Getting a 16:9 File

[wallhut]

I am capturing using a source that is a TIVO Series 3 HD box. I am capturing an HDTV channel. I have a Hauppauge 1600 capture card, and am using Win TV 7 to capture the signal. The connection between the TIVO box and the Hauppage card is an S-Video cable. The file that I capture is always in 4:3 format, even though the source is HD. The image is skewed vertically, as if a 16:9 image is being squeezed into a 4:3 display. I open the captured MPEG2 file in VideoStudio Pro X3. I have my project in VideoStudio Pro X3 set to the following:

NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Upper Field First
(DVD-NTSC), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

Then I use the 'Create Video File' command and 'Same as Project Settings' thinking it will then change the video from 4:3 to 16:9 but it doesn't. The new file has the 'Attributes' of 24 bits, 720 x 480, 16:9 but the image is still 'scrunched up' vertically just like the original 4:3 file.

Can anyone help me get a 16:9 MPEG file created using the setup described? Should I be connecting my TIVO to the Hauppage card differently? There's no HDMI input on the Hauppauge card, so that's not an option. There is S-Video/Compsite, ATSC / QAM, and Analog Cable TV inputs.

Dell XPS Gen 2 Desktop, Pentium 4 3.2 Ghz
3 GB RAM
Windows 7

[Black Lab]

Not sure of the exact location on X3, as I don't have it installed on this machine, but with the clip selected look for the Distort Clip box and check it. Then right click on the clip in the Preview Window and choose Fit to Screen, and Keep Apect Ration. It should then fit the 16:9 frame and will not be distorted.

[wallhut]

Thank you Black Lab. I have the Pro X3 User's Manual thanks to other posts on this board and was able to find the Distort Clip feature. I haven't played with that method yet, but I also found another novel way to solve the problem. If I set my project to 16:9 and then go into Settings>Preferences and change the Preview Window Background Color to something other than black, then the Preview Window area which remains black is the 16:9 area. If I drag the clip to the Overlay Track and the drag the edges to match the 16:9 black area, it turns it into a 16:9 file. I haven't played any files on my television made this way, but I'm going to try it out.

[Black Lab]

If I drag the clip to the Overlay Track and the drag the edges to match the 16:9 black area, it turns it into a 16:9 file.

Or, with the clips in the overlay track, right click as I suggested before and choose Fit to Screen and Keep Aspect Ratio.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

Generally Non Square Pixel rendering should be selected for all video types.
But if the capture has confused the issue, try disabling this option.
Settings-Project properties-Edit.
If not reselect...........

Also, right click a video clip and select properties, what are they?

[Black Lab]

The new file has the 'Attributes' of 24 bits, 720 x 480, 16:9 but the image is still 'scrunched up' vertically just like the original 4:3 file.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

If your source files are on a Hard Drive video recorder which I assume that’s the TIVO Series 3 HD box, then can you connect the box via usb to the pc literally using it as a removable drive.
Then copy and paste the files to pc.

If not……….
By connecting through a capture card means the video is being recoded. Setting the wrong capture properties could cause this aspect ratio problem.
It would be ideal if you knew the properties of the files on the HD box.
I would suspect they may be 1920 x 1080 or 720 x 1280 for high definition.

Do a few tests with the capture properties.
Again I still think Non Square Pixel Rendering, can you disable this during capture?

[wallhut]

Thank you especially trevor andrew, and everyone who took the time to help me with my issue. You pointed me to something I didn't even realize I could accomplish. Since my TIVO HD unit is connected (in my case hardwired) to my router, as is my desktop PC, all I had to do is download TIVO's desktop software. This allows me to download shows directly from my TIVO onto my computer hard drive. Some of the items are not transferable because (I assume) or DRM, so those entries have a red circle with a line through it, but most by far are transferable.

The problem is that they are in the *.tivo file format. Well, I already have VideoReDo Plus. All I do is open the *.tivo file in that program and I can use the beginning/end point toggles to highlight the portion(s) I want to change to mpeg, and it works great. Then I can easily use the same program to reconnect the pieces together, and voila! I have a terrific quality file ready to burn to disc.