Nerovision 6: 16:9 Stretching to 4:3 on 4:3 Monitor

[markannab]

I've created three AVI videos and burnt them to disk. Two are 4:3 and one is 16:9. The 4:3's are fine. The 16:9, as an AVI plays correctly in Media Player. Once burned to DVD, the 16:9 is stretched vertically to fill my 4:3 TV and the same on my computer.

As I set up the DVD for burning in Nerovision 6, and select the three files, they display as thumbnails. To the right of each one, it automatically picks up and displays the ratio of each video - including the 16:9. So it doesn't seem to be Nero not recognizing what it is. I can't find any feature within Nero that I've forgotten.

I've checked settings on my DVD player, but there's nothing specific to change in this regard. What there is, I have swapped back & forth but no change was made to the way it was displayed.

My videos were created in Videostudio 9.

Can anyone help me with this? Thanks.

[guns1inger]

From reading many, many posts here, authoring with nerovision seems to be like playing Russian roulette. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Copy the contents back to your HDD. Open one of the VOBs in the latest g-spot and confirm that it has been encoded as 16:9.

Next, open the disc in PGCEdit and confirm that the disc has been authored as 16:9.

Finally, FWIW, I have a 16:9 switchable 4:3 TV. With my Pioneer player, all correctly encoded and authored 16:9 discs switch the display as they should. With my LG player, 16:9 Divx material (i.e. Divx files that are wider than 4:3, not necessarily flagged as 16:9) and 16:9 DVDs that are NTSC do not seem to generate the 16:9 signal for the TV. It is a simple HW incompatibility.

[markannab]

I haven't tried what you've suggested yet, but can having 4:3 and 16:9 on the same DVD as different titles cause problems? I used VideoStudio 9 to burn last night - leaving Nero out of it - and got the identical problem.

[guns1inger]

If you mix aspect ratios then the titles must be in different title sets (VTS). I don't know if NeroVision is smart enough to do this. if it doesn't then one title with get the correct aspect ratio and the the other won't.

[markannab]

All quite frustrating. Would I be right in saying that technology is in the throws of changing from 4:3 to 16:9 - in all areas. We have DVD players, TV's, cameras, and software all trying to cope with both - and ultimately, that's where the problem is?

What does the following tell you? In my limited knowledge, it tells me that the DVD contains the information necessary to display correctly. It's the hardware/software that is struggling. Am I close to correct?

On my 4:3 TV:
The 4:3 is correct
The 16:9 is incorrect

On my 4:3 computer monitor with Cine Player:
The 4:3 is correct
The 16:9 is correct

On a friends 16:9 computer monitor with Cine Player:
The 4:3 is incorrect
The 16:9 is correct

As a side point, I've used mpeg2 and avi's as source files that have been output from Videostudio. While the size shows 720 x 576 whether it's widescreen or not, the description does identify them correctly as 4:3 or 16:9. I specify widescreen in two places within Videostudio. Firstly under File/Project Properties, then as I create the file (at the point of naming the file) I go to options & ensure widescreen is selected there too.

[guns1inger]

PAL widescreen and fullscreen SD mpg both have an image resolution of 720 x 576. The difference is the pixel aspect ratio and the setting of display aspect ratio flags in the header during encoding.

When authoring, aspect ratio should also be set in the IFO files.

Some players appear to look only at the IFO, and set the AR according to what it says. Others appear to also look at the video stream header. This applies to hardware and software players. For example, WMP (possibly the stupidest player every written) will read the AR from an IFO and playback correctly, but feed it the mpg used in the authoring process, and it will ignore the AR flags.

As you are using NeroVision to author (possibly the second stupidest program after WMP) I can suggest two possible areas that are incorrect;

1. It is not setting the AR correctly in the IFOs when authoring, or not authoring to separate video titlesets (VTSs)

2. It is re-encoding your videos without correctly setting the AR flags.

[markannab]

Thanks for all that. One final question & I'll leave you alone

What are IFO's and where do I get a chance to set the aspect ratio there?

[guns1inger]

The IFO files are created during authoring. They are essentially a text file, and contain information regarding the titlesets, aspect ratios, chapter points etc. These should be created (correctly) by the authoring tool, however you can use something like PGCEdit to make changes after the fact. You should not have to set the aspect ratio manually.

[MysticE]

Load the 16:9 clip only in NVE. Under More-> Video Options-> DVD Video, tick 4:3. Make sure the bit rate matches the original project. Now choose 'Export'. When it's done you should now have a 16:9 vid formatted at 4:3 (bars top and bottom). Use this one and redo your project with the other clips. NVE won't re-encode this one so the quality will remain the same.

[guns1inger]

Why the hell would you want to ruin a perfectly good 16:9 clip ?

[markannab]

Thanks MysticE. I did what you said. My lack of knowledge means it doesn't make sense to me - choosing 4:3 when I want 16:9 - but on my 4:3 TV, it worked. My menu is 4:3, a 4:3 video shows as such, and the 16:9 displays with black bands top & bottom.

I don't know if this is true widescreen. By that I mean, on a widescreen TV, will those black lines disappear? I don't have one to test it on.

[guns1inger]

On a widescreen TV you will have a small letterboxed image with border all the way around. The only way to get rid of them will be to zoom in until the image fills the screen form side to side, and the picture will look awful.

If you really want to create DVDs, stop using second rate programs like Nero for your authoring and encoding.

[MysticE]

Why the hell would you want to ruin a perfectly good 16:9 clip ?

How is being able to watch his clip, with the correct AR on his 4:3 set ruining it? He wanted to watch his clip on a 4:3 set and he wanted to use Nero. I gave him the solution (simply, without all sorts of video babel), something you could or would not do. Your constant harping about Nero is bordering on neurosis. Seeing as you hate Nero so much why do you even bother to post when folks need Nero advice? Many folks have paid good money for Nero and would like to use it.

Thanks MysticE. I did what you said. My lack of knowledge means it doesn't make sense to me - choosing 4:3 when I want 16:9 - but on my 4:3 TV, it worked.

Your welcome. Glad I could help.

[guns1inger]

He had a simple request - how to author a 16:9 clip and a 4:3 clip on the same disc with correct ARs for each. If the best Nero can offer as a solution is to re-encode a perfectly legal video to a lower quality resolution, then it is poor software. More fool the person who pays for it.

[MysticE]

He had a simple request - how to author a 16:9 clip and a 4:3 clip on the same disc with correct ARs for each. If the best Nero can offer as a solution is to re-encode a perfectly legal video to a lower quality resolution, then it is poor software. More fool the person who pays for it.

Did I miss something here?

I've created three AVI videos and burnt them to disk.

AVI's are "perfectly legal video"? Legal for what? They all had to be encoded.