[fhoss]

I am having trouble with aspect ratios. In the past I have simply used the normal ratio [4:3] and just suffered with everyone looking somewhat fat on my widescreen TV. Lately I have tried to remedy this. My Canon EOS Rebel digital photos can - apparently - be adjusted in "Production Settings" using "fill" or right clicking on the frame and adjusting ratio that way. Using my Sony burn straight to DVD camcorder [on the small DVDs] I have experimeted with the widescreen setting and produced a short video as a test. As usual I started with using videowave - added some music - then output it as mpeg2 best [even tried AVI with same results] - then, using MyDVD, I brought the video in after checking new movie - widescreen. When I preview both the mpeg2 and the AVI it appears with bars on the sides and is scrunched up [I skipped the burning as ISO file at this point as I was just experimenting]. However, in further experimenting - I started a new project in MyDVD and brought the same video in as a DMSM file and the preview was in widescreen ratio.
My question - does one have to use DMSM if you want to create your movie in widescreen? Is there a way to use the mpeg2 widescreen file in MyDVD? [I use mpeg primarily because that is all I have used in the past and my Sony camcorder apparently creates the video in mpeg]. Should I care whether it is DMSM or mpeg?
Frank

[ggrussell]

Is there a way to use the mpeg2 widescreen file in MyDVD?

Yes, it should work either way. You still should begin with Videowave. Create a 16:9 production and add your videos and stil images. Always a good idea to save the production anyway to .dmsm. The click the little icon that looks like a reel of film. That is OUTPUT TO FILE. There are tons of options. In that dialog box are two drop down lists. In the first one (Purpose), select DVD PLAYBACK. In the second one (Video Quality), choose MPEG-2 for DVD - Best Quality. At the bottom of that dialog box, type in a filename and select a folder. /My Documents/My Videos is a good location. Then click on CREATE VIDEO FILE.

You can then view that file in WMP to check it and then use that file in MyDVD to create a video DVD. Keep your DVD under one hour for a single layer, 4.7GB disc or MyDVD will have to re-encode the MPEG file.

This post has been edited by ggrussell: 16 October 2007 - 06:26 AM

[fhoss]

Yes, it should work either way. You still should begin with Videowave. Create a 16:9 production and add your videos and stil images. Always a good idea to save the production anyway to .dmsm. The click the little icon that looks like a reel of film. That is OUTPUT TO FILE. There are tons of options. In that dialog box are two drop down lists. In the first one (Purpose), select DVD PLAYBACK. In the second one (Video Quality), choose MPEG-2 for DVD - Best Quality. At the bottom of that dialog box, type in a filename and select a folder. /My Documents/My Videos is a good location. Then click on CREATE VIDEO FILE.

You can then view that file in WMP to check it and then use that file in MyDVD to create a video DVD. Keep your DVD under one hour for a single layer, 4.7GB disc or MyDVD will have to re-encode the MPEG file.

Thank you so very much for responding gg. I have continued to experiment while waiting for an answer [and have also browsed the forums] and I think I am beginning to get a handle on it. I will try all of your suggestions. However, one quick further question - is it alright to capture the video from my Sony in mpeg before going on to videowave - or should I choose one of the other formats afforded in the capture media application? I would prefer to capture in mpeg as it is quicker since my Sony records in mpeg. I truly do not understand any of the formats or why there are several of them.
Frank

[ggrussell]

DO NOT use Media Import 9 to capture from a miniDVD disc. There is a known problem when trying to capture 16:9 to MPEG 2. It loses the widescreen. It may be easier to finalize the miniDVD in your camcorder and then place it in your computer DVD rom/burner. Just use Explorer to copy the VOB files to your hard drive and use those files in Videowave or MyDVD 9.

[fhoss]

DO NOT use Media Import 9 to capture from a miniDVD disc. There is a known problem when trying to capture 16:9 to MPEG 2. It loses the widescreen. It may be easier to finalize the miniDVD in your camcorder and then place it in your computer DVD rom/burner. Just use Explorer to copy the VOB files to your hard drive and use those files in Videowave or MyDVD 9.

Thanks again Gary for your help - I very much appreciate it. This will surely turn out to be the root of the problem as I have always captured, after finalizing in the camcorder and placing the disc in my burner, by using the Media Import 9 application in my EMC9 [my version 9.1.068]. I will use Explorer as you suggest. I assume that will mean using one of the options [except EMC] in that pop up screen that I have always ignored after putting my disc in the burner when capturing.

My EMC9 seems to be working very well on my machine with Vista Ultimate. The only problems I have had have been due to my inexperience not the program. This forum provides truly helpful information. I try to look at it regularly whether I have problems or not.
Frank

[fhoss]

DO NOT use Media Import 9 to capture from a miniDVD disc. There is a known problem when trying to capture 16:9 to MPEG 2. It loses the widescreen. It may be easier to finalize the miniDVD in your camcorder and then place it in your computer DVD rom/burner. Just use Explorer to copy the VOB files to your hard drive and use those files in Videowave or MyDVD 9.

Gary - I am still having a problem. I created a short video with my Sony camcorder in widescreen. Used Explorer to copy to hard drive. Played it on my VLC [a program Beerman suggested as my WMP was causing problems with audio in playback] and the video plays in the VLC in widescreen [I played it in WMP also and it displayed in widescreen]. Then opened Videowave - selected new project - widescreen - when I imported the vob file from my hard drive it displayed in preview window in normal ratio - with black bars on sides. I can remove the bars by right clicking on the clip and using fill in the aspect ratio. Is this last step required? I expected it to appear in widescreen when imported.
I have never worked with vob files before - if the solution is to change the extension please tell me how to do so.

[ggrussell]

No, you shouldn't have to change the extension. Appears that Videowave is not recognizing the 16:9 'flag' in the VOB file for some reason. This also happens with JVC Everio files.

I didn't know there was a "right clicking on the clip and using fill in the aspect ratio". Good to know! But looks like that should fix the problem. Try a short project and 'output to file' and see if it plays back wide screen. I wold also check the quality close to see if it changes.

[grandpabruce]

No, you shouldn't have to change the extension. Appears that Videowave is not recognizing the 16:9 'flag' in the VOB file for some reason. This also happens with JVC Everio files.

I didn't know there was a "right clicking on the clip and using fill in the aspect ratio". Good to know! But looks like that should fix the problem. Try a short project and 'output to file' and see if it plays back wide screen. I wold also check the quality close to see if it changes.

I would also check to make sure that using that method doesn't crop the video.

[fhoss]

Since I started this thread I thought I would share my findings after my experiments.

I first created a short video using the widescreen setting in my Sony Digital Camcorder - Model DCR-DVD92 - it uses the mini DVD's. [for my photos I use a Canon EOS Digital Rebal].

I then captured the video using two methods: a) using EMC9 (I know this is a problem however, if you are going to lose your basic widescreen anyway - I find this method useful as you can capture in chapters [or scenes as I call them], and using Explorer in Windows [just dragging the video from my DVD drive to my video folder]. [for reasons unknown to me this causes the creation of several files grouped in a folder named "Video-TS". Some of these files have .bup and .ifo extensions, however, one of the files created will be the video file (.vob) which can be used in VideoWave [VW]. Note -when using Explorer to capture the video it will not be split in any fashion and, if editing is sought, must be manually split in VW.

I then opened VW - chose "new project - widescreen 16:9" and using "add photo/video" inserted the chapters from my test video. When inserted, the scenes had bars and were not widescreen. I then right clicked on each panel - chose "aspect ratio handling" - then chose "fill screen". This results in the panels appearing to be widescreen. [note - grandpabruce is right - this will result in some cropping, however, if the actual video was recorded in 16:9 - as mine was - this cropping appeared to be minimal]. I added some photos, color panels and music to the production.

I then sent this DMSM production directly to MyDVD [using the "Send to my DVD" option under "file"] - prepared my Menu the way I wanted it - previewed it [was widescreen] - burned as .iso file - used disc copier and the finished product played on my widescreen TV as if it were widescreen. I thought the quality was good. [Caveat: I am not a professional. I just make DVD's for fun and family.]

I repeated the above procedures [using the DMSM file] in creating another test video after capturing using Explorer [instead of EMC]. The only difference was that when the video was inserted into the new widescreen production it comes in as one panel and had be split manually. As a plus, however, you can use the "aspect ratio handling" procedure before you split and it should then apply to all the panels. The DVD created after this procedure looked and played the same to me as the one I captured with EMC.

No matter what I did [using both capture methods] I was not able to create a widescreen DVD when I "output" the production as mpeg2-best quality [following the steps outlined by Gary - which steps I always use in regular 4:3 productions]. I even changed the .vob extension to .mpeg using a post from July in which Beerman explained how to do this. No difference. Interestingly, when outputting in mpeg2, the productions seemed to "render" in widescreen. However, when they were put into MyDVD they had bars and previewed and burned like a 4:3.

I must concede that I am dissappointed that I cannot more readily create widescreen DVD's using my camera which I thought was a quality, well known brand and, for which, I paid many times over what EMC cost. I would appreciate any information as to other cameras that do not have this problem.
Frank

[cdanteek]

Interestingly, when outputting in mpeg2, the productions seemed to "render" in widescreen. However, when they were put into MyDVD they had bars and previewed and burned like a 4:3.

Mine looked the same, previewed in MyDVD.

In Power DVD 7, tools, information, I get this from a Sony DCR DVD505 mini DVD-R camera disc.

#1. Camera Mini DVD-R, copied to HD, changed to mpeg.

The Sony raw footage....
Video Attributes:
Video compression mode: MPEG-2
TV system: 525/60 (NTSC)
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Display Mode: Both Pan&scan and Letterbox
Source picture resolution: 720x480 (525/60)
Frame Rate: 30.00
Source picture letterboxed: Not letterboxed
Bitrate: 5.94Mbps

Audio Attributes:
Audio Coding mode: Dolby Digital
Sampling Rate: 48kHz
Audio application mode: Not specified
Number of Audio channels: 6
Bitrate: 448 Kbps
Number of Audio streams: 1

Subpicture Attribute:
Number of Subtitles: 1

#2. I "output" the production as mpeg2-best quality in VideoWave to HD.

Video Attributes:
Video compression mode: MPEG-2
TV system: 525/60 (NTSC)
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Display Mode: Both Pan&scan and Letterbox
Source picture resolution: 720x480 (525/60)
Frame Rate: 30.00
Source picture letterboxed: Not letterboxed
Bitrate: 8.98Mbps

Audio Attributes:
Audio Coding mode: Dolby Digital
Sampling Rate: 48kHz
Audio application mode: Not specified
Number of Audio channels: 2
Bitrate: 320 Kbps
Number of Audio streams: 1

Subpicture Attribute: Not Available


#3. Sent to MyDVD from VideoWave then burned to DVD.

Video Attributes:
Video compression mode: MPEG-2
TV system: 525/60 (NTSC)
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Display Mode: Only Letterbox
Source picture resolution: 720x480 (525/60)
Frame Rate: 30.00
Source picture letterboxed: Not letterboxed
Bitrate: 8.47Mbps

Audio Attributes:
Audio Coding mode: Dolby Digital
Sampling Rate: 48kHz
Audio application mode: Not specified
Number of Audio channels: 2
Bitrate: 448 Kbps
Number of Audio streams: 1

Subpicture Attribute: Not Available


All three ways resulted in viewing a 16.9 movie in Power DVD 7. VideoWave and MyDVD changed the quality, bit rate, and the audio, all for the worst I might add!

cd