Aspect ratio issue - 704x480 video on 4:3 NTSC TV using IFOEdit

[Richmix]

Bloody hell this is driving me insane. I have a source AVI file that is 704x480 resolution. I used TMPEnc to encode it to MPEG-2. I've tried the following output resolutions: 740x480, 704x480, and 640x480. My goal was to mux the .m2v stream with an audio file using IFOEdit to produce a DVD structure. So I did that, starting with 740x480, the highest standard DVD resolution.

Since the resolution of the .m2v file was anywhere between 1.54:1 and 1.33:1, I checked the box for the Automatic Letterbox option on the IFOs before burning. I set the aspect ratio as 4:3 (which wasn't quite accurate for 740x480 or 704x480 but should have worked for 640x480), and compiled the DVD structure. It plays just fine on a computer, but when I pop it in a standalone on a 4:3 NTSC TV, it cuts off a signifcant portion of the left-hand side of the picture; the top and bottom are unaffected. This has happened on EVERY .m2v resolution I have used, regardless of whether I use letterboxing, panning and scanning, or no fit method at all. I haven't yet had the opportunity to try it on a widescreen TV, but I'm really interested in getting standard 4:3 to work right first.

WTF!

I'd greatly appreciate help with this. It's bothering me a great deal.

[setarip_old]

Hi!starting with 740x480, the highest standard DVD resolution.Just a point of information - Standard NTSC resolution is 720x480 (PAL is 720x576)...

[Richmix]

Yes, I know. The 740x480 bit was a typo. My bad. Anyway, my temporary fix for the problem is simply outputting in SVCD, however the quality is taking a significant hit (which doesn't really matter since the source shots were VHS-C) and the entire film is now split across 2 CDs (which I can deal with because it's for personal use). Still, if anyone has any idea why it's doing that, please let me know. This problem in combination with attempting to compensate for overscanning makes the DVD approach absolutely impossible for me at the moment.

Thanks.

[manono]

It plays just fine on a computer, but when I pop it in a standalone on a 4:3 NTSC TV, it cuts off a signifcant portion of the left-hand side of the picture;

How much is a "significant portion"? 5%, 10%, 20%, 50%? And what about the right side? Nothing is cut off? On the face of it, it just sounds like the usual TV overscan, with, perhaps, it not being centered properly. If I'm correct, when being played on a widescreen TV, you'll see the whole thing, left to right.