All 16:9 movies imported are converted to 4:3 aspect ratio

[ke_bitting@hotmail.com]

All 16:9 movies imported are converted to 4:3 aspect ratio

Nature of the problem
I’m importing DVD movies taken with a Sony DCR-DVD405 using 16:9 aspect ratio DVD-r format. When I import the moves from the disk it is converting them to 4:3.

In the import dialog box it identifies them as 16:9 but still import them as 4:3. I can not find any setting for the import that will control this.


Properties of your source files
DVD-R disk taken with a Sony DCR-DVD405

What devices are involved and their mode of connection?
Toshiba DVD-ROM SD-M162

Project Settings

Project Properties

File Size 6.05 mb

Version 2.0

Duration 00:24:16:01

Disk Format DVD

Tv System NTST

High Quality

Output format (file, DVD, VCD, SVCD)
DVD

NTSC

System information
P4 2g
Bus 100 MHz
Motherboard ASUSTek <P4T-E>
Memory 512 mb

[sjj1805]

DVD Workshop 2 is a few years old and only creates or renders 4.3
To maintain your 16.9 movies they must be DVD compliant and you must make sure that you have unticked the convert to disc template option.



This then provideds a 'Pass through' effect so that the movie retains its 16.9 attributes.

Also click this thumbnail for more information (ignore the adverts - its a free picture hosting site)

[Hornet]

Hi
This is extremely interesting but I have an associated problem.

My 16x9 movies, after authoring and finalising in WS2 (where the Output Display Option dialogue box shows the Display Aspect Ratio as 16x9), does not trigger my Sony 5.1 sound system DVD player to a 16x9 format on my widescreen Sony Bravia TV. I have checked the DVD Player and the TV to ensure all 16x9 items are shown in widescreen and commercial 16x9 DVDs play fine in widescreen. I download my DV movies from my TRV50E Sony DV Camera to Premier 6.5 which I use for edting, thence saved in compliant DVD 16x9 format before transferring to WS2 for authoring.

I use a 480GB (1Gb RAM), Intel 4 with Pinnacle Pro-One card

[GeorgeW]

Have you applied the DVD WS patches to your software? What is the exact version of your DWS2

Can you rt-click on the mpeg (from Premiere), and list its properties here

What happens if you take one of your original camcorder captures and put it in a DVD WS project (i.e. letting DVD WS 2.x do the mpeg encoding)

Regards,
George

[Hornet]

Hi George - thanks for your interest.

I have applied all DVD2 patches - my present version is Build 2.232.

Just to explain things further, I started this exercise as I want to change to a 16x9 format on all my taping in future. Initially I created both AVI files and MPEG/WAV files of the same filmed material to try out both encoding systems, but the same problem results from both methods. The material actually emerges from my camera as 4x3, as the camera only has a 4x3 chip and simply uses a letterbox filter to create a 16x9 format. This is then captured into Premier 6.5 as a 16x9 format (as directed by both Adobe and the Camera manual). I then resave as a Microsoft AVI, either with or without editing. This avi is obviously recognised by DWS2 as 16x9 as evidenced by the Output Display Dialogue box.

In both the Edit and Finish steps, my Firstplay (which is 4x3) and the Menu (also 4x3) play correctly as 4x3, and, when selected, my movie widens to 16x9 as expected. My only problem is when the resultant DVD burned in DWS2 is placed in to a DVD Player (and I have tried 3 DVD Players) the video is narrowed to a 4x3 size, until I manually change the TV setting to Full when it expands to 16x9 correctly.

I would have expected the problem to be a TV or DVD Player fault but I have checked with widescreen DVDs made in other systems, as well as commercial DVDs and they all trigger the TV to change to Full without manual intervention.

One minor point: the "convert to Disc Template" check box is greyed out so I can't "uncheck" it - I assume it is greyed out because the 16x9 movie has been converted to MPEG within DWS2 and therefore the option would not be applicable?

I realise the problem is minor as I only need to change the TV setting to get the full benefits, but I understood this shouldn't be necessary if authored and burned through DWS2, hence my query.

Regards, and thanks again - this is my second effort at preparing a 16x9 programme - the first was a DVD from material shot on a proper anamorphic 16x9 camera processed through Vegas in 16x9 format, which also does not trigger the TV to change to widescreen, but plays correctly in the Finish step!

[Devil]

I believe your prob is because you are importing an avi file into WS2, requiring it to be encoded, which is in 4:3.

The only way 16:9 can be authored is to do the compliant MPEG-2 encoding before bringing it into WS2. Presumably your PP can do that. Note that your menus etc will be in 4:3, although there is a workaround for that, which you can find with a search on this forum.

[GeorgeW]

I think WS2 (with patches applied) can encode 16:9 dv .avi properly to 16:9.

Can anyone else report (either way)

Regards,
George

[sjj1805]

Even with the unofficial alteration to the DVDWS.ini file
(Advance=1) to display the advanced settings, you cannot alter the aspect ratio from 4.3 - it remains greyed out.

I have all the patches applied.
As far as I know the only way to get a 16.9 video with DVD Workshop 2 is to create the MPEG2 file beforehand with your favourite Video Editor and then let DVD Workshop 'Smart Render' it - in other words it must remain unchanged.

Same applies to Dolby 5.1 - provided DVD Workshop doesn't alter your original source material you can retain your Dolby 5.1. sound.

The main problem with DVD Workshop 2 is that it only creates 4.3 menus
There is a work round provided by Helge.
http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic.php?t=12880

[GeorgeW]

But what happens when you burn the DVD? Are you saying the Title is not encoded as 16:9

btw, the workaround does not always work - the subpics for the buttons do not get converted properly to widescreen...

Regards,
George

[sjj1805]

When I pass a 16.9 MPEG2 to DVD Workshop it creates a 16.9 Title.

[GeorgeW]

What happens when you use a 16:9 dv .avi

[sjj1805]

I haven't tried because I create my MPEG2 in advance with either VideoStudio or MediaStudio. Looking though at the project templates I do not see an option to select 16.9

If you add the advance=1 to the DVDWS.INI file then in the advanced settings screen you can see that it is preset to 4.3 and greyed out.

[GeorgeW]

I am NOT saying change the 4:3 (it's ghosted), I am NOT saying add the Advance=1 either.

I am saying go ahead and burn the DVD to see what you get (burn it to DVD Folders and/or to actual disc)

[Hornet]

The Display Aspect Ratio shown in the Output Dialogue Box will ALWAYS be greyed out - it merely shows the display aspect of the selected clip as already recognised by DWS2. The objective of the Dialogue Box is surely to select how the clip should be handled by a monitor which does not have the same display aspect as the selected clip (ie how a 16x9 clip should be treated on a standard 3x4 TV, or a 4x3 clip on a 16x9 widescreen TV). My only point in mentioning it was to evidence my clip has been correctly recognised by DWS2 as in 16x9 format. It is unlikely the Output Display Dialogue Box setting will have any control over the display of my 16x9 clip on my 16x9 TV.

My enquiry was to establish what other options there might be in DWS2 that might affect the ability of a DVD burned in DWS2 (converting within DWS2 from a 16x9 avi which has obviously been recognised by DWS2 as 16x9) to persuade a DVD player to control the TV monitor to use its full widescreen aspect, when the previous sections of the DVD (eg the Menu) required the TV to contract to 4x3. The 16x9 clip is displayed without the letterbox and is therefore in "squashed" perspective.

I also omitted to mention I am from New Zealand, where the PAL format is used.

[GeorgeW]

Have you tried without a 4:3 First-play item? (or with a 16:9 First-play) ?

Regards,
George