4:3 video conversion to 16:9

[blplhp]

Hey Guys,

I recorded my son's flag football season using my Sony Camcorder listed in my profile. It records in DV AVI files in 4:3 format. I edited the AVI files in my .vsp file using X2 Pro in 4:3 format, converted my .vsp file to the mpeg2 file in 4:3 format, then authored and burned my DVD movie in 4:3 format. I just recently bought a Samsung 46" LCD TV, which is 16:9. When i play the DVD movie on my TV in the 16:9 format, of course the video is distorted (looks stretched). When I play the video on my LCD TV and set the format on the TV to 4:3, it looks perfect. Here's my question........how do I get my DVD movie to look natural on the full 16:9 video screen of my LCD TV? Or will it never look natural because the original video recording from my camcorder is locked in at 4:3? If I can get it look natural on my 16:9 TV, at which stage do I convert from 4:3 to 16:9....at editing, at video file conversion or DVD authoring? Thanks.

[Ron P.]

Bryan,

Since the video was already recorded in 4:3 aspect ratio, that's what you have. To change the aspect ratio you would need to re-record it. However if you still have the DV (avi) file, you could get a little creative. Jeff (Black Lab) used the ESPN style sidebars. Click on the following link to learn how he done that.
http://forum.corel.com/EN/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=35838

Aside from getting creative like Jeff, you would have to crop your video, and lose some of the top and bottom. For future recordings by your camcorder, check the settings in it. I have an older Sony DCR-TRV120, and you can change the aspect ratio from 4:3 to 16:9. In doing so, you will find that the frame size will be the same, 720 x 480 for NTSC. The reason being, that frame size is not a true 4:3 aspect ratio. It just changes the shape of the pixels.

[blplhp]

Great answer as always Ron. Thanks again!! I'll check out Jeff's link.

[blplhp]

You are correct Ron, my camcorder does have the option to select 16:9 in menu system. I forgot about that. I will change that setting for the next time I shoot with the camcorder.

Since my TV is 16:9 and my computer monitor is 16:9, there is really no reason for me to shoot in 4:3 aspect ratio any more, right? For viewing the video directly from the camcorder to the LCD TV or for viewing an edited DVD movie disc on the LCD TV, right? Either way, the video is always going to be viewed on my 16:9 TV. And most people these days have 16:9 flat screen TV's anyways. Why would there be any reason to shoot in 4:3 today?

[Ron P.]

Why would there be any reason to shoot in 4:3 today?

Well because, I'm probably the very last person that still has one.. Other than that, no reason to.