Aspect ratio question - DC10+ capture

[aklendathu]

I captured a VHS PAL video with DC10+ at 768x576 resolution and I have a (perhaps naive) question about the proper frame size to use for
keeping the correct 4:3 aspect ratio when this capture is reencoded as DVD-compliant MPEG-2 (720x576) for TV viewing : do I need to crop and/or resize the captured video ?

I know that the TV shows a picture size smaller than what can be seen on a PC (overscan, I think it's called). 768x576 seems to be the correct 4:3 aspect ratio while 720x576 is 5:4. However the DVD standard is 720x576. Is this a result of the TV pixel not being square ?

The video image seems to extend very nearly to the vertical frame edges (perhaps 5 pixels could be cropped on each side). I'm getting a bit confused here, since if I tick the 'crop' box I get 720x540 as capture resolution. VHS is interlaced, does that mean I will get two 720x270 fields ?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions/comments on this.

[Kika]

DVD-Standard for analogue Source is 704x576, not 720x576.
Your DC10 captures square Pixels, AR 4:3, PAR 1:1.

704x576 is AR 4:3, PAR 1.092:1 so your Source is perfect for this Resolution.

Oh, and by the Way: 720x576 is 4:3 to! Standard says, the Motion Area of a 720x576 Video is 704x576...

Dont use the 720x540 Settings, you might get problems with interlaced Encoding on this Resulution.

[aklendathu]

Kika,

Thanks for your input. However, the DC10+ captured 768x576, not 720x576 or 704x576. Hence, my confusion - what to do with the extra horizontal pixels, shall I just crop them or resize the horizontal resolution of 768 to 720 ?

[Kika]

OK, again:

The DC10 uses square Pixels, DVD uses non-square. The AR ist the same, only the PAR (Pixel Aspect Ratio) is different. So you don't have extra Pixels, you just have to resize your Video the right Way. Your destination has to be 704x576. Don't crop anything, just resize. What you get is a Video with the correct AR.

704x1.092 = 768

There is absolutly no need to use 720x576 for analogue Source, becaus 704x576 is the only(!) right DVD-Resolution for such Videos.
If you want 720x576, than you first have to letterbox your Video to 786 x576 (no typo!), than resize to 720x576, but why should anyone do such a thing?

[aklendathu]

Thanks ! Now I understand what to do. :D