Pillarbox Effect

[Grandpa Broon]

Dan, how do I rectify the pillarbox effect that is actually a 4 x 3 on a 16 x 9 template. I've tried all I can think of Re-Stream etc. The only success I've had is by re-transcoding using zoom and crop but the verticals were all jagged and it was unwatchable.

I've uploaded 7 meg for your perusal. Recorded from BBC2 on Saturday night, I've only edited it via VRD, any ideas. I mentioned this to Adam yesterday that I also have a film recorded from channel 4 which is 14 x 9 and pushed in from the sides and pulled out top and bottom. I've managed to fix it succesfully but of course by re-transcoding using zoom and crop.

Using Re-Stream all that happens is the video is displaced to the right. Adam gave me some suggestions on setup but I view my DVDs on a Panasonic 16 x 9 TV and I've realised now that he has a 4 x 3.

regards David

[DanR]

Just got back from my trip. I'll play a bit with restream tomorrow and see if I can make it work. The basic premise though is utilize the pan & scan. With pan & scan you can specify both the screen dimenions as well as where the center of the picture lies.

More to come.

[Anonymous]

Hi David,

I'm didn't realise that you had a 16:9 TV - sorry. All I can think of is that you need to add a different horizontal resolution figure in ReStream, as I assume the 540 relates to 4:3. Apart from that I have no ideas, and can't even test it at home as I only have the 4:3 TV. If I thinl of anything I'll let you all know.

Cheers,
Adam

[Anonymous]

Hi David,

Me again, I have just read your original post on the Features Request section. When you author you don't see the pan and scan conversion in any of the preview windows. It only works when you play the DVD in your DVD player. Have you tried that yet? I know it sounds stupid, and I am sure you have, but I thought I had better ask.

Cheers,
Adam

[Grandpa Broon]

Adam, no I haven't tried it on DVD player yet, well not using Re-Stream. I use Encore for authoring and it shows up moved to the left, I also tried 'Reducing' by 540 but the video still moves to the left.

As I said in a previous post, I managed by re-encoding using crop etc, but the video was totally unacceptable on this film. It's like BBC used the lowest possible video quality on this film. By the way I've uploaded the 1st 7mb to Dan and he's goning to give Re-Stream ago with it.

I've also re-transcoded 'The Hole' from Channel 4 and successfully re-transcoded from 14 x 9 to 16 x 9 and the quality is really good.

Thanks to both you and Dan for all your help.

As Dan said "Isn't Digital Video Fun"

Cheers David

[Anonymous]

Hi David,

I'm glad to be of some help, if not much. I'm afraid I don't know much about Encore, but if you do get a chance test the settings with a DVD and play it on your DVD player. In DVD Lab you can't see how it is going to be displayed until you play it in your DVD player.

Incidentally, I cropped 12 episodes of Noddy (for my 2 year old daughter!) using TMPGEnc 2.5, and for some reason they all were re-encoded 'bottom field' first', therefore when I burnt them to DVD the picture juddered every 5 seconds or so. The only cure was to re-encode in TMPGEnc 'top field first', which took just over an hour for a ten minute video. However, with ReStream the same job can be done in a matter of seconds!

So yes, 'Isn't Digital Video Fun'.

Let me know how you get on.

Cheers,
Adam

[DanR]

OK guys, I ran ReStream against a 4:3 video. Told it to add a sequence extension with a horz size of 350 pixels. Then authored with DVDLab with the P&S option. But, no difference in the displayed video. Am I missing a step?

[Grandpa Broon]

Hi Dan, that's what I thought as I can't get it to alter anything either. Have you tried the video I uploaded? 'Asylum from DR', it's an example from BBC television using 4 x 3 within 16 x 9, this was what I was trying ReStream with. Adam is using similar footage but displaying it on a 4 x 3 TV, whereas I have a 16 x 9 TV. The video just sits in the middle with black bars down the sides.

I picked this snippet up from TV Cards Forum "BBC and Channel Five in the UK don't broadcast a full frame 4:3 (i.e. 720x576 active pixels) image. They use an anamorphic 16:9 frame with 4:3 pillarboxing (~520x576 active). DVB decoders have no problem with this since they understand AFD (mostly) whereas DVD players go by the flag in the file which is either 4:3 or 16:9"

I don't know if this is any help.

David

[DanR]

Didn't get a chance to look at your file yet. Wrestling with other stuff. Will make some time this weekend to research this more completely. I don't know exactly what restream does. Might need to purchase (excuse me, "donate") to get the more full featured version.

[Adam]

I was playing around last night with DVD Lab, and for some reason I decided to test a 'snippet' of the pillar boxed video in DVD Lab without adding a sequence header extension in ReStream. I set the project properties to Pan and Scan, burnt the DVD and played it in my DVD player. Guess what? The image was full screen!

David, why don't you try DVD Lab, and see what happens with your videos. There are only 3 settings in project properties, Player decide, pan and scan and letterbox. Maybe one of these will work.

[Grandpa Broon]

Okay Adam, I'll give it a try. I don't have DVD Lab installed but I think there's a trial version available.

I believe that it does not have audio preview, which is one reason I didn't look at it as an option when reviewing which author program to buy. I also own bundled versions of Pinnacle DVD Impression and Sonic DVDit and don't particularly want to buy another authoring program. That's why I was hoping for an alternative way of changing the aspect ratio.

Thanks again
David