convert 16:9 format to 4:3

[roofrabbit]

I have an AVI format video (I can convert to other formats) in 16:9 aspect ratio. I need to convert it to the standard TV aspect which I guess is 4:3. Filesize is about 2 GB.

Is there any free software that will do this for me?

I have already tried SUPER by eRightSoft but I am not smart enough to know how to use it. :confused: My "conversion" -- to mpeg -- didn't change the aspect ratio.

[Guest]

You can do it with VirtualDub. Use the 'resize' filter.

[burfadel]

If you did a normal resize on it to change the aspect ratio, you'll get the whole picture but it will be stretched. So, in effect, to do it properly you need to crop 25 percent of the width. As 4:3 is 12:9, and you want to cut it down from 16:9. So, to do it by cropping, simply divide the horizontal pixel count by 8 and crop that many pixels on either side (this is one way of doing it). Its divide by 8 as you want to take 25 percent off, so you divide it on the two sides.

If the focus is on the far right of the screen, the 12.5 percent of the total width that is no longer there may become important. They seem to move the focus of the picture from left to right etc when they convert from cinema, 2.35:1 (21.15:9) format to old standard tv (12:9), otherwise as you can imagine there is a lot of information that might be missed on either side.

You could always letterbox it instead of pan-scanning it.