Virtualdub xvid aspect ratio problem

[natrap]

I've got an MPEG-1 file that GSpot says is 352x240 with Frame Aspect Ratio (FAR) of 1.467 (22:15), Pixel Aspect Ratio (PAR) of 10:11 and Display Aspect Ratio (DAR) of 1.333(4:3). When I play it in WMP, Media Player Classic and VLC Player it is full screen (practically anyway - tiny bars at the top and bottom).

I'm using Virtualdub to convert it to xvid so the file size will be smaller so I can fit the whole season on DVD to be played on an MPEG-4 capable DVD player. However, the converted xvid has larger bars at the top and bottom when I play it in WMP or Media Player Classic - not VLC player though.

GSpot says that the avi is 352x240 with Frame Aspect Ratio (FAR) of 1.467 (22:15), Pixel Aspect Ratio (PAR) of 1.000 and Display Aspect Ratio (DAR) of 1.467(22:15).

From that I assumed the problem was the Pixel Aspect Ratio so in Virtualdub I went into the xvid configuration, clicked 'more' next to Profile @ Level (AS @ L5), went to the Aspect Ratio tab and changed the pixel aspect ratio from square (1:1) to 4:3 NTSC (10:11). That didn't change anything. I tried setting the Picture Aspect Ratio to 4:3 and that also didn't change anything. I'm using Full Processing Mode, Virtualdub 1.6.9 and xvid 1.0.3. Does anyone have the answer?

[Koepi]

XviD's directshow filter from the 1.0 branch has no support for "on the fly aspect ratio correction", thus you see correct aspect ratio in VLC but not in media player.

Install the xvid-1.1-build (i.e. from my site) and try playback through media player again, it should look different. (Unless you did _not_ use packed bitstream, the dshow code doesn't get the information right for non-packed-bitstreams).

Cheers
Koepi

[natrap]

If the problem is with the playback rather than the encoding why does GSpot say the pixel aspect ratio is 1.0? And does this mean I don't need to reencode the file using 1.1?

Yes I did use packed bitsream.

Also, how will it appear on a standalone MPEG-4 capable DVD player?

[natrap]

I installed xvid 1.1 beta and reencoded the file (I didn't do the whole file - I assume aborting doesn't affect anything) but it still isn't better. GSpot still says the PAR is 1.0. Again I tried setting the Pixel Aspect Ratio and the Picture Aspect Ratio to 4:3 but neither worked. Which should I be using though?

[manono]

Your VCD is 4:3. You want your XviD to be 1:1 (at least for your standalone you do). You have to resize to 320x240.

[natrap]

Ah that works. Resized to 320x240 and it appears right in WMP.