How To Crop 2.35:1 Movies?

[MacinJosh]

How do I crop the black bars from a letterboxed 16:9 DVD? I've tried several options and I get the weirdest results. I want a 640x272 file. Is it even possible? And why do my posts get deleted here?

 

Joshua.

[John at Roxio]

Check out this post. It has a pretty good answer

http://forums.support.roxio.com/index.php?...st&p=149360

 

Sometimes I delete posts that are just rants. Unless there is a question in a post somewhere or an answer for someone else, it very well might get deleted.

[MacinJosh]

Thanks for the reply but I couldn't find the answer there. Let me try explain again.

 

I have a movie in 2.35:1 ratio on an anamorphic 16:9 DVD. I want my end result to be 640x272 which is closest to the 2.35:1 ratio within the 16x16 macroblock rule. I do not want a movie that is 640x352 with letterboxing and this is what the presets in Popcorn are trying to give. Here's the list of results I get when I try to crop:

 

Custom resolution to 640x272

Preserve aspect ratio = off: Windowboxed movie

Preserve aspect ratio = crop: Windowboxed movie

Preserve aspect ratio = letterboxed: Windowboxed movie

Preserve aspect ratio = fit within size: Windowboxed movie

 

I've tried this with a couple of files with the same results. What gives? Am I doing something wrong?

[John at Roxio]

Thanks for the reply but I couldn't find the answer there. Let me try explain again.

 

I have a movie in 2.35:1 ratio on an anamorphic 16:9 DVD. I want my end result to be 640x272 which is closest to the 2.35:1 ratio within the 16x16 macroblock rule. I do not want a movie that is 640x352 with letterboxing and this is what the presets in Popcorn are trying to give. Here's the list of results I get when I try to crop:

 

Custom resolution to 640x272

Preserve aspect ratio = off: Windowboxed movie

Preserve aspect ratio = crop: Windowboxed movie

Preserve aspect ratio = letterboxed: Windowboxed movie

Preserve aspect ratio = fit within size: Windowboxed movie

 

I've tried this with a couple of files with the same results. What gives? Am I doing something wrong?

 

I think what you are running into is the same reason that my 16:9 anamorphic DVD's still sometimes play windowboxed on my widescreen TV. Some newer DVD's play without the bars but most older ones play with it (even though they are not supposed to). I think that you'll find that the original DVD has a lot to do with why this happens.

[MacinJosh]

I think what you are running into is the same reason that my 16:9 anamorphic DVD's still sometimes play windowboxed on my widescreen TV. Some newer DVD's play without the bars but most older ones play with it (even though they are not supposed to). I think that you'll find that the original DVD has a lot to do with why this happens.

 

The reason why DVDs would play windowboxed on widescreen TVs is usually because the DVD player itself is configured for a 4:3 TV so an anamorphic movie is not strecthed but letterboxed resulting in black bars all around.

 

I doubt that this is the reason for my problems. I'm not even converting to or from DVD. Looks like Popcorn/Toast is lacking in the cropping department. It's a shame for such a pricey software with no demo/trial. Luckily I have other means of demoing. If you kept the rants your developers might be aware of issues and fix them.

 

I'm moving on. I've tried to give Popcorn a chance since version 1 but always ended up disappointed for lack of basic features. I doubt I'll ever try again.

 

Joshua.