range : Limited
Color primaries : BT.601 NTSC
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.470 System B/G
Codec configuration box : hvcC

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC LC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID : mp4a-40-2
Duration : 1 h 27 min
Source duration : 1 h 27 min
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 160 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel layout : L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 101 MiB (9%)
Source stream size : 101 MiB (9%)
Title : Stereo
Default : Yes
Alternate group : 1
Encoded date : UTC 2022-06-05 06:59:41
Tagged date : UTC 2022-06-05 06:59:41
mdhd_Duration : 5263744

[Manulis]

Before Encoding:

Format : AVI
Format/Info : Audio Video Interleave
Format profile : OpenDML
File size : 57.4 GiB
Duration : 1 h 27 min
Overall bit rate : 93.7 Mb/s
Writing library : VirtualDub2 build 44282/release

Video
ID : 0
Format : UMY2
Codec ID : UMY2
Duration : 1 h 27 min
Bit rate : 92.1 Mb/s
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 3:2
Frame rate : 29.970 (30000/1001) FPS
Standard : NTSC
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 8.897
Stream size : 56.5 GiB (98%)

Audio
ID : 1
Format : PCM
Format settings : Little / Signed
Codec ID : 1
Duration : 1 h 27 min
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 536 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Stream size : 964 MiB (2%)
Alignment : Aligned on interleaves
Interleave, duration : 33 ms (1.00 video frame)
Interleave, preload duration : 500 ms

[ConsumerDV]

4.5 : 3 is 1.5, which you get for PAR 1 with 720x480 frame. This is ok, because your capturing device does not know what the proportions of the frame should be. Usually it is PAR 10:11 (width:height) for 4:3 video.

Does it come as interlaced from the Elgato?

EDIT: I see mediainfo. Do you like 4.5:3 more than 3:2 or 1.5 ?

[Manulis]

Well it looks 4.5:3 is the same exact thing as 3:2, wouldnt it be? I just don't know if this is ideal for VHS. I basically want to a good balance of quality while keeping as much to the source as possible. I always thought VHS was 4:3.

[ConsumerDV]

Well it looks 4.5:3 is the same exact thing as 3:2, wouldnt it be? I just don't know if this is ideal for VHS. I basically want to a good balance of quality while keeping as much to the source as possible. I always thought VHS was 4:3.

VHS usually is 4:3=1.33 (although nothing prohibits to store widescreen video on VHS, and I don't mean letterbox). Standard definition video when digitized is usually 720x480 for NTSC region with 704x480 area having proportions 4:3. 704/480=1.47≠1.33, which means that the pixels are not square. You need to specify pixel aspect ratio (same as sample aspect ratio) when you encode into your delivery format, or convert to square pixels.

(704/480)*(10/11)=4/3

[manono]

Well it looks 4.5:3 is the same exact thing as 3:2, wouldnt it be?

It is, yes. But the standard and simpler way to refer to it is as 3:2.

What you have isn't meant to be the final version. 720x480 is the standard capture resolution for NTSC sources. Then, when reencoding you crop the black bars and either set a PAR of 10:11 in your encoder, as suggested by ConsumerDV, or you resize to some 1.33:1 ratio like 640x480.

[Cornucopia]

And mediainfo may or may not be giving you correct info. A "Display Aspect Ratio" is the ratio of Horizontal / Vertical AS DISPLAYED in the FRAME (one reason it is often alternately called Frame Aspect Ratio). And this presumes the H & the V are multiplied by the Pixel or Sample Aspect Ratio (or at least it ought to be when properly done). If that capture was done and save with a 1:1 PAR, then that DAR is correctly labelled, although the image would NOT be proportionate to what it was originally intended. Because, as was already mentioned, VHS (actually, analog SD video of any stripe) NEVER uses a 1:1 PAR when sampling using the industry-standard 601 format. Normally, a 601-sampled SD image from analog OUGHT to be 720 (or 704) x 480 and be listed as having a 4:3 DAR (or occasionally a 16:9 DAR), hopefully along with a listed non-square PAR.

If this was sampled (and saved) properly using 601 gear, and nothing has changed since then, then the mediainfo readout is incorrect.
If this was sampled/saved improperly, or using non-standard, or archaic gear, then the mediainfo readout is correct, but something was done incorrectly (which may or may not warrant redoing).


Scott