16:9 MP4 ?

[RoadRanger]

I can't seem to convince X4 to output a 640x480 (or 720x480) mainline MP4 that is 16:9 - they always come out as 4;3 letterboxed . Is there some way to install another MP4 Codec that will do it or will installing DivX or Xvid at least allow me to generate 16:9 .avi files at those resolutions? Thanks!

[aljimenez]

If you use the TV controls to change a 4x3 into a 16x9 there usually is an option of filling up the TV. I don't like this since it distorts the picture. I much prefer the letter-box than this option. Since you don't say what the source of your video is, this is the best I answer I can think to give you. You need to give much more details about what you are trying to do... Al

[RoadRanger]

I'm trying to take a 16:9 1060i .mts source and output a 480p h264 mp4 in the same aspect ratio.

[aljimenez]

I'll assume you meant the source is 1920x1080, and you want the small side be 480. To do that without any black borders and without any distortion, the resize needs to be 853.3333x480. In other words, you can't get 640x480 from 1920x1080 without either distortion or black borders... Al

[RoadRanger]

I'll assume you meant the source is 1920x1080, and you want the small side be 480. To do that without any black borders and without any distortion, the resize needs to be 853.3333x480. In other words, you can't get 640x480 from 1920x1080 without either distortion or black borders... Al

Actually you can with non-square pixels. I'm now outputting a 640x480 16:9 DV file and using Handbrake to convert that into an 720x480 16:9 MP4 that works fine . Having to do it in two steps takes forever though .

[teknisyan]

You can actually install multiple codec on your computer. For other codec that you may want to install on your computer, here are some of the codecs that you may want to install.
RealPlayer: http://www.real.com/
DivX: http://www.divx.com/en/software/divx-plus/codec-pack
XviD: http://downloads.xvid.org/downloads/xvidcore-1.3.2.zip
Windows Media Player: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/wind ... dia-player or just download the Windows Encoder at http://www.microsoft.com/expression/pro ... rview.aspx
QuickTime: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/
Direct X: http://on-msn.com/aLrk0j (WinXP)
Direct X: http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/window ... tx-11.aspx

[RoadRanger]

You can actually install multiple codec on your computer. For other codec that you may want to install on your computer, here are some of the codecs that you may want to install.

I did install:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/x264vfw/
but VideoStudio will only let me use it with an AVI container .

[laurentje]

So it seems that you cannot make a 16:9 choice for mp4 in X4. That's a pitty. I had the same problem with X2 and I hoped someday VS do give this option.
Now I use Megui (a graphical interface with x264).

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

Of course you can create a MP4 16:9 video file.

All HD video is widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio.

If you choose Share Create Video File – Mpeg4 HD the resultant file will be 24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 30 fps
You only need a calculator to workout that 1920 x 1080 is indeed 16:9
Other options of frame size 1280 x 720 is also 16:9 aspect ratio.
1440 x 1080 is HD widescreen 16:9 (has to use Non Square Pixel Rendering) the ratio 1440 x 1080 is not 16:9.

A standard definition Pal video using 720 x 567 x 16:9, there may be some confusion here, the frame dimensions are not 16:9 but the actual display is, a process called Non Square Pixel Rendering stretches the pixels to a rectangular shape producing the widescreen shape. (same for 1440 x 1080)

The original posters 640 x 480 if widescreen will use Non Square Pixel Rendering. If not widescreen then it uses Square pixels and produce a frame of 4:3. Only viewing the original will identify the ratio. That is does it view without distortion, and if so what shape, 16:9 or 4:3.

But yes Mpeg 4 uses widescreen 16:9

[laurentje]

Trevor:
The question was about 640x480, not HD.
And even with non-square pixels I get black bars on top & bottom in most players. In VS in preview mode I see black bars on all sides (because it is now 3:4). The minimum bitrate is 1024 kbps, whitch is too high for me.
The only soution is outside VS with Megui: downsizing to 640x360 (this is 16:) en compressing at 700kbps.

[RoadRanger]

720x480 16:9 1024Kbps would be fine by me .

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi
The question was about MP4 16:9 which is MP HD, at least that’s how I view it.

The shape of the Mpeg4 video is determined by the pixel dimensions.
The Pixels are square
To produce a 16:9 shape you have to use pixels with that aspect ratio.

720 x 768 is 4:3 (pal)
640 x 480 is 4:3 aspect (ntsc)
720 x 480 neither 4:3 nor 16:9
720 x 540 is 4:3
320 x 240 is 4:3
1280 x 720 is 16:9

If you Share Create Video File – Mpeg4 –Mpeg4 HD will produce a file using 1920 x 1080 this is 16:9, maybe a little larger than you require, but full quality.


If you Share Create Video File –Mpeg4 - IPod Mpeg4 will use a frame size of 320 x 240, 30 fps
This will produce a video using 4:3


If you Share Create Video File – Mpeg4 - iPhone 4/iPad HD will produce a file using 1280 x 720 this is 16:9.

RoadRanger
Start a new project—add your video files (640 x 480)
Attributes tab and then Distort Clip
Right click preview screen and select Fit to Screen.
This is the shape your video will display when converted to 16:9, it will be stretched/distorted is this what you want
Using the standard template render the video
Share Create Video File – Mpeg4 - iPhone 4/iPad HD will produce a file using 1280 x 720 this is 16:9.

What are you intending to use the converted video for, are you intending uploading to you tube? Or burning a DVD?