4:3 to widescreen problem

geriman · Post by **geriman** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 1:27 pm

Hi there.

Got a problem with a clip. It was originally from a widescreen source, but has been saved as a 4:3 clip (DivX), so the image looks squashed.
When I try to change it back selecting the 16:9 option at start-up, I get the letterbox black line all around the clip, and the clip itself remains as a 4:3 film, instead of stretching.

Is there a way of stretching the film back to a 16:9 properly to eliminate distortion and without the black line at the sides??

Thanks.

geriman · Post by **geriman** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 1:37 pm

Forgot - windows movie maker does it fine, for some reason...

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 1:41 pm

Hi

Use the 'Distort' option.

Select the clip.
Select the Attribute tab
Tick the distort option

You can drag the clip in the preview screen to resize.
Right click the preview screen for more options

I do not know how this will affect quality????????

geriman · Post by **geriman** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:06 pm

OK, I'll try that.

Seems a rather complicated system - WMM just re-sizes the clip, instead of drawing a box around it.

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 6:33 pm

Hi

When you place a clip in Video Studio you are using a project, this has a size, usually a dvd standard size. For Pal it would be 720 x 576.
So inserting your squashed Div X to the project will display as you see it.

VS is a Video Editor to produce DVD¡¦s.

You may have success using the Batch Convert option from Tools.

I realise you wish to change the aspect ratio, but what video format are you intending using?
If WMM does the job I would use that.

geriman · Post by **geriman** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 7:04 pm

I was going to burn it onto a DVD, next to another clip that was saved in 16:9, hence wanting to change this one to match.

I guess I could convert it using WMM, and then RE-convert it and burn it using videostudio 10...

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 8:04 pm

Ok
I would do this.

First-start a new project
File-Preferences- Tick-Show messages when inserting first video.

Now insert the other clip saved in 16:9
You should see an info window prompting you to change the project settings.
View details to see the properties.
Press OK/Yes
The project properties will change to match the video file.

Add the Div X file
Select the clip in the timeline.
Use the distort function to change the shape/enlarge the frame.
Right click the preview screen for more options.

Now you should have two clips in the project showing as 16:9

Share-Create Video File-¡¥Same as Project Settings¡¦

If you wish to create one file of the Div X remove the first file/clip

Share-Create Video File-¡¥Same as Project Settings¡¦

Adrian Perkins · Post by **Adrian Perkins** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:56 am

I know yours is a DivX file, but if you have an Mpeg that has been saved in the "wrong" aspect ratio it is a simple matter of patching the headers. A small, free tool called DVD Patcher does this.

http://www.videohelp.com/tools/DVDPatcher

Rather than use the 'distort' function you may want to convert the DivX file back to Mpeg and then use the patcher to correct the aspect ratio.

Hope this helps!

geriman · Post by **geriman** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:56 am

Thanks folks.

I used the distort method and it seems to have done the job, although I've not done the burning yet so dunno whether it's affected quality significantly. Seems OK as a mpeg file.

I might use WMM in the future, it's less hastle - you just tell it to save project as 16:9 and it stretches the clip to fit as opposed to drawing a black box around it. Although you end up with a HUGE file!