DVD Authoring Question: 16:9 Source

[morgandawn.livejournal.com]

Some DVD authoring programs (IDVD, Ulead) cannot handle both 4:3 and 16:9 (widescreen source).

On some m2v files, the 16:9 screen images are squished vertically to fit the 4:3 format. In the past I was able to manually import the m2v file into my editing software, adjust the widescreen (make the image smaller) so it fit back down into a 4:3 frame and render, then re-export. This takes too much time to do for each vid.

is there a setting we can shoot for (Final Cut or Adobe Premiere or TMPEGEnc) that will export 16:9 images so the widescreen source is pre-adjusted to fit into the 4:3 TV screen?

Comments

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

I have no idea - really - what I am talking about, so feel free to ignore me if I make no sense - but...

I have found when clipping from source that is widescreen, that the DVD rip is actually anamorphic - it does not have those nice little bars at the top and bottom to smoosh it into place when I pull it into the time line and as a result every one is very tall and skinny. In the case of Buffy, this is just disturbing as all get out.

So to add the bars to the source, I have tried a number of things - the one trick that works the best (using Premiere - cause I gave up on figuring it out in VDub) is to go to the effects palette, pick transform and set the height adjustment at 75% for each anamorphic clip. This is, of course, with in 4:3 project settings. This just adds bars to the final avi so that it is actually a 4:3 project, but looks widescreen. I think. I could be totally wrong here.

[morgandawn.livejournal.com]

so bottom line - these adjustments have to be done in the editing timeline, before exporting as an m2v file?

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

Well - I don't know of any way to edit an m2v file, so take all of this with a grain of salt. Or is it grain of sand? No salt makes more sense.

My final step is making the m2v file - and I generally make certain before I do that, that the aspect ratio is preserved in a 4:3 model (means adding bars to the final avi if widescreen). I think in this case it would be easier to go back to the final avi file and make the changes and just export an m2v from that. But, again, I don't know any way to edit an m2v file, I'm certain there is one - it is just my contribution to anything generally ends at that point. I am lagging in the DVD authoring know-how.

[morgandawn.livejournal.com]

to offer a technical set of instructions: how to edit an m2v file on a Mac.

1. Use QT Pro and import the m2v file.
2. Export it as a DV file (lots of little fiddly settings I won't mutter about here)
3. Import in into Final Cut Pro/FCE
4. Import wav (or if lucky aiff file)into FCE and put into timeline
5. Use Killa's (patent pending) Motion method to streeeetch and squish the aspect ratio so all Buffy heads look normal.
5. Render (this takes days - at least with my processor).
6. Export, encode and burn.
7. Repeat for next video

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

I need a Mac - but all that ease of use might confuse me and all...

but... color wheel...

::drools::

[morgandawn.livejournal.com]

the itunes visuals blow msoft's away...Gayle F and I spent 15 minutes staring like we were stoned....

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure that I completely understand what you're asking, but what I've done with 16:9 source is, within FCP, double click on the clip and go into the Motion tab. There, click on Distort. Enter the values so they look like this:
-360, -180
360, -180
360, 180
-360, 180

Save as a motion favorite, and apply to anything that's 16:9. If I'm doing this for a whole vid, I've just edited it all in squishyvision, then exported the sequence, reimported it as a single clip, and applied the Distort at the end of the process.

[morgandawn.livejournal.com]

I figured out in FCE how to adjust the 16:9 files within the timeline. The question is for those vidders who a preparing their files for m2v export - say to submit to a con. For Bascon, I had to import the m2v files (which means convreting the m2v file into a DV file) and then use the settings you described to smush it back to 4:3 again. I didn't have time to do this on an all vids - nor should I need to do this if there is a way for the vidder to handle it ahead of time.

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

Oh... well, yes, there should be more than one way for the vidder to handle it ahead of time. I don't really know what process you went through with the vidders, but if they sent you m2v files that were the wrong aspect ratio, they screwed up somewhere. I think I'm still not really understanding what you're asking. Each vidder should be correcting for the aspect ratio, in whatever program they're using and by whatever method they can, before they export to MPEG2.

[morgandawn.livejournal.com]

you nailed it. I was asking (on behalf of vidders who 'screwed up') if there is a way for them to fix it before sending the file to the con. I know of no other way than to do this in the timeline before the export to m2v. I had hoped there was some nifty export button we could push (depending on your editing software) that would say: "Take This Skinny Strechy Buffy Head That Looks Creepy And Magically Make Everyone Look Normal And Make It All Go Away."

Plus, it might be helpful to hear how people handled the aspect ratio in their respective editing software. I stumbled on the FCE method by poking around (as I always do in FCE -great poking software, it is).

[morgandawn.livejournal.com]

we still have 16:9 with squishy squinty heads, only now with top/bottom 1/3 black. we go from creepy to scary squinty vision.

[barkley.livejournal.com]

If I'm doing this for a whole vid, I've just edited it all in squishyvision, then exported the sequence, reimported it as a single clip, and applied the Distort at the end of the process.

I don't know if your G5 (pause for drooling) makes export times negligble, or if you're using export/import metaphorically *g* but if you didn't want to, there's no need. You can just go do this:
file->new->sequence
That will create sequence2 in the browser. Double click on it to get it to pop up as a tab in the timeline and then just drag the sequence1 icon from the browser to sequence2 timeline and then apply the Distort. It's the same thing essentially, but it cuts down on export times.

And out of idle curiosity, do you know if there's any difference between distort and "aspect ratio"? I've just been setting the aspect ratio under the motion tab to -33 in order to get letterboxing.

[morgandawn.livejournal.com]

I found an eve3n simpler way to correct the distortion (or aspect ratio - I can never tell the two apart) of a vid that has been submitted as a m2v file:

1. Import into QT Pro
2. Export it out again as a m2v file - select the export options and click on 16:9.

It should be fixed. I still need to do a test burn.

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

And out of idle curiosity, do you know if there's any difference between distort and "aspect ratio"?

There really isn't a difference - I think I used aspect ratio the first time I did it - but I like the mathematical exactictude of using pixel measurements (distort) vs. percentages (aspect ratio) because I'm a freak and 33.3333 etc. bugs me. *g* But since it rounds anyway, no, there's absolutely no difference AFAIK.

Thanks for the tip about creating a new sequence. I've never done that! Funky. I must admit, the G5 has spoiled me.

[uluviel.livejournal.com]

TMPEGEnc can change a widescreen to a fullscreen:

Click on "Settings", go to the "Advanced" tab. In the "Source aspect ratio" box, select 16:9 NTSC or 16:9 PAL. Then, in the "Video arrange Method" box:
- Select "Full Screen (keep aspect ratio)" if you want to add black bar at the top and bottom of your screen.
- Select "No margin (keep aspect ratio)" to cut the sides of your movie.
- Select "Fullscreen" if you want to stretch the image into a 4:3

Of course make sure your output format (in the "video" tab of the settings) is actually 4:3.

[uluviel.livejournal.com]

I just read your previous post and you mention you have TMPEGEnc DVD Author. The software I use is TMPEGEnc Plus (http://www.pegasys-inc.com/en/download/tp.html). I'M not sure if DVD Author can do this as well.

[morgandawn.livejournal.com]

no author only takes the encoded material and creates a DVD menu.

Edit ---> Encode ----> Author ---->Burn

[morgandawn.livejournal.com]

hey this is helpful. will bookmark it for others.