4:3 aspect ratio does not seem to make correct VCDs

[bullet_pr00f]

Hello,

I am relatively new to DVD2SVCD, but I think that I have the general process down (I have successfully used it to convert several DVDs to VCDs). However, in each of my previous tests - the movie was widescreen.

My current problem is with a TV show that is already 4:3 in the IFO/VOB (I have confirmed this with PowerDVD). The DVD2SVCD conversion tab correctly reads that the show is 4:3 and that 4:3 conversion is the drop-down that is prefilled for me. I leave it pre-filled and go through the conversion, but I end up with a VCD that is:
522 x 240
which looks stretched horizontally. I thought that VCD called for:
352 x 240

Am I doing something wrong? I have appended my log file below.
----------------------------------------
WNASPI32.DLL 4.6.0.1021
--------------------------------------------------------
- 1/14/2005 11:21:07 PM
- DVD to SVCD Conversion
- DVD2VCD ver. 1.2.2 build 3
--------------------------------------------------------
Initializing
- D:\DVDs\TEMP\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_0.IFO
- D:\DVDs\TEMP\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_1.vob
- D:\DVDs\TEMP\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_2.vob
- D:\DVDs\TEMP\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_3.vob
Initializing finished.

--------------------------------------------------------
- 1/14/2005 11:21:11 PM
- Free on drive C: 11560.07 mb
- Internal rip
--------------------------------------------------------
Preparing vobfiles to be ripped:
- D:\DVDs\TEMP\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_1.vob
- D:\DVDs\TEMP\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_2.vob
- D:\DVDs\TEMP\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_3.vob

Ripping: D:\DVDs\TEMP\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_1.vob
Ripping: D:\DVDs\TEMP\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_2.vob
Ripping: D:\DVDs\TEMP\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_3.vob
Ripping finished. Speed: 13846

--------------------------------------------------------
- 1/14/2005 11:24:03 PM
- DVD2AVI
--------------------------------------------------------
Creating DVD2AVI INI file:
- C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\DVD2AVI\DVD2AVI.INI

Variable settings:
iDCT_Algorithm: 32-bit SSE MMX

Executing DVD2AVI.
Executing DVD2AVI. Commandline:
"C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\DVD2AVI\DVD2AVI.exe" -CS=2 -YR=1 -OM=0 -EXIT -OF=[C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\data\DVD2AVI_Project_file] -IF=[C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\data\VTS_01_1.vob,C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\data\VTS_01_2.vob,C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\data\VTS_01_3.vob]
Analyzing DVD2AVI Project file
Force Film NOT activated!
Framerate: 29970
DVD2AVI processing done.

--------------------------------------------------------
- 1/14/2005 11:24:59 PM
- Free on drive C: 9247.62 mb
- AUDIO Extraction
--------------------------------------------------------
Found AC3 stream id: 0x80
Filename: C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\data\Extracted_audio_1.ac3

Audio1 delay: -67 ms
Audio extraction finished.

--------------------------------------------------------
- 1/14/2005 11:26:25 PM
- Free on drive C: 9187.73 mb
- AUDIO conversion
--------------------------------------------------------

Encoding Audio. Filename: C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\data\Extracted_audio_1.ac3
Executing BeSweet. Commandline:
"C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\BeSweet\BeSweet.exe" -core( -input "C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\data\Extracted_audio_1.ac3" -output "C:\PROGRA~1\DVD2SVCD\data\Encoded_audio_1.mp2" -logfile "C:\PROGRA~1\DVD2SVCD\data\Encoded_audio_1.log" ) -azid( -L -3db -l 0db -c normal -s surround -g max ) -ota( -d -67 ) -shibatch( --rate 44100 ) -2lame( -e -b 224 -m s )
Audio conversion of C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\data\Extracted_audio_1.ac3 finished.

Audio conversion finished.

--------------------------------------------------------
- 1/14/2005 11:31:54 PM
- Free on drive C: 9117.86 mb
- Video Encoding using TMPGEnc
--------------------------------------------------------
- Encoding C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\data\AviSynth_Script_file.avs
StreamSectors: 771186864
AudioSectors: 74451664
VideoPAPO: 10792800
ScanOffsetBytes: 0
SeqAligningBytes: 0
DVDBytes: 0
VideoEndHeader: 4
SubtitleSectors: 0
EmptySectors: 238.00
PictureSectors: 1.00
PureMPEGStream: 685942396.00
Seconds: 2623.45
CalcMPEGStream: 685942396.00
Frames: 78415
CDSize: 740.00
Number of CDs: 1
Cut point 735.00
Bitrate: 1150.00
Executing TMPGEnc. Commandline:
"C:\Program Files\TMPGEncPro\TMPGEnc.exe" "C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\data\TMPGEnc_Project_file.tpr" /Encode /Close
Video Encoding finished.

--------------------------------------------------------
- 1/15/2005 12:19:19 AM
- Free on drive C: 8759.15 mb
- Converting Pictures from ES to PS
--------------------------------------------------------
Saving bbMPEG settings: C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\bbMPEG\default.ini
--------------------------------------------------------
- 1/15/2005 12:19:22 AM
- Free on drive C: 8759.14 mb
- Converting Pictures from ES to PS
--------------------------------------------------------
Saving bbMPEG settings: C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\bbMPEG\default.ini
--------------------------------------------------------
- 1/15/2005 12:19:24 AM
- Free on drive C: 8759.14 mb
- Converting Pictures from ES to PS
--------------------------------------------------------
Saving bbMPEG settings: C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\bbMPEG\default.ini
--------------------------------------------------------
- 1/15/2005 12:19:27 AM
- Free on drive C: 8759.14 mb
- Multiplexing and cutting
--------------------------------------------------------
Saving bbMPEG settings: C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\bbMPEG\default.ini
Offset in Seconds: 0
Executing bbMPEG.
Variable Settings:
Movie offset: 0 seconds
Cut point: 735 mb

Executing RunbbMPEG. Commandline:
"C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\bbMPEG\RunbbMPEG.exe" "C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\data\bbMPEG_Muxed_File.mpg"
Multiplexing and cutting finished.

--------------------------------------------------------
- 1/15/2005 12:21:48 AM
- Free on drive C: 8324.76 mb
- Determining length of audio
--------------------------------------------------------
Analyzing: C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\data\bbMPEG_Muxed_File00.mpg
2583.251 seconds C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\data\bbMPEG_Muxed_File00.mpg
Analyzing finished.

--------------------------------------------------------
- 1/15/2005 12:22:20 AM
- Free on drive C: 8324.76 mb
- Creating CD-Images using VCDXBuild
--------------------------------------------------------
- No. of chapters to create: 11

CD image #1: CD_Image_File_CD1.bin

Executing VCDXBuild. Commandline:
"C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\VCDImager\VCDXBuild.exe" --verbose --cue-file="C:\PROGRA~1\DVD2SVCD\data\CD_Image_File_CD1.cue" --bin-file="C:\PROGRA~1\DVD2SVCD\data\CD_Image_File_CD1.bin" "C:\PROGRA~1\DVD2SVCD\data\VCDXBU~1.XML"
Image creation finished.

--------------------------------------------------------
- 1/15/2005 12:23:45 AM
- Free on drive C: 7882.99 mb
- Conversion done!
--------------------------------------------------------

[jsoto]

Could you please post your avisynth script?
C:\Program Files\DVD2SVCD\data\AviSynth_Script_file.avs
jsoto

[nathanf]

yeah Im also having the same problem its so annoying.

The picture looks all squashed up in the middle of the screen.
Even if you choose "Anamorphic", the picture IS borderless top and bottom, but still has the stupid borders to the left and right.

Ive tried uninstalling and then re-installing but that didnt work.

[bullet_pr00f]

jsoto,

Here is the contents of the AVI Synth script:
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\DVD2SVCD\AVISYN~1.5PL\Mpeg2dec\MPEG2D~1.DLL")
MPEG2Source("C:\PROGRA~1\DVD2SVCD\data\DVD2AV~1.D2V")
ConvertToYUY2()
LoadPlugin("C:\PROGRA~1\DVD2SVCD\AVISYN~1.5PL\Mpeg2dec\mpeg2dec.dll") #Contains SmartDeinterlacer
SmartDeinterlace(2,10,True,False,True)
BicubicResize(352,240,0.0,0.6)
ConvertToRGB24()

If I read the resize line correctly, it thinks that the target size is 352 by 240. But the result MPG file is 522 by 240. What's going on?

[bullet_pr00f]

Follup to this topic. I have started working with the .mpg file produced instead of burning the .BIN file to a CD (I lose fewer disks that way).

The same .MPG file played with Windows Media Player shows a size of 522 x 240 BUT if I play it with Real Player, it displays a correct size ratio. How is this happening?

[jsoto]

I'm currently doing an encode, so I cannot do some tests... But seems to me you have some kind of problem with your installlation.

Anyway, could you try to use
ConvertToYUY2()
instead of
ConvertToRGB24()
at the end of the script?

You can change it in Advanced settings in Encoder tab of dvd2svcd.

jsoto

[bullet_pr00f]

Thought you might like a further update on this topic.

As near as I can tell, the VCDs that I have been making all along are in-fact correct. The problem is that I was not making them to be watched/never tested them on a TV, but rather on my laptop (which doesn't have a DVD drive). The tool of choice for both checking them on my main machine and for watching them on my Laptop has been Windows Media Player.

I think that there is some bug with WMP (specifically with DirectX interaction with WMP). Even though the number of lines encoded is in fact 352x240 and the aspect ratio is correct at 2 (which equals 4:3), WMP "thinks" that this aspect ratio is 2.18:1 so it manipulates the image until everything is stretched. If you turn off video acceleration (in WMP) - or more specifically, turn off Video Mixing Renderer (VMR) - then the image displays on the screen correctly. VMR has something to do with DirectX but I am a little hazy on the details. I have come to these conclusion from two main sources:

http://www.medianet-ny.com/MEDIA-TIPS.htm
which has a section called "FORMATTING" that talks about how to turn off Video acceleration in WMP.

and http://homepage.mac.com/rnc/EditMpegHeaderIFO.html
which talks about what the settings in the .MPG header look like (when examined with a Hex Editor). According to this guide, when the aspect ratio bit should be set as follows:
1 = 1:1
2 = 4:3
3 = 16:9
4 = 2.211 (not used in dvd)

For my .mpg file, this bit is set to 2. However, by trial-and-error (using a binary editor), I have changed this bit from 1 to C and WMP will play it with the following aspect ratios:
1 = 22:15
2 = 2.18:1
3 = 2.09:1
4 = 1.93:1
5 = 1.82:1
6 = 1.74:1
7 = 1.64:1
8 = 1.56:1
9 = 1.49:1
A = 1.43:1
B = 1.37:1
C = 1.30:1

So I believe that I can have eitehr a correctly encoded .MPG file that WMP WILL NOT play correctly, or I can binary edit the header and generate a non-standard .MPG file that WMP file WILL play correctly. Or I can just permanently disable VMR in WMP.

Any thoughts on this?

[jsoto]

:goodpost: I do not have anything to add.