Video Aspect Displays Incorrectly In Vegas Preview Window

[pfflamingo]

When importing videos in 720x480 aspect into Vegas, they display in the Project Window horizontally stretched. This occurs even when the project settings respect the proper aspect ratios. There are two [probably related] issues that also occur:

-Exported 720x480 videos render horizontally stretched
and/or
-do not fully fill the frame, and render with unwanted borders

I have not been able to find a resolution to these issues by adjusting any settings or options. These issues are recent, I have not had these problems previously in the past. They exist in all versions of Vegas I use [18/19/20]. I find the same problem also happens with Sony Movie Studio 12.

These problems do not exist when working with videos with a 1920x1080 aspect, for whatever reason.

I have attached screenshots of the Preview Window, the Properties Window and Media Tab data for the sample video in question.

[Note, also, that in the Preview Window, the "Display" aspect is 526x386, which is an improper ratio.]

The Forum does not seem to have an answer to these issues, any constructive guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks



[Attachment 83220 - Click to enlarge]


[Attachment 83222 - Click to enlarge]


[Attachment 83223 - Click to enlarge]

[creakndale]

flamingo,
Put 0.889 in the Project Properties > Pixel aspect ratio box. Even though it's not a selectable drop down option, just place the cursor in the field and type it in. Then click, Apply.

creakndale

[davexnet]

What is the project set to?
Does the mpeg-2 source have any black borders at the top or sides?

As you know, DVDs are either 4x3 or 16x9 with arbitrary aspect
ratios achieved by the use of the letterboxing.
You image of 526x386 ( aspect 1.36) could be valid if Vegas is cropping the letterboxing
top and bottom

[manono]

[Note, also, that in the Preview Window, the "Display" aspect is 526x386, which is an improper ratio.]

How do you figure? That's very close to the correct "Academy Ratio".

The Academy ratio of 1.375:1 (abbreviated as 1.37:1) is an aspect ratio of a frame of 35 mm film when used with 4-perf pulldown. It was standardized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as the standard film aspect ratio in 1932, although similar-sized ratios were used as early as 1928.

[pfflamingo]

flamingo,
Put 0.889 in the Project Properties > Pixel aspect ratio box. Even though it's not a selectable drop down option, just place the cursor in the field and type it in. Then click, Apply.

creakndale

[Attachment 83247 - Click to enlarge]
[Attachment 83248 - Click to enlarge]
[Attachment 83249 - Click to enlarge]
[Attachment 83250 - Click to enlarge]

Thank you for your insight, creakndale, it helped to investigate the properties of both the input file and the project, and discovered the problem.

[Note: The Mediainfo input file properties I posted earlier was inadvertently not for the file in question. I have included the correct one here. A
comparison of the different properties of the wrong/correct files helped solve the issue, however.]

The root of the problem is that I expected to create and export a file to a Display aspect ratio of 720x480/4:3, but the source file had values of 720x480/1.334, formatted as NTSC Widescreen, and not as 720x480/4:3. The Widescreen value of the source was not taken into consideration. This resulted in an exported file with incorrect proportions.

Exporting the file with the same value of the source solved the issue, using a profile of NTSC Widescreen [720x480/1.334]

The Properties of the source file were also verified as properly reflecting the native Pixel aspect ratio of 0.889, as it should.

See screenshot of the video in its proper 16x9 perspective.

What is the project set to?
Does the mpeg-2 source have any black borders at the top or sides?

As you know, DVDs are either 4x3 or 16x9 with arbitrary aspect
ratios achieved by the use of the letterboxing.
You image of 526x386 ( aspect 1.36) could be valid if Vegas is cropping the letterboxing
top and bottom

Thank you, davexnet, for your comments, and you are correct that a Display ratio of 526x386 is a proper perspective. I thought, too, that I might be dealing with problems with borders or other formatting issues, but discovered that was not the case.

[Note, also, that in the Preview Window, the "Display" aspect is 526x386, which is an improper ratio.]

How do you figure? That's very close to the correct "Academy Ratio".

The Academy ratio of 1.375:1 (abbreviated as 1.37:1) is an aspect ratio of a frame of 35 mm film when used with 4-perf pulldown. It was standardized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as the standard film aspect ratio in 1932, although similar-sized ratios were used as early as 1928.

Thanks, manono, you are correct, the 526x386 ratio looked odd to me, but it is a proper perspective.

The 1.37:1 aspect ratio for 35mm film I am aware of, but didn't recognize it in terms as 526x386.


Thanks for all of the responses!