4:3 and 16:9 Mix

[Phil S]

I have some old video film that is in 4:3 format and some more recent film that is 16:9 format and want to make a chronological film from it without it stretching or squashing the picture.

If I make seperate mpegs set at 4:3 or 16:9 respectively and then render the whole thing again at say 4:3 will I lose the 16:9 part switching or will it stay embedded in the new file.

Alternatively should I keep the seperate 4:3/16:9 mpegs and pull them to the timeline in the Creatre Disc process and still get a seamless transition from one to the other.

What is the best way to do this?

These files are quite large so I would appreciate some guidance on this before I start rendering. I'm using VS10+

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Phil
Interesting question.

If you have a 4:3 project and insert a 16:9 that clip will have black bars across the top and bottom.
Render this to 4:3 and the 16:9 will be embedded.
Your video will be 4:3. showing black bars for the 16:9 section.

I think it is essential that the video properties for each file are identical with the exception of the aspect ratio. That should improve render times.

Keeping the files separate may be the best option. Provided they are Dvd compatible.
A short pause during playback can be expected.

The type of player/tv used may influence your decision, does it auto detect the aspect ratio or do you manually change it.

You have the option of converting the 4:3 to 16:9 by using the distort function or overlay track.
Read my guide to widescreen, shows how a 4:3 looks in a 16:9 etc

As a test I would create a short video of each, a few minutes long.
Using these files burn to dvd-rw.

Let us know how you get on.

Trevor

[Phil S]

Thanks for you answer. Like your guide.

I have gone for keeping the mpegs seperate which does work OK and automatically switches my TV to 16:9. The drawback is as you said that there is a slight delay while the DVD player and TV react to the signal.

Thinking about this a bit more, is there possibly a way to render a 4:3 film as 16:9 by putting in a 16:9 background (say black) with the 4:3 on top - a bit like they sometimes do on TV by filling in the side bars with something easy on the eye.

The whole lot then can be rendered as 16:9 with the 4:3 in the right aspect and no transition delay. I'll have to experiment with this.

[daniel]

Yes, as Trevor said, you can create a 16:9 project and insert a Looooong color clip where your 4:3 video goes, then add you 4:3 video on the overlay track, checking Keep Original size and voilà.
A 16:9 video with parts with side black bars.

EDIT: Sorry make that Keep Original Ratio....

[Trevor Andrew]

Thanks for you answer. Like your guide.


Thinking about this a bit more, is there possibly a way to render a 4:3 film as 16:9 by putting in a 16:9 background (say black) with the 4:3 on top - a bit like they sometimes do on TV by filling in the side bars with something easy on the eye.

The whole lot then can be rendered as 16:9 with the 4:3 in the right aspect and no transition delay. I'll have to experiment with this.

Hi

Start a new project
Insert 16:9 video
Project properties should change to match video properties as 16:9
Insert 4:3 video, select clip in timeline
Select Attributes tab
Tick ¡¥ Distort clip¡¦

Right click preview screen
Select Fit to Screen

Right click preview screen
Select Keep aspect ratio

The 4:3 will look like 16:9, but you will lose some detail at the top and bottom.
Use keyboard arrow keys to nudge frame up or down.

Render Same as First Video Clip.

Hope this Helps

Trevor

[daniel]

Pardon me Trevor, but I think if you select keep original size instead of fit to screen and then keep original ratio, you're not losing anything and have just side bars. Anyway that's how I remember I did. See disclaimer

[Trevor Andrew]

Pardon me Trevor, but I think if you select keep original size instead of fit to screen and then keep original ratio, you're not losing anything and have just side bars. Anyway that's how I remember I did. See disclaimer

Hi Daniel

You are correct, you could keep the 4:3 in the middle of the 16:9.

But if you wish to fill the side bars you will have to stretch the horizontal.

Keep Original and Fit to Screen seem to create the same effect,
This distorts the image/frame, using keep aspect ratio stretches the vertical. It¡¦s this that looses some frame top and bottom. If you can live with loosing some of the frame that is.

All depends on how close the original video was recorded.
You may loose some heads, but the frame can be nudged down to compensate.(then you loose the feet.) depends on the video content.

There are many ways to change the video and reverting 4:3 to 16:9 is one option.

Trevor

[Phil S]

OK, I've had a play with this now and I've come to the conclusion that really you don't have to do anything.

I set the project to 16:9
Inserted a 4:3 clip
then a 16:9 clip.
Rendered and burnt it.

The result that this gives is most of the 4:3 picture is seen with a small amount missing top and bottom but not as much lost when you "Fit to Screen" (or "Original Size") and "Keep Aspect Ratio".
This small amount lost can actually be benificial as I sometimes get a bit of flyback interference at the bottom of taped videos.

This then gives black side bars slightly thinner than you get on normal 4:3 on a Widescreen TV. When the 16:9 clip comes up it just fills the screen.

I suppose if you tick distort image and adjust the corner handles slightly smaller and right click to select Anchor at Centre/Centre then you could get the complete 4:3 image with the normal side bars.

Perhaps I was thinking that there was a special way of doing this when really there's not. Looking for trouble when it isn't there.

Are you with me. Do you agree?

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Phil

yep i agree, and understand what you are saying.

Trevor

[Phil S]

Well I've learnt something. It was an interesting discussion nonetheless. Good Luck

[Terry Stetler]

When mixing aspect ratios I use "keep aspect ratio" in preferences and "non-square pixel rendering" in both preferences & the export options.

In 4:3 projects 16:9, gets letterboxed (black at the top/bottom).

In a 16:9 project 4:3 gets pillared (black at the sides).

These days I set the aspect ratio of the project/export to that of the majority of the sources, unless there is an overriding reason to do otherwise.

Examples would include 4:3 for those Luddite customers who say they'll never buy one of those "funny looking new-fangled TV's"

[lakewud]

hi, barging in on the discussion...trying to make sense of it..

Im wanting the same thing..i think...i want my project to begin with those bars top n bottom then (when the main movie starts ) i want to insert into the timeline a project that fills the screen.

I dont go and render to c drive etc...happy for this project at least..now its virtually finished...to insert the 2 projects into the timeline and then press that share button etc etc...


SO, tried setting properties button so that the first project will be 16:9 and the other 4:3..but just makes the whole project one of the other..any straightforward advice please? And if i must render..say my inital first project how do i do that?

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

If your end product is to be in 4:3 aspect ratio, then set the project properties for the main project to 4:3.
To make things easy you should render the two projects, making the intro/initial 16:9.
and the main project 4:3

Start a new project, set the properties to match the main 4:3 file.

Inserting the first video file (16:9) into this project, will look like widescreen.
The black at the top and bottom being part of the 4:3 frame.

Now insert your 4:3 video, this will fill the frame.
Add a x-fade transition.

Render the project to the 4:3 video properties. The render should be relatively quick, especially for the main section.(4:3)
¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K.

Adding *.vsp¡¦s to the timeline is something I have not tried and cannot comment

Another option may be to add a mask to your intro, assuming your intro is 4:3

Trevor