Mixing 16:9 and 4:3 video clips

Berzelius · Post by **Berzelius** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:43 pm

I have a number of clips from my holiday that I wish to burn to a DVD. They are MOD clips produced with my Panasonic camcorder and have an aspect ratio of 16:9. However, I ran out of memory on the card (doesn't it always happen!) and I recorded a smaller number of mpeg clips on my Sony digital camera; they have a 4:3 aspect ratio.

I wish to produce a DVD using all the clips, the production being set at 16:9. What is the best way to handle the 4:3 clips? Just put them in the timeline and hope for the best? Crop them to 16:9? Or what?

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 10:10 pm

You can read HERE how I mixed both aspect ratios. Of course you can use anything as the "background" video, such as a color clip, if you so choose.

Clevo · Post by **Clevo** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 7:33 am

Yeah...just whack those 4:3 into the 16:9 project...and you can decorate the black space on the sides in anyway you like....

Berzelius · Post by **Berzelius** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 9:24 pm

Thank's for the replies. I obviously need to carefully read Black Lab's link and try it out with a few of my clips.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:16 am

Why not use the 4.3 clips as PIP's for an interesting "24" style effect!
Alternatively put the 4.3 clip on an overlay track so you can move it to one side and place some stills down the other.

Just use a bit of imagination - here is an effect I used with some old super 8 Film Converting Super 8 Films

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp6nnK2GgeA

This next one I thought about sending to "You've been framed!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLGhyfyc2q4

Here's Cardiff Castle!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vZwqGRDq4

paul56 · Post by **paul56** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 3:55 pm

I have yet to upgrade my TVs to widescreen so I have traditionally shot, edited and burned video in 4:3 mode. I now realise I should long ago have configured my camcorder to 16:9 given eventually that's what my next TV will be.

In the meantime how will my 4:3 footage edited and burned in VS in 4:3 format appear on a 16:9 screen? I will try myself on somebody's TV soon but will a widescreen TV handle it automatically?

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 4:39 pm

That depends on how your DVD player and/or TV are setup. You can set it to stretch the video to full screen, or you can set it to show it in it's correct aspect ratio, with black bars on the side.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 12:46 am

Most wide screen TV's have a choice of options allowing user selection such as stretch / letterbox / full screen etc.
These options vary from one manufacturer to another.

paul56 · Post by **paul56** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 9:01 am

I have since tried my DVD on a widescreen TV and as might be expected, at its default setting my 4:3 footage was stretched to fit.

As I will be sharing my latest production of a wedding video around family & friends many of whom will have 16:9 TVs, do you think my best option would be to burn at 16:9, although I realise this will give blank sidebars (or any of the options described above). My thinking is that, in my experience, few non-techie people will resort to changing from their default settings and are content to watch out-of-proportion images.

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 1:01 pm

Are you talking strictly 4:3 footage, or is it mixed with 16:9? If the latter I would make my project 16:9. If it is only 4:3 footage then you might want to ask yourself how a 16:9 project (with 4:3 only footage) would look for people that only have a 4:3 TV?

My thinking is that, in my experience, few non-techie people will resort to changing from their default settings and are content to watch out-of-proportion images.

If that's the case then they obviously don't care. I would then do what suited me.

paul56 · Post by **paul56** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 1:20 pm

This project is approx 50% 4:3, 10% 16:9 and 40% jpeg images which obviously fit OK. What you say makes sense. Thanks.

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 1:37 pm

Hi Paul

By creating a widescreen video containing the side bars you may find that some of your friends may try to adjust their TV sets to remove the bars, something they will be unable to do.

I would use the overlay track to resize the 4:3 to 16:9.
You would loose some detail top and bottom, sometimes cropping heads. In which case drag the video down.
It really depends on how the original video has been shot with regards to zoom as to how much detail you loose.

OK
I assume you have created a video file of your project.
Start a new project, set the project properties to match the video file, edit to change the aspect ratio only.

Using the video file in the overlay track:-

Select then right click the preview screen, select Fit to Screen, right click again and select Keep Aspect Ratio
If needed adjust the vertical position. (use keyboard arrow keys.)
Render using Same As Project Settings.

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 1:50 pm

I would use the overlay track to resize the 4:3 to 16:9.
You would loose some detail top and bottom, sometimes cropping heads. In which case drag the video down.
It really depends on how the original video has been shot with regards to zoom as to how much detail you loose.

But by using my method (link in second post) you are replacing the "black bars" with something (color, blurred video, static background, etc.) so people know it's not a "blank area". No cropping needed.

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:16 pm

Hi Jeff

Nice effect with the borders.

Repeating the effect for all clips, with the video clips in the overlay track you can right click and copy attributes.
This can be pasted to all clips.
So if you were to use two overlay tracks instead of the top track, you would only have to set the first clips, copying and pasting the attributes to the others. Unfortunately this does not copy the filter effects only the sizing. I wonder why we cannot paste attributes within the top track.

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 4:36 pm

That's a good point Trevor. Didn't think of using an overlay track so I could copy/paste the attributes. I don't know why that function is not available for the main track.