4:3 to 16:9 AND transitions effects.

Post by **jparnold** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 5:10 am

During a recent trip after taking about 20 minutes of video I realised that I had accidentally set the aspect ration on my camera to 4:3 instead of 16:9 (my camera has a 4:3 LCD screen and so it was not immediately evident looking at the LCD screen which squashes the image when taking at 16:9).
I then changed the aspect ratio to 16:9 but have the first 20 minutes (consisting of many different clips) taken at 4:3.
I realised that I could import the clips taken at 4:3 onto the overlay track and change them to 16:9 (as perTrevor Andrew's tutorial).
My problem is that with many clips I want to apply quite a few transitions which can't be done on the overlay track (UV version 10).

Is there any other way apart from re-rendering (to AVI files) each of the 4:3 clips to 16:9 and then importing those clips into a new project? Will I loose any noticeable video quality?

What's the best way?

Thanks

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:28 am

Providing all of the 4.3 aspect files are kept together and not intermingled with the 16.9 clips you could prepare the 4.3 clips as normal and save as a VideoStudio project file. Start a new project and then you can import that vsp file in the same way as if it was a rendered video. This means that you will achieve your aim of only rendering once.

Post by **jparnold** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:46 am

Thanks Steve
I was unaware that you could import a VSP file into a project. Is that documented anywhere?
I have tried it out but it seems that when you import a VSP file (which contains many clips) then the (VSP) file is 'considered' (by VideoStudio) as ONE clip and therefore you cannot add transitions between each scene. PLUS screen updates are extremely slow. Maybe you meant to create a VSP file for EACH clip and then import each of those into the new project.
OR did you mean to create a project consisting of ONLY the 4:3 clips (on the video track) together with required transitions save (as a 4:3 project) and then import into a new (16:9) project onto the overlay track and resize. Please advise.
Thanks

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:41 am

What I would do is create a vsp file containing all of the 4.3 clips with transitions and titles etc. included. Then import that vsp file as a single clip so that it can be added to your 16.9 clips with or without a transition to join everything together.

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:43 pm

Hi John

With later versions of VS--
The option to change the aspect ratio using the overlay track has been included in the main video track.
(I will make this clear in the tutorial.)

Ok
Start a new project
Insert the 4:3 into the top track.
Use ¡¥Distort¡¦ Under the Attributes tab.
Stretch the video to 16:9

Now edit as normal using the transitions required.

Render to the settings as your main project. Add to your 16:9 project

Post by **jparnold** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:21 am

Thanks Trevor,

Now that you mention it (using distort filter) I am sure I remember reading about that sometime in the past. Thanks for reminding me.

It works a treat and will make life a lot easier for me with a mixture of 4:3 and 16:9 video.

Post by **jparnold** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:00 am

I would imagine that there is some loss of image quality in either using DISTORT to stretch a 4:3 clip to 16 OR using the overlay track to stretch.
Has anyone noticed a loss of quality (without me testing) Maybe this loss can be partly improved by adding the SHARPEN filter sparingly. What does everyone think?

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 11:46 pm

Hi John

I have in the past recorded at 4:3 instead of 16:9. Easy to do.

There are a few points during capture to consider.

I assume you capture to Dv-Avi
By capturing to one file, the 4:3 part captures first followed by the 16:9.
But the whole of the video file is tagged as 4:3.
When you view the 16:9 part it will look distorted/squashed.

One way to overcome this is to capture using ¡¥Split by Scene¡¦
Each section being tagged correctly.

Otherwise by capturing the 16:9 separately and the video part will be tagged as 16:9
It will view in the preview without being distorted, even though it is placed in a 4:3 project.
It may look small, but in proportion.

You still have to convert the 4:3 to 16:9 but at least the video is in proportion.

Try a test capture

10 seconds of 4:3 followed by 16:9 footage.
Then capture the same using ¡¥split by scene¡¦

Post by **jparnold** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 6:51 am

Hi Trevor,

I do capture (from mini VD tape) in DV-AVI.

I always capture 'split by scene' and I have no problems with bothy the 4:3 clips and the 16:9 clips being captured in (correct) proportion ie no squashed or stretched.

I was just wondering about video quality after (using distort) to pull the 4:3 large enough to fill the 16:9 borders. Obviously I start with resolution of 768 by 576 but I would have thought that after pulling 4:3 to fit 16:9 I would end of with less resolution - well the image on my screen doesn't look quite as good after pulling 4:3 to 16:9. I hope that I am explaining myself correctly.

4:3 is effectively 1.3333 aspect ratio where as 16:9 is 1.7777. I am thinking in terms of resolution being the same as pixels and that 768 (horizontal) stretched from 4:3 to 16:9 would result in (effective) 576 pixels (768 / 1.77777 * 1.33333).

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 5:31 pm

Just considering your options here. Out of the 20 minutes of 4.3 video you shot, how much are you likely to retain after editing?
Perhaps you can get away by using PIP / Multiscreen effects. In fact the 4.3 should like rather good displayed as a window in a 16.9 screen.

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 6:12 pm

Hi John

I have changed 4:3 to 16:9 a few times in the past and have not seen any noticeable deterioration.
I suppose it depends not only on the original quality but the content of the video.
Fast or slow moving video may give different results.

Interested to find out if there is much deterioration.

Just out of personal interest I think I may run a test.

Let us know how you get on with your video.

Post by **jparnold** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 6:50 am

Hi Steve,
In answer to your question - out of the first 20 minutes I am likely to keep around 4-5 minutes however this represents the first 2 days of a 4 week trip (China and Hong Kong) and so it will form part of the entire trip. I'm not sure if I could use PIP and retain good continuity.
The other thought I had was to leave the 4:3 clips as they are and superimpose them on a 16:9 background (the action would then fill 75% of the (widescreen) tv screen with the sides showing either just a plain colour or something unobtrusive. Have you seen this done before and what do you think of the idea?
I will start by stretching the 4:3 clips (to 16:9) and see if I am happy with the result.
BTW I am planning driving around UK next September/October.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 2:43 am

It depends upon what is contained in the video but here is an idea from one of my previous posts:
Converting Super 8 Films
Plus some samples in this link
http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic. ... 520#101520
And another variation
Video: Distorted Split Screen Effect

What I am suggesting is that instead of a plain black background you could dress it up with some sort of backdrop such as curtains on either side - filling the blank space. Obviously you need something that fits in with the video and is not overbearing and distracts from the actual video.

Post by **jparnold** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 3:32 am

Thanks Steve, the (youtube) samples were similar to what I was considering (backdrop which doesn't take over from the video).
BTW the link http://media5.filewind.com/g.php?filepath=1093 in post ( http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic. ... 520#101520 ) doesn't work (for me).

I am now thinking that I might put up with any loss of video quality by stretching as I have now discovered (I had forgotten) that after I discovered that the vidcam was incorrectly set to 4:3 (and set it to 16:9) I went back and RE took shots of SOME of the previous scenes again plus I have recorded some (16:9) scenes from a TV show (of the Maglev train we travelled on) and so I have a mixture of 4:3 and 16:9 in the first 5-6 minutes of my video of the trip.

If I really am unhappy with video quality of the stretched 4:3 I will place borders but it might look a bit odd mixed with 16:9 without borders.

Thanks again.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 4:05 am

The link to filewind is dead. It seems they have been taken "Off air" the site has been down for a couple of months now. Shame as I have posted lots of stuff there for the forum.