Aspect Ratio Question 1.85:1 DVD looks like 2.35:1 SVCD

[forty6and2]

Hello,

I recently backed up a copy of a 1.85:1 DVD using DVD2SVCD. I made sure to use 16:9 in the DVD2SVCD pulldown menu, I made the assumption from reading various websites that 1.85:1 is the same as 16x9, so I hope I am correct. I have a 4x3 TV so I believe this is the correct selection.

Everything went perfect when I played the SVCD in my stand Alone DVD player, but I noticed that letterboxing is larger (meaning more black on the top and bottom) on my SVCD than on the DVD. To put it another way the DVD has a larger vertical picture than the SVCD.

Is this normal? Did I choose the wrong setting? I am a newbie to this so please go easy on me if this is a dumb question.

Thanks in advance.

[DDogg]

What aspect ratio did Dvd2svcd show when you pressed the disk icon picture in the conversion tab? Or, open the ripped vobs in dvd2avi 1.76. Press F5, what does it say aspect ratio is?

[forty6and2]

DDog,

It says 16x9.

[DDogg]

What is "it"? If you mean D2S then try dvd2avi 1.76. I think it will say the same thing but we need to know.

[forty6and2]

Sorry, I should have been more clear. What I meant to say was DVD2AVI 1.76 says that it is 16x9.

[DDogg]

Well then D2S would have done a normal job on the encoded resizing. Let us know if this happens on any others.

[forty6and2]

Thanks DDogg I will try some other DVDs.

[mrbass]

what's the name of this dvd please?

[xrv1138]

how many other dvd2svcd conversions have u made ?
does the conversion play with extra black showing using powerdvd/windvd ?

[drake]

What kind of dvd player are you using? For some reason my Pioneer would stretch the image vertically with my tv, but VCDs and SVCDs would appear with larger black bars. My combination was a Pioneer 333 and a Panasonic tv using S-video.

[forty6and2]

Sorry I didn't respond sooner, I was away for a while. I will try and answer all the questions below.

Movie is "Something about Mary"
This is the first SVCD backup I have done.
My DVD is the Samsung 301
I have not tried running the DVD on Win DVD, I am at work so I will have to try later.

[mrbass]

please read the newbie reference and tell me if it's not clear.

I went to amazon.com/dvd and looked up the title's tech info and it says "Widescreen letterbox - 1.85:1" which means you should choose 4:3.

[forty6and2]

I won't drag this on any longer. I don't want to look foolish so I will just continue to read about aspect ratios. Thanks everyone for your input.

Forty6and2

[mrbass]

I think you understand aspect ratios correctly. However, remember this simple point. If it mentions LETTERBOX anywhere at all then the black bars are encoded within the movie so you choose 4:3 even though the finally result will not look full screen just technically be full screen.

[sandchar99]

Also preview the DVD in one of two ways:

1) With a player like WinDVD

2) Preview the VOBs with DVD2AVI

If you see black bars in the WinDVD window or in DVD2AVI but the aspect "looks" 4:3 then choose 4:3. The black bars are part of the actual movie.

[forty6and2]

After looking at the last couple of posts this is all starting to make sense. Thanks everyone for helping out a newbie.