16:9 4:3 problem

[raze]

I have encoded down blue crush ntsc dvd to Pal and to fit on a DVDR using dvd2avi and tmpeg.
I compiled the dvd files with DVD Maestro.

I have used this method successfully for many films but on this one when i play the film in windvd or any other player the film is in 16:9 as it should be but is squashed more than normal - bigger black bars at top and bottom.

If i load the vob files into windvd individualy the picture size is 16:9 but looks perfect - ie unsquashed.

What is causing the film to be squahed up when played as a DVD instead of a file.

[dbernat32]

I have a theory.
Answer this question. When you load the .VOB file into WinDVD, is the window square or rectangular? I bet it is square.

If so that means the video was encoded in 4:3 aspect ratio and the black bars are HARDCODED into the video stream. So when you setup the dvd for 16:9 the dvd player assumes you have an anamorphic 16:9 video stream. (An anamorphic 16:9 is a widescreen video that is encoded as 4:3 to increase the vertical resolution. If you looked at the raw 4:3 video it would appear to be vertically stretched.) Assuming that it compresses the video vertically and adds the black bars. But since your video is a NORMAL 4:3 video this is overkill and ruins the video.
The solution...change the video type to 4:3 in your authoring software and recompile.

[mpucoder]

I know a lot of people, including professionals, mix this up, but there really is no anamorphic DVD. There is 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratio. The word anamorphic applies to film, and the lenses used. DVD packages use the term to denote 16:9 versus letterboxed.

But, to the problem. If it is letterboxed then not only change the aspect ratio to 4:3 but set the "letterboxed" flag to allow widescreen monitors to display it full screen.
And you can use IfoEdit, if your accustomed to it, to change the video attributes and save a lot of time.

[raze]

I just sorted it out before i read your reply but thanks for the info. You were right.
When i loaded the dvd template into tmpeg it is auto locked to 4:3 aspect so all I had to do was load the unlock template before the DVD template then unlock the aspect and set it to 16:9 display.
Then re-encoded the film again with these settings.
It didn't look quite right in the encoding picture but ignored that and ended up with a true 16:9 video file.
Once compiled in DVD Maestro with the file set at 16:9 letterbox I have a perfect looking 16:9 DVD ready to burn.

[Dvd@Best]

Would u please tell me how did u convert PAL DVD to NTSC dvd-r 1:1 copy.

I would also like to convert my boat trip pal to ntsc

Thanks