VideoStudio 9.0 - Please Help with 16:9 Aspect Ratio

[pjt58]

I have the same Sony dvd403 camcorder and have run into the same issue as viji with the 16:9 aspect ratio.... I bought this camcorder thinking I could save the pain in plugging the thing into the computer ..just load a dvd, copy to hard drive and yer off.. Sure glad I had not spent the money on the software to find out it doesn't work that way.

[elev]

I have SONY DCD DVD201, and I can't import my movies in 16:9 aspect ratio. This is how I proceed:
Finalize the mini DVD
Put it in the DVD drive
Press Share buton on UV9
Press Create Disc
Check Project Settings:

MPEG files
24 Bits, 720 x 576, 25 fps
Upper Field First
(DVD-PAL), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 9000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

Press Import DVD
On the Info box appears:

TV system: 625/50 PAL
Attribute: 24 Bits, 704 x 576, 16:9
Frame rate:25.0 Frames/sec

But on the preview screen I can see the image is not displayed in wide screen.
I import anyway, check Project Settings again , add burn it.
The result is not what I want. I get black bars around the whole picture.

This what's I find strange is the lines are "704 x 576"
I check with DVD I have from the store, and I can see there are "720 x 576" lines. So does anybody know, why I miss 16 lines on my mini DVD, and I can't burn my projects in wide screen?
I have the same problem, when I try to burn with NeroVision Express 3.

[lancecarr]

Read the last post on page one of this thread for the insructions of how to achieve 16:9 on import. When the poster says "Picture Package" for you it's "Image Mixer."
The 201 records 704x 576 for PAL and 704 x 480 for NTSC. Why it does not use the full specs is a question for Sony!

[max]

I had the same problem with my Sony DCR-DVD403 , when I use the DVD import function of VS9 the pictures are in 4/3 letter box format.

To have the right format (16/9), I import video on hard disk with Picture Package DVD Viewer (sony tool) directly from camcorder. The mpg file is correctly flagged in 16/9 format and is correctly viewed under VS9.

Yves

Yves,

Thanks for the information!
At long last, I have someone besides me on this forum who has encountered the same problem with the same camcorder/software combination.
I didn't bother installing the software that came with the tool becuase I wasn't sure if it was also going to install some drivers and mess up the computer. I fugured that finalizing the disc and importing the videos with VS9 would be the "cleanest" approach.

Could you please post the exact steps that you follow starting with the finalization of the disc on the camcorder?

I still think that this is a problem with VS9. It looks like the picture is in 16:9 aspect ratio all right. VS9 is missing some clues during the import phase.

Thanks again.
Viji

Hi
I have the same camera (just the PAL version) and have the same problems. What i also noticed is that my sound (5.1 AC3 6 channels) is also converted to 2 channel stereo when i use the import function in VS9

[Ken Berry]

That's because VS 9 does not -- and for that matter, no other program of similar cost -- handles 5.1 Dolby audio. That is only done in much more expensive and sophisticated programs, and even then, they are not numerous.

[viji]

That's because VS 9 does not -- and for that matter, no other program of similar cost -- handles 5.1 Dolby audio. That is only done in much more expensive and sophisticated programs, and even then, they are not numerous.

I have been able to get past all the initial problems that I had after I started using Image Mixer (the software that comes with the Sony DCR-DVD403 camcorder) to extract the videos.

Also, I haven't had any problems with regard to the sound being down converted to 2-channel audio. When I played back the DVD on my HT system, my surround sound processor seemed to pick up Dolby Prologic signal. I check again and see if it does Dolby Digital.

Viji

[Ken Berry]

My point about Dolby 5.1 remains. I have not been able to find a specs list for Image Maker, but it is a very low-end product and I would be highly surprised if it could handle 5.1 -- though it is a Sony-related product and so should at least be able to handle the basic functions associated with a Sony camera. The most recent Sony Vegas Video does handle 5.1 audio, but it is a higher-end, much more expensive program.

[sbroskie]

I also have a DCR-DVD403. I sent tech support two messages related to this issue. The first, evidently tech didn't read my message, the second was basically an apology saying it doesn't look like it's possible right now. I've posted the messages below.

1st Message
----------------------------------------
Hello, I have a Sony DCR-DVD403 that captures 16:9 videos. When I try to directly import the movies off of the DVD, the images get squeezed to 4:3 format. I have checked off the 16:9 button on the intro menu screen. How can I import movies directly from generated camcorder DVDs and preserve the 16:9 format?

Thanks
---->>>
Dear Shannon,

Can you please try the following procedure:

1. Run Ulead VideoStudio. Connect your camcorder to the IEEE-1394 capture card. Then, set it to Play Mode
2. Go to Capture Step and make sure that you are in Capture Mode. Select your DV camcorder in Driver.
3. Select MPEG under Format. Click Options then select MPEG Settings.
4. In Video Capture Property Settings, click Advance button then select MPEG2 on the Mpeg type option and the 16:9 option in the Aspect ratio. Click OK.

Click "capture video" to start capturing.

Best regards,
-Nelson Duay,



2nd Message
-------------------------------
Hello, I posted a message about my wide screen videos being squeezed when importing them *directly* from the Mini DVDs my Sony Camcorder (DCR-DVD403) uses; *not* capturing via 1394. I requested a solution on how to import these videos directly WITHOUT having to revert to capturing via 1394 cable. The whole point of recording to Mini DVDs is to minimize the time it takes to transfer video from camcorder to PC. The first solution given to me was to try the capture method using 1394 (exactly opposite of what I was asking). I'll post the original email and response after this message. Again, the issue is that wide screen videos are being squeezed to 4:3 ratio when importing directly from a Mini DVD. If I have my options set to wide screen (16:9) it should import that DVD video as is without squeezing. I may be reporting a bug, or there might be a work around for this (other than 1394 capturing hopefully). Either way, if not a bug and no workaround, I would consider this a feature request then. A 16:9 video on a DVD should be preserved as 16:9 when imported directly from said DVD and not squeezed to 4:3. At the very least, it should place the bars on the top and bottom of the movie in 4:3 so as to not horizontally squeeze the video and maintain a 16:9 video ratio.

Thanks for your assistance.

-------------------->
Dear Shannon,

Using VideoStudio 9, you can capture the movie that is saved in a DVD disc of the DVD camcorder. And that it is only possible only by using the Ulead DVD-VR capture plugin then selecting the DVD camcorder as drive. When capturing a DVD movie, the VideoStudio 9 transfers the DVD data to computer's memory and use temporary hardrive space for converting it into Mpeg-2 video format. Our program basically transfers the exact informations that are saved from the DVD camcorder direct to hardrive and encodes it to the editable format of the same properties. Technically, the quality of the outputed video depends on the source that is came from your DVD camcorder and I'm sorry UVS 9 don't have an option to change it's capture setting when it comes in capturing using the DVD-VR capture plugin.

You can try transferring the datas from your camcorder to your HDD and try our software to capture in your local hardrive to see if there's difference between the recently captured videos and the newly captured one.

If you have more questions about Ulead products, please don't hesitate to contact us again. Thank you


Best regards,
-Nelson Duay,

[lancecarr]

sbroskie,
If you follow this link I think you will find the answer to your problem and a workaround.
It is not a problem with VS9, it is because the MPEG2 files from the 403 are not true 16:9.

http://camcorderinfo.com/bbs/showthread ... 302&page=2

[trenery]

I have a Sony DVD202E handycam. It shoots in widescreen 16:9.

If I import a video file directly from the DVD then VideoStudio 9 imports it as 4:3

So, after a day of trying to work this out I decided to import a shop bought DVD "The Borrowers". I know this is 16:9 as the DVD has 4:3 on the other side, and the front page clearly shows that you have the DVD the right side up. The Borrowers DVD also plays as 16:9 in the Ulead video player.

But, when I import the The Borrowers DVD into VideoStudio 9 the 16:9 aspect ratio is ignored and it gets imported as 4:3.

I have set the project to be 16:9

So, I think that VideoStudio 9 has a bug.

Has anyone managed to import a 16:9 video clip?

Thanks

Mike

[Trevor Andrew]

Has anyone managed to import a 16:9 video clip?

Thanks

Mike

Yes I have made a few dvd's at 16:9 over the past year and have had no problems importing them back to Video Studio 9.

They import ok and the project properties reflect the video clips.

Do you think it may have something to do with the bit rate being higher than the default for a VS Dvd. of 8264.

Trevor

[trenery]

could you read in your dvd and then exprt it again and get 16:9 ?

It seems that any video import from a DVD (via the VOB file) always comes in at 4:3. Even though it is identified at 16:9 by the import module.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

I have just imported a dvd that I made earlier using VS 9.

I selected the folder icon lower left / insert dvd \dv-vr…
I selected the TS folder on my dvd drive.
I selected the chapters
I selected import
When complete the files were saved to my working folder.
Thumbnail were placed in the timeline.

The project properties showed 16:9
The clip properties showed 16:9

I can play the imported files on Power Dvd and identify that they are indeed 16:9

I have 16:9 files and project.

Trevor

[trenery]

Thanks for your help on this.

Have you tried to import a shop 16:9 DVD? if yes, was it OK?

Thanks again

[THoff]

You cannot import most commercial DVDs because they are CSS-encrypted. You'd have to find a non-encrypted widescreen DVD, which would be a rare find.