How do I convert a widescreen DVD to MPEG

[charles_i]

I've tried all the usual programs, DVD Decrypter, DVD Shrink, Nero, Womble etc. but they all seem to be set to export at 4.3 720 x 480 which changes it to a square (squashed) picture.

I have a widescreen DVD (is that 16.something?) that I need to convert for the web. Can anybody tell me where I can change a setting in one of these programs so I can convert it with the sound?

Thanks
Charles

[Inspector.Gadget]

Neither DVD Decrypter nor DVD Shrink should mess with the display aspect ratio of the videos. Rip with either one with no compression, demux the VOB(s) that make up your program chain (e.g., main movie) with DGIndex, and remux with Imago MPEG Muxer. Bear in mind that Imago doesn't handle audio delay, which you can do with DelayCut.

[manono]

I have a widescreen DVD (is that 16.something?)...
No, apparently you do not have a 16:9 DVD. You seem to have a widescreen 4:3 DVD. They're not all that uncommon in NTSC land. Depending on your intended output format, you decrypt, crop, and resize to square pixels before encoding.

Ordinarily MPEG video isn't a good idea for uploading to these places (YouTube and the like) because they won't honor the DAR when reencoding. Better would be square pixel AVI (XviD, maybe) or MP4 (H. or x264).

[charles_i]

Interesting, I was given a second DVD at work to convert - it says 16:9 on the label. Can you point me to a specific program please? Actually, these are not for YouTube - they're to convert to wmv to host on our client's web page.

[Orion17]

I believe FairUse Wizard will do what you ask. I know I made .Avi files from DVD Movies before and they looked great.

[Inspector.Gadget]

No. Fairuse Wizard is not appropriate software for this task.

[RunningSkittle]

It sounds more like an anamorphic widescreen than a letterbox.

[manono]

Can you point me to a specific program please? Actually, these are not for YouTube - they're to convert to wmv to host on our client's web page.
Sorry, not I. I don't create WMV videos. Perhaps someone else can help.

Although your second one probably is 16:9, I, for one, wouldn't trust what a DVD case tells me. They've been known to be wrong. When you put the DVD into your DVD-ROM and open DVD Decrypter set for IFO Mode (up at the top - Mode->IFO->Stream Processing), it'll tell you the DAR of the main movie. You can check that earlier one to confirm (or disprove).

[Inspector.Gadget]

If you want to properly encode letterboxed 4:3 content to WMV, do the following:
1. Index DVD with DGIndex.
2. Create AVS script with appropriate color correction, deinterlacing/IVTC, and cropping parameters. (Option 1) Resize to a display aspect ratio compatible with 1:1 pixel aspect ratio (640x480 or 854x480 if you're using literal 4:3 and 16:9 DARs). Obviously, after cropping you will wind up with something with a widescreen display ratio (though not size) at 1:1 PAR.
3. Open the AVS in Windows Media Encoder 9. Encode per your specifications.
4. Use XRecode or Windows Media Encoder 9 to convert your audio to appropriate specifications.
5. Mux audio and video into ASF container with ASFBinGUI to be able to properly set delay (if any), if no delay you can mux with the Windows Media File Editor from the Encoder package or with wmvmuxer.
6. (Option 2) If you didn't resize to 1:1 PAR earlier, use wmvarchanger from dvbportal to set an anamorphic PAR and wait for the header editing to finish.
7. You're finished!