Wider Video

[Jerec]

I've been encoding some videos with VirtualDub and my videos always end up wider than the source (result looks like a 352x240 type aspect ratio). I've tried XviD and DivX, so it looks like it could be VirtualDub.

I'm using the version of VirtualDub 1.5.10 with MPEG-2 decoding

[Malevolent]

Well, howabout telling us how you cropped the video,
since you undoubtedly are the only one with this problem?

Any other relevant info appreciated:
How you served the clip to Vdub,
what filters, etc.

[Jerec]

Originally posted by Malevolent
Well, howabout telling us how you cropped the video,
since you undoubtedly are the only one with this problem?

Any other relevant info appreciated:
How you served the clip to Vdub,
what filters, etc.

Not sure what you mean by cropping in vdub.. since I'm new to discussing vdub with others.

As for filters.. I used Nic's latest XviD build and DivX 5.11 for video and the MPEG Layer 3 codec at 96kbps for audio. Both XviD and DivX were using quality based encoding at 90%. I can't say much beyond that.

[Jerec]

eh.. I just compared the aspect ratio of the video in a video player (Media Player Classic) and in VirtualDub. VirtualDub's preview is stretched like the files it creates. How can I get the program to... not stretch it?

[Asmodian]

Well I don't get stretched video in VDub, are you sure you are not trying to open an anamorphic video (one with non-square pixels that is resized on playback)?
Does this happen with all files or just this one?

You need to give more information - video source, resolution (start and end if different), OS and video hardware are also informative. By filters I assume Malevolent meant things like cropping/resize in VDub itself or avisynth (though it sounds like you don't use avisynth) not codecs (Xvid/Divx).

[Jerec]

Originally posted by Asmodian
Well I don't get stretched video in VDub, are you sure you are not trying to open an anamorphic video (one with non-square pixels that is resized on playback)?
Does this happen with all files or just this one?

You need to give more information - video source, resolution (start and end if different), OS and video hardware are also informative. By filters I assume Malevolent meant things like cropping/resize in VDub itself or avisynth (though it sounds like you don't use avisynth) not codecs (Xvid/Divx).

Yes.. I'm not using avisynth.

My sources are usually various DivX, XviD, and MPEG-1/2 videos I find around the Net. Resolutions can vary between all the videos, but they aren't any different from beginning to end. I'm using WinXP Pro, no video hardware.

Most videos go through this widening except for a few videos and I haven't found a reason to why they don't.

[Jerec]

err.. I found out something. Apparently, many of my vids have a 352x240 type aspect ratio (saw this in VirtualDub's info and also Properties in MPC). But when MPC or WMP 6.4 play it, they render it with a 320x240 type aspect ratio.

So could it be the players themselves or is there some sort of aspect ratio control within a video file?

[Asmodian]

I am not sure but it sounds like your videos are anamorphic with a pixel shape of 72/79 (the pixels are not supposed to be square but 72/79 the width relative to the height - 72/79 is the standard pixel aspect ratio or PAR for full-screen (4x3) DVD's, probably vcd/svcd too but I am not sure), if you want them to look like they do when you play them just resize to the aspect ratio they play at (4x3, so a resolution of 320x240 from your example or a resolution of 352x264 if you don't want to lose horizontal resolution) before encoding.

EDIT: changed word usage

[Jerec]

Okay, thanks!