Aspect Ratio Changed

[lata]

Sorry I assumed your profile showing x8 being out of date as x8 is very old, so the vsp provided will not open.
Later I can try to provide another vsp to open in x8, with a bit of luck

Although you should be able to set your own project properties using 4:3
The project details should show 4/3 and not just 720 x 480

[Weeination]

If it helps I will upgrade to the latest version of VideoStudio.

Will all my current projects open without issue in the new version?

[Weeination]

I installed the trial version of VS 2022. I am not sure why but I still can't open the project you sent.

From the project I made an MP4 video file in the 2022 version. I used Same as Project Settings after switching the project to 4:3 in Display aspect ratio. It has the same dimensions as the MP4 files created in X8 with black at the top and bottom.

[lata]

First the trial version is limited in using only vsp’s that are made using the trial
The full / purchased version should open older vsp’s
VS 2022 cannot save projects as backward compatible, so if you were to upgrade and open your x8 vsp with 2022 that will no longer open x8, so you should create a copy to open in 2022
Personally i do not think using 2022 is going to fix things.

Using x8,
Insert your video to the overlay track, right click the video within the preview screen
Choose -fit to screen-
Go to Share and render to "same as project settings"

Try this with a short clip to speed up render times
Is that free of borders

[Weeination]

I did some more tests.

I was actually able to open up a project made on X8 with Pro 2022. Also, for whatever reason, I was able to go back and forth opening the same project with either 2022 or X8.

In the 2022 version I created an MP4 (Same as project settings) video file. No boarders with VS 2022 but it is a little stretched. Even the original video plays stretched in 2022. In X8 the original video looks wide in still mode but plays correctly with the left and right side moving inward to play in the proper ratio.

In VLC the video file created with 2022 plays the same as the X8 MP4 (Same as project settings) video file. In VLC need to adjust to 4:3 to remove the black at the top and bottom and move in the sides in a little which then plays the video in the proper aspect ratio.

Played the video file created in X8 MP4 (Same as project settings) with VS 2022. It also plays without borders but it is stretched. In VLC need to adjust to 4:3 to play properly.

By the way, when I tried to create video files file with X8 using same as project settings with Smart Render it would crash. In order to create video files I had to deselect Smart Render. I was able to use Smart Render with the 2022 version.

Inserted the video into the Overlay track in X8. I went to resize mode and switched to Fit to Screen and then reverted back to Original Size and I didn’t see any difference. On the left and right sides with some black but not the top and the bottom. Went to share and rendered Same as project settings. Same result as before. No borders at the top and bottom when video is still and black at the top and the bottom when the video is played.

In 2022 they are the same whether the video is played or still, however unlike X8 there is no black on the left and right when the video is played. Went to share and rendered Same as project settings. Same result as before. Video has no borders in VS 2022 but is stretched (too wide) just like the source video and needs to be adjusted to 4:3 in VLC.

From looking at the requirements for the Pro 2022 version, my system seems to meet all of them except for one. For the graphics card it says 512 MB VRAM or higher recommended for hardware acceleration. I have Intel HD Graphics 4600 and the dedicated video memory is 128 MB with the total available graphics memory at 2176 MB. Is that sufficient for Pro 2022 if I am only editing with standard definition video?

[Weeination]

I wonder if now it’s time to look at another program to convert the video files into true 4:3.
Any recommendations?

Given that X8 was crashing when using Same as project settings with Smart Render, I am open to upgrading if my graphics card is adequate for editing standard definition video with Pro 2022. From my question in the last paragraph of my last post, I would like to know because there is currently a Black Friday in July sale for a limited time.

If I do upgrade, should I uninstall X8 first?

[lata]

We seem to be going around in circles here….
Can you do one more thing for me

Start a new project
Add original video to top track, yes if you get the message to match…..
Select the clip on the timeline, the word Clip must be highlighted, next to play button
Go to menu – Edit ( Alt+E) – Take a Snapshot
A thumbnail of that image is placed in the library, right click for properties – what is the size, Width and Height
Thanks


Without having access to the original I believe you have already converted that to 4:3 using 2022
You should be able to do the same using X8
You said

In the 2022 version I created an MP4 (Same as project settings) video file. No boarders with VS 2022 but it is a little stretched. Even the original video plays stretched in 2022. In X8 the original video looks wide in still mode but plays correctly with the left and right side moving inward to play in the proper ratio.

Video Studio 2022 project was set to 4:3, you rendered the original to 4:3, the correct ratio.
I believe the original is squashed horizontally, people looking a little tall and thinner, 4:3 version removes the borders effectively stretching the video to the correct ratio.
If you use any other converter it will do the same thing stretching the video to fill the frame.

[Weeination]

Width: 720 pixels
Height: 480 pixels
Res: 37 pixels/cm
Size: 1,013 KB

The original video in X8 is too wide when paused. There is some black on the left and right sides when still. When played however the left and right sides move further inward giving the proper aspect ratio. There is no black at the top and the bottom either when paused or played.

In VS 2022 the original video is too wide when paused or played. Unlike X8 there is no black on the left or right sides, even when paused. The frame is completely filled on all four sides. When played this doesn’t change. There is still no black on all four sides.

[lata]

If you wish to render / convert the original 720 x 480 video to 4:3 ratio then you will either have to zoom into the video to remove the border ( Customise Motion) which will also remove some details top and bottom.
Or
Insert video to a 4:3 project overlay track
Use Fit to Screen which will stretch the video to fit the 4:3 frame

Another option is to render using Same as First Clip, this will use the properties of the original clip creating the same size, It will however not be 4:3 just 720 x 480.
Start a new project
Add original to top track, yes to the messages
Share – Same as first clip.

If the video looks wrong using Video Studio, check that the project properties are set correctly, that is using the video files properties.

[Weeination]

1st test not done as I don't want to zoom or crop the video.

2nd test plays the same as previous attempts. Video shrinks inwards when played on VS. When played on VLC, switching from default to 4:3 moves the left and right sides slightly inward. HandBrake indicates the aspect ratio is 4.5:3

3rd test – video plays the same as the original – when played on VLC switching from default to 4:3 moves the left and right sides slightly inward. HandBrake says the aspect ratio is 4.09:3

Then with my project opened I rendered Same as first clip. Video shrinks inward when played on VS. On VLC it plays the same as previous tests (too wide in default – need to switch to 4:3 mode). Aspect ratio in HandBrake is 4.5:3

The MP4 video file created from the project has an aspect ratio of 4.5:3 according to HandBrake. The MPG video file created from the project has an aspect ratio of 4.51:3. Even the original source video is not exactly 4:3. HandBrake says it is 4.09:3. That makes sense because when played in default mode in VLC the video is slightly wider compared to when played in 4:3 mode.

I then converted the 4.5:3 MP4 video file created from the VS project with HandBrake exactly into 4:3 by changing the display size from 720 to 640. When I tried to convert the file as an MP4 it looked blocky. However, converting to any of the default H.264 settings avoided those blocky artifacts. I was also able to make the conversion video quality lossless by adjusting the quality slider. That created an M4V video file.

Then to have the full compatibility of an MP4 file, I then converted the M4V video file back into MP4 with Applian’s Replay Converter. The end result looks the same as the original source video in terms of quality. Unlike the source video, the dimensions are exactly the same whether in default or 4:3 mode in VLC.

I also did another test which was not successful. I converted the original source video with HandBrake exactly into 4:3. Then as an M4V file I started a new project with that file. Near the end of duplicating my new project the same way as my previous project, I noticed that there were some black artifacts on playback. Then I sometimes noticed these same artifacts on the converted M4V source video when the video was paused but not played. Not surprisingly, the created video file from that project also had those same black artifacts.