Pal -> Ntsc Conversion Loses Aspect Ratio

[mpost]

I have an AVI that is in a PAL format. When I tried to Toast It using the default settings, Toast noticed it was in a PAL format and asked if I wanted to convert it to NTSC. I told it to convert, but the resulting DVD was in a 4:3 aspect ratio. I tried it again using the following steps:

 

1) Right click AVI and select Toast It.

2) Set Encoding to Custom and press the More button.

3) Select the Encoding tab.

4) Change Aspect Ratio from Automatic to 16:9.

5) Press the OK button and then the Record button.

6) Toast asks if I want to convert PAL to NTSC and I say yes.

 

The resulting DVD was again in a 4:3 aspect ratio. It looks like Toast is losing the aspect ratio setting during PAL -> NTSC conversion. Am I doing something wrong?

 

I'm using Toast 9 Titanium v9.0.4 on OS X 10.5.6.

 

edit: Video properties:

DivX 6.0, 640x368, 25 fps

[tsantee]

Toast won't force the 16:9 ratio if it truly believes the video is 4:3. I have found it stubborn that way at times. The solution is to edit the .IFO file yourself so the DVD player is told that this is an anamorphic video. Here's how to do it:

 

1. Go to mydvdedit.com and download the donation-ware application MyDVDedit.

2. Drag to the desktop the VIDEO_TS folder from either your burned DVD or saved disc image file.

3. Select the VIDEO_TS folder in the Finder and choose Get Info. At the bottom of the Get Info window change your permissions to read and write and apply it to the entire folder contents. This makes it possible for you to make changes to the IFO File. This is also explained on the MyDVDedit Web site.

4. Open MyDVDedit and use it to open the VIDEO_TS folder. In the top left window click on VTS 1 (you'll also do this for VTS 2 and so on if there are multiple titles on the DVD). Click the middle of the three vertical buttons that are to the left of the lower window area. It also will be VTS 1. Now you should see where the aspect ratio is set to 4:3. Click on the button and select the 16:9 auto Pan&Scan and Letterbox setting. You can change

5. When you have finished doing that for all titles choose Save and then Quit MyDVDedit.

6. You now can burn that VIDEO_TS folder to DVD using the VIDEO_TS folder setting in the Toast Video window or the DVD-Rom (UDF) setting in the Data window.