DVD image captured from TV does not fill screen

Post by **jparnold** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:35 am

Probably not the correct forum to place this question so please move if necessary.
I recently used my NEC standalone DVD recorder (connect to my TV) using cable TV input to record a show from.
I want to include a couple of scenes from the recorded show in my home movie (aerial shots of the bridge between Denmark and Sweden which we crossed on a recent overseas trip) but when I import the DVD footage with VideoStudio the image does NOT fill the preview window (has black bands, top, bottom and both sides.
When I create a tile with Display Title Safe Area turned ON the lines indicating the bounds of this area are just about in the same place as the edges of displayed image.
Is this what I can expect (recorded TV does not fill the screen on a PC) or have I recorded incorrectly? Is there a method to stretch the image to fit?
Thanks

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:00 am

From memory (I am not at my video editing cmputer at the moment)
Are you importing a 4.3 video but have your project set to 16.9

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:59 am

You could always crop it, then put in in an overlay track and stretch it it to sit over the Display Safe borders. You would of course need to put a colour panel in the main timeline for the period covered by the clip.

Post by **jparnold** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 8:11 am

Steve,
My VS project is set to 16:9.
Regarding the imported DVD which was recorded on my standalone NEC DVD recorder. I considered that the program was recorded in 16:9 aspect ratio too.
I have my set top box (for reception of cable tv) set up to "display standard 4:3 programmes as 14:9" on my widescreen (16:9) TV. I don't think that this would affect how 16:9 broadcasts are treated.
I have my DVD recorder set to 16:9 aspect ratio (manual says set to 16:9 when connected to a 16:9 TV). When I view the recorded DVD using Windows Media Player the video displayed quite small within the 'window' used by Windows Media Player and the aspect ratio looks more like 3:4 (yes I really mean 3:4)!

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 8:26 am

Try changing your project settings to 4.3
Does this cure the problem?

njdowding · Post by **njdowding** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 8:29 am

Right click on the clip in VS and check the properties. I know my DVD recorder uses reduced frame size on the lower quality settings to reduce the file size. In the properties you will see the attributes which will tell you what frame size the original recording was.

Nick

Post by **jparnold** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:05 am

I changed the project settings to 4:3 and it made NO difference (same size black bands around the displayed image).

When I get the clip properties (right click on clip) it displays -
Video MPeg-2 video, upper field first
Attributes 24 bits 720 X 576 4:3
Frame rate 25 frames/sec
Data rate Variable bit rate (max 9376 kbps)

When I recorded I set the recorder to HQ (the highest recorded quality)

Hey I just checked to see what would see on TV when playing the DVD and the image on the TV ALSO does not fill the screen! How about that! The picture shown also has black bands around the picture displayed. But I can't remember that being so when I actually recorded the program but maybe it did.
Sorry to trouble you guys who once again have been prompt to try and help me out.
I guess I will now have to try and stretch the image somehow in VS. Is that possible?

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:19 am

John
Back home now!

Did this test with a 4-3 Video.

1. Project properties set to 16.9

2. Same clip but project properties set to 4.3

Post by **jparnold** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:23 am

Thanks Steve
But is there a post somewhere which describes how to stretch video? Is it possible? I thought I remember seeing such a tutorial post.

Nothing to do with the subject but today met a chap on the ferry to Manly (Sydney) who was from Surrey and had come to Australia just to follow the cricket tests - he was a bit unhappy!

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:32 am

To stretch a video place it on the overlay track and resize it.
If the problem you have is as shown in my screen shots you need to
play with the project settings, you probably still have it as 16.9
As you can see, changing it to 4.3 cures it.

Post by **jparnold** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:48 am

Thanks Steve,
The problem I have though is 98% of the video I will be creating is from video recorded at 16:9 and I want to preserve this aspect ratio. I will try what you suggested (use the overlay track and resize it).

bop · Post by **bop** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 12:24 pm

John

what you can do is start a new project 6:9 insert your clip into the overlay track, grab the corners (opposing corners) to fill in the sides. The top and bottom will be outside the ratio borders then render to the same clip properties except 6:9 instead of 3:4 this will slightly zoom the clip but it can then be used with all the other 6:9 clips in the original project.

Brian

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:34 pm

Hi John

Read my guide¡X16:9 A look at Widescreen from the link below

Shows what widescreen looks like in VS.

Easy way to change 4:3 to 16:9 using the overlay track

You can also use the main track using the Attributes tab and the distort function.

Some of the top and bottom will be crapped.
Once you have 16:9 frame you should be able to nudge up and down if required

Hope this Helps

Trevor

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:26 pm

Trevor -- what a delightful typo when you said

Some of the top and bottom will be crapped.

Quite cheered me up on this overcast and rainy Sunday morning here in the Land of Oz!!

Post by **jparnold** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:42 pm

Thanks everyone.
What I decided to do was to import the DVD footage onto the overlay track and resize it out to 16:9 size and render it as a 16:9 PAL DV (avi) clip. I will then use that as a clip o use within my main project. I guess this is more or less what some of you have suggested.
I wonder if I will loose any quality and if so it will be noticeable? I will render DVD MPEG format to AVI format stretching out to 16:9 in the process.
I think I need to travel 300 km south today as we are expecting 35C and Ken has woken to overcast and rainy skies. I need cheering up too when faced with the prospect of 35C