Wrong output video aspect ratio in VS X8 Ultimate

[ldor]

Hi
I am trying to create an mp4 file from an NTSC DVD. But whatever I try, the output image dimensions are wrong. As an example, in the picture below I've brought two videos on top of one another. I've adjusted the height of the output video screen the same as the original video but it is much wider then.


The output file settings are as in the image below. Everything seems to be correct. The project settings are also set for NTSC DVD.
So far I've worked mainly with PAL DVDs and normally with the old 4:3 format. This is probably the first time when I've tried to process a 16:9 NTSC DVD.

I have no clue why I can't get the correct aspect ratio for the video. Can anybody help?

[lata]

Hi

I think that is the size of the preview screen having a larger area to display the video when I Share
Immediately below the Play button is a thin black line drag that to adjust the preview screen height.
This will not affect the video size

Another test
First go to Preferences (F6) set Show Messages when inserting first video……That should now match your project to the video.
Go to Preferences (F6) and change the background color to any other than black.
Start a new project – edit tab
Now the video frame size shows as a color.

Add your video to the timeline, yes to match video properties

The preview screen should be full with your video, no color border.

Ok

Your 16:9 NTSC DVD is 720 x 480, the pixels used are anamorphic and stretched to the widescreen aspect 16:9
Think of the pixels as being rectangular not square.
When you render / convert to Mpeg4 you have to use either 1280 x 720 or 1920 x 1080, those settings are 16:9 aspect ratio and are NOT anamorphic, they are square.
Clear as mud.

[ldor]

Thanks a lot! Your suggestion to create a 1920 x 1080 video has worked. The output video has a correct format now. Still, this does not look like a perfect solution because I unnecessarily create a very large file like this. After all, the initial video does not have such a high resolution. And I will need to upload the output file for sharing, so it would be better to have a smaller file size.
Isn't there a way to create a file with a proper format and not a very high resolution?

As for the preview screen, yes there are empty spaces above and below the video but the video format on the preview screen is correct. It is the 720x480 output video that gets stretched. That becomes evident in the scenes with people's faces.

[lata]

Hi

First can you right click one of your original clips on the timeline and choose properties, what are they?
In particular the Attributes that shows 24 bit 720 x 480, 16:9
Or does it show 24 bit 720 x 480, 4:3

You mention the faces being stretched?
The 720 x 480 frame can be either 4:3 or 16:9 depending on how the video was first recorded.
You should keep the original aspect otherwise people will put on a few pounds.

The Share tab…..

You have several options in rendering your video to a new file, what you choose really depends on who you are sharing the video with…

1 / You can keep the original video format (mpeg2) by choosing the Same As First Video Clip option at the top of the panel.
2 / Choosing the MPEG2 will allow you to use similar settings to original, but allow you to modify the template by choosing the “+” symbol.
Modifying the data rate will reduce the files size, but also impact on quality, Max setting 8000kbps.
3 / if you require Mpeg4 type, maybe choose 1280 x 720, again pressing “+” allows us to create a new template, reducing the data rate, defaults to 10,000kbps,
The YouTube option uses Mpeg4 , I think at 5000kbps.

The data rate controls the quality and size of our files.

I am just a little concerned that you seem to be working with 4:3 and stretching to 16:9

[ldor]

It is a 24 bit 720 x 480, 16:9 video, so I am not stretching a 4:3 video to 16:9.

Meanwhile I've found two solutions which work, although they have their own drawbacks. First, I placed the video in the overlay track and then squeezed it horizontally. The output video then was displayed with the correct aspect ratio. (As far as I understand, this way I've changed the pixel aspect ratio). This approach works but it has two disadvantages that, first, there is no scale for squeezing the video. So I had to guess how much to squeeze it in order to get the correct format. Second, the processing time increases substantially.

The second solution is to create a Quicktime file. I've just read on the web that Quicktime format also contains information on the pixel aspect ratio, not just on the display aspect ratio. That is why players can display Quicktime videos correctly. I've tried and that worked. But the resulting videos have a very poor quality at transitions between different scenes (for a couple of seconds right after the transition). And I did not find any option that would allow me to get a better quality.

[lata]

Hi

I am a little confused……….
Your video should not be distorted.
Unless --- If your original video was 4:3 and you captured that to your pc and set the capture settings to use 16:9, then the captured video will be distorted.

Test
Start a new project
Add one of your videos to the top track.
A window opens asking you to match the properties.
Choose Details button.
Copy and paste the details of the right hand panel (Video Properties ) to this post.
Click yes to the message to match the project to the video files properties.

What does the video look like.
Are people in proportion or looking a little fat, gaining a little weight.
Does the preview screen look like 4:3 or 16:9.

[ldor]

The original video is 16:9 DVD. It's obviously 16:9, but I guess in any case it could not be 4:3 as it is a commercial DVD released last year.

But this DVD is kind of strange - no DVD player in my country (Turkey) can play it. It was made in India and purchased in the US. So, I guess, DVD players in India and US should be able to play it.

I've done as you suggested but somehow no window opened asking me to match the properties, although I've checked "Show Messages when inserting first video". And, even if the original project settings do not match the video, nothing happens (in that case the imported video format is different from the preview area).

The video properties are as in the image below. This video file was created by importing the DVD:


And this is how the preview screen looks. I've squeezed the video horizontally, as I've already mentioned, and in this case the output video does have the right format:

[lata]

Hi

The properties bog standard NTSC Mpeg2
Although you are in Turkey that used Pal TV Standards.
View your DVD Players menu to see if there is an option to play NTSC discs.

I think you should be adding the video to the top track and editing in full screen.
I do not think horizontally squeezing the video is correct, maybe the people have been eating well.

You can convert / render the video to Pal standards but will reduce quality a little with possibly a slight stutter when played back.