Best way to get widescreen output from 4:3 source?

nb51 · Post by **nb51** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:33 am

My old Canopus ADVC-50 could only digitize the old standard 4:3 source video, so when watching the resulting video on my widescreen TVs, I had to change the display mode from widescreen to some other mode to view it properly.

My new Canopus ADVC-55 can digitize widescreen source video as well as the old standard.

What I'd like to know is the best way to capture old 4:3 non-wide video source material yet produce widescreen 16:9 (720x480) video output, such that everything's properly proportioned without having to change the display mode of the TV (i.e., so I can always leave it on widescreen mode).

On the Edit tab of VideoStudio's Preferences, there is an option labeled: "Image resampling option" for which you can select either "Keep Aspect Ratio" or "Fit to Project Size". Should I use the latter, after setting the Project Settings to 720x480 output, or should I do something else?

Also, when you press the "Options->Video Properties" button on the Capture Tab, one sees a long list of possible formats, dimensions, and quality indicators. Am I correct to conclude that those are basically shortcut project defaults that override any custom project settings you may have already setup?

Finally, please enlighten me on the whole "non-square pixel" rendering options. Under what circumstances would you want to use those options, and when should you not use them? Are those options related to converting 4:3 source video to 16:9 widescreen output or not?

Thanks!

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 9:30 am

Hi

View my guide to a ¡¥look at widescreen 16:9¡¦
From the link below, shows what widescreen should look like in VS and how to convert 3:3 to 16:9

"non-square pixel rendering¡¨Leave this option selected.

Video does not use square pixels unlike still images.

Pixels for 4:3 and 16:9 aspects are rectangular.
Notice the frame size 720 x 480 is not 4:3 yet the video fits a 4:3 frame, the pixels stretched to fit

"Keep Aspect Ratio" Will insert images in proportion, as you see them. If they are 4:3 then they will fill the screen.

"Fit to Project Size". Will stretch the images to fit the preview screen, if your images are 4:3 then you will see no change, they will fill the screen.

keep aspect ratio is probibaly the best option.

nb51 · Post by **nb51** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:39 am

trevor andrew wrote:Hi

View my guide to a ¡¥look at widescreen 16:9¡¦
From the link below, shows what widescreen should look like in VS and how to convert 3:3 to 16:9

"non-square pixel rendering¡¨Leave this option selected.

Video does not use square pixels unlike still images.

Pixels for 4:3 and 16:9 aspects are rectangular.
Notice the frame size 720 x 480 is not 4:3 yet the video fits a 4:3 frame, the pixels stretched to fit

"Keep Aspect Ratio" Will insert images in proportion, as you see them. If they are 4:3 then they will fill the screen.

"Fit to Project Size". Will stretch the images to fit the preview screen, if your images are 4:3 then you will see no change, they will fill the screen.

keep aspect ratio is probibaly the best option.

Thank you, trevor andrew, for your prompt reply. I congratulate and thank you also you for your guide.

Unfortunately, I guess I'm a bit slow because I'm still somewhat confused. I've long used the option to change the background color of the preview window as you so helpfully advise in your guide. And your clarification of "non-square pixel rendering", in which you state: "Pixels for 4:3 and 16:9 aspects are rectangular", is extremely helpful and certainly settles that issue completely.

My confusion arises from the fact that I'm not at all clear on the relationship between the appearance in VideoStudio's preview window and the display modes of my widescreen TVs.

So to put my questions as directly and unambiguously as I can manage:

(1): Do you think or happen to know if my Canopus ADVC-55 internally converts 4:3 source video to 16:9 digital video output on the firewire cable? That would simplify my problem immensely.

(2): If the ADVC-55 does not perform that conversion internally and automatically, then are you still certain that I should still use the "Keep Aspect Ratio" setting for a 4:3 source capture to a 16:9 project such that the output DVD will have the correct visual proportions when played in widescreen mode on my widescreen TVs? Or should I use "Fit to Project Size" in that case instead?

Note that I used the settings you recommend in your reply such as "Keep Aspect Ratio" for capturing 4:3 source material into a 16:9 project using my old Canopus ADVC-50, and the results were unacceptable since I had to change the display mode of my TVs to watch that material.

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:10 pm

Ok
A little confusion here relating to "Keep Aspect Ratio" "Fit to Project Size".
Notice that it refers to Image Sampling

This option affects the way VS displays Images, that is still photographs. It has NO affect on video.
The best option is to use ¡¥Keep aspect Ratio¡¦

OK
Video
First I apologise in advance if I get any sizes wrong I am in Pal country and use 720 x 576
I believe Ntsc uses 720 x 480 as standard video size, for 4:3 and 16:9
For both aspects the pixels are stretched. Hence NON-Square Pixel Rendering.

Not sure how to explain this:-
When you use a camera to record footage the video file is marked, given a flag, to indicate what aspect ratio was used. 4:3 or 16:9. After all the frame is 720 x 480 for both aspects.
When you capture the footage you should use the same aspect ratio as the recorded video.

The playback device will detect the aspect and playback ok.

If you capture a 4:3 as 16:9 the playback device will not see the aspect correctly and playback will be distorted, the frame will look squashed.

I do not have Canopus.
I doubt very much that the Canopus converts the video as you want, the resultant files being ether squashed or contain a black border top and bottom, not what you really want.

You would be best to capture the footage using the original aspect, then use Video Studio to convert the frame size to 16:9.

You do not say which version of Video Studio you are using??

nb51 · Post by **nb51** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:33 am

Thanks again, trevor andrew, for your reply and your patience with me.

With your new post, you've again settled an important issue that had been confusing me: I should never use "Fit to Project Size" for a video project (just as your first reply told me I should always use non-square pixel rendering for a video project).

But I'm afraid I'm still confused about precisely what VideoStudio settings relate to, and what values they should be set to, for converting a 4:3 (non-widescreen) source to a 16:9 (widescreen) output DVD that I can play on my widescreen TV's without changing the display mode of the TVs. Surely something has to be different in the VideoStudio settings between capturing 4:3 source video and 16:9 source video to produce properly-proportioned 16:9 widescreen DVDs, yes? But it seems to me your most recent reply is telling me that I don't have to change any VideoStudio settings at all, regardless of the source video type (assuming, of course, that the project settings are always 16:9 in all cases). Thus, my continuing confusion. Is it true that no setting other than setting the project type to 16:9 needs to be changed whatsoever, regardless of whether the input is 4:3 or 16:9? If not, what settings should I change?

You write:

trevor andrew wrote:You would be best to capture the footage using the original aspect, then use Video Studio to convert the frame size to 16:9.

Do I conclude from that comment that there's no way to do both in a single step using VideoStudio? That would involve a great deal of rendering time for all the capturing I plan to do.

But assuming that your suggestion is the only way, how, precisely do I do that? That is, what VideoStudio settings would I use in that two-step process?

trevor andrew wrote:You do not say which version of Video Studio you are using??

I own both VideoStudio 11.5+ and X2 Pro, and can use either of them to capture to DV but only VS 11.5+ works for capturing non-DV (i.e., DivX or MPEG2) output. Both versions are installed on two different computers, one running XP Pro/SP3 and one running Vista Home Premium/SP1. I have plenty of power and resources on both computers.

Thanks again.

nb51 · Post by **nb51** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 5:34 am

I've just done what I should have tried earlier: I just tried capturing 4:3 source material with my Canopus ADVC-55 into a VideoStudio 11.5+ 16:9 project with no special settings, burned the result to a DVD from within the same VideoStudio session, and took it to a widescreen TV and played the DVD in widescreen mode.

It seems that the ADVC-55 does automatically convert 4:3 source video into 16:9 widescreen output on the Firewire cable internally, since unlike my experience with the ADVC-50 when I tried the exact same settings, the DVD captured with the 55 played correctly in widesceen mode!

Thank you, trevor andrew, for your time and efforts on my behalf.

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:18 am

Hi

I¡¦m glad you are making progress.
I am surprised that Canopus did convert your video without distortion or adding black borders.
When you convert from 4:3 to 16:9 you will loose some details at the top and bottom of the frame.

When you capture to non-DV as you put it, I am assuming you are capturing to Mpeg 2.
This is the type of file needed to burn a DVD.

You ask about any VS additional settings.
The project properties should match the captured video files settings. (mpeg 2)
After editing you if you Share Create a Video File, use the same properties as the video file.
Same As Project Settings
When you burn a DVD use the same settings.

Changing the aspect ratio from 4:3 to 16:9 is described in my Guides. Link below.
This is the only setting to be changed for the project properties.

As an additional test, and because I cannot actually see your video file.
Take a screen shot of the frame.
How
Insert the captured video to the timeline.
Click the word ¡¥project¡¦ adjacent to play button
Tools-Save current frame as still image.
Am image will be saved to the working folder, a thumbnail placed in the library.
View in X2.
the image should be in proportion with no black borders.

Good luck.

su_A_ve · Post by **su_A_ve** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 5:41 am

It's been a while since I did a project with 4:3 material, however, what I remember doing was to first create a project in 4:3, editing it, titles, transitions, etc, but not creating the video - just saving the project file.

Then I would create another project in 16:9. Added a background clip or still, and then on the overlay track imported the original project file, making sure that aspect ratio was kept and that it filled the screen vertically.

The result will be the original clip with two vertical borders on the side (either movie clip or still).

My .02...

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 12:49 am

What I'd like to know is the best way to capture old 4:3 non-wide video source material yet produce widescreen 16:9 (720x480) video output, such that everything's properly proportioned without having to change the display mode of the TV (i.e., so I can always leave it on widescreen mode).

If you want all your 4:3 video to fill the 16:9 screen while still being properly proportioned it is impossible. Please read the following article for your options:

http://www.videomaker.com/article/14176/

motor1 · Post by **motor1** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:41 pm

su_A_ve wrote:[...] Added a background clip or still, and then on the overlay track imported the original project file, making sure that aspect ratio was kept and that it filled the screen vertically.

The result will be the original clip with two vertical borders on the side (either movie clip or still).

Sorry for adding extra questions, but what exactly do you mean when you say that aspect ratio was kept? Is that you were distorting the clip by dragging from its corners (until it fills the active screen vertically) or trevor andrew's way of right clicking on the clip and choosing "keep aspect ratio" from there?