From Virtualdub 720x480 to H.264 viewable on a smart TV

[Spektre]

-vf setbar="Cheers", setcar="Cadillac" etc.

[hello_hello]

or simplier:

ffmpeg -sar 12:11

-sar 16:15 didn't cause ffmpeg to set any aspect ratio when I tried it (720x576 video). I think it only specifies the input SAR, although the log file says:

Reading option '-sar' ... matched as AVOption 'sar' with argument '16:15'.

From the log file when using -vf setsar=sar=16/15

[Parsed_setsar_0 @ 0000000019936940] w:720 h:576 sar:0/1 dar:5/4 -> sar:16/15 dar:4/3
.
[rawvideo @ 0000000019840340] PACKET SIZE: 622080, STRIDE: 1080
[libx264 @ 0000000000b8b340] using SAR=16/15

From the log file when using -vf setdar=dar=4/3

[Parsed_setdar_0 @ 0000000019536880] w:720 h:576 dar:5/4 sar:0/1 -> dar:4/3 sar:16/15
.
[rawvideo @ 0000000019440240] PACKET SIZE: 622080, STRIDE: 1080
[libx264 @ 0000000000b8b340] using SAR=16/15

From the log file when using -aspect 4:3

Applying option aspect (set aspect ratio (4:3, 16:9 or 1.3333, 1.7777)) with argument 4:3.
.
[rawvideo @ 0000000019670140] PACKET SIZE: 622080, STRIDE: 1080
[libx264 @ 0000000000b8b2c0] using SAR=16/15

In the case of ffmpeg, it obviously converts a specified DAR to a SAR for libx264.

[Sharc]

-sar 16:15 didn't cause ffmpeg to set any aspect ratio when I tried it. I think it only specifies the input SAR.

Yes, use the filter -vf setsar=..... for setting the target SAR (aka PAR).

[Sharc]

-sar 16:15 didn't cause ffmpeg to set any aspect ratio when I tried it. I think it only specifies the input SAR.

Yes, use the filter -vf setsar=..... for setting the target SAR (aka PAR).

[lollo]

Applying option aspect (set aspect ratio (4:3, 16:9 or 1.3333, 1.7777)) with argument 4:3.
.
[rawvideo @ 0000000019670140] PACKET SIZE: 622080, STRIDE: 1080
[libx264 @ 0000000000b8b2c0] using SAR=16/15

Congratulations!

You just discoverd that PAR=DAR/SAR (SAR here = Storage Aspect Ratio):
DAR = 4:3
SAR = 720:576
PAR = DAR/SAR = 4/3 * 576/720 = 2304/2160 = 16/15

[hello_hello]

Applying option aspect (set aspect ratio (4:3, 16:9 or 1.3333, 1.7777)) with argument 4:3.
.
[rawvideo @ 0000000019670140] PACKET SIZE: 622080, STRIDE: 1080
[libx264 @ 0000000000b8b2c0] using SAR=16/15

Congratulations!

You just discoverd that PAR=DAR/SAR (SAR here = Storage Aspect Ratio):
DAR = 4:3
SAR = 720:576
PAR = DAR/SAR = 4/3 * 576/720 = 2304/2160 = 16/15

The DAR is respect by (almost) all devices, the PAR not.

What I obviously discovered is specifying a SAR/PAR produces the same result as specifying the appropriate DAR.

[lollo]

What I obviously discovered is specifying a SAR/PAR produces the same result as specifying the appropriate DAR.

Sure.

The difference is that we are in the contest of Analog Captures, needing cropping/masking.
When you specify the PAR (if supported by the players) you can croop by any amount without taking care of adjusting the proportions.
If you specify the DAR (supported by almost everything) you cannot crop by any amount without compensate to keep the right proportions.

We talked about that many times

[hello_hello]

I was simply trying to discover why you've said specifying a DAR is supported by almost everything while specifying a SAR/PAR may not be supported, when either way ffmpeg writes the same SAR/PAR to the video stream and the same corresponding DAR to the container (I'm not sure if a DAR or SAR is written to an MP4 container, but it's the DAR for MKV).