I have found a few threads, but I am not sure the best way to attack this. Technically I have a playback issue in that the video is distorted on my 16x9 TV, but I bet the fix is to add some borders to the top and bottom. I started messing around with Virtualdub and the info in this thread: http://club.cdfreaks.com/f32/subtitles-getting-cut-off-screen-127537/#post1739902 There is an option under the resize vid filter to Letterbox to aspect ratio. I set that to 16:9 and use a grey color to help prevent burn in. This is already a complete AVI DIVX xvid mpeg4 and I just want to keep the existing video encoding the same. Also keep the AC-3 audio intact. Is this the "null transform" filter as mentioned here: http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/664335 OK I think I am not on the right track here, that option null transform is for cropping.... .... so back to my original question.... What is the best way to convert a 2:35:1 XVID to 16:9 adding the top and bottom borders? Again I would like to keep the existing encoding/codec the same and just fix the size somehow.
To letterbox the source:under 'Video' 'Full processing mode' 'Filters' select 'Resize'. Leave the size as the source size (in this case 452x190)then set the letterbox aspect ratio to 16:9 - in this case the resolution of the output is now 452/254=1.77=16:9 For the video encoding you select the same compression as the source. 'Video' 'Full processing mode' and choose XviD or DivX - assuming that these codecs are installed. For the AC3, under the 'Audio' tab choose 'Direct stream copy' (this also supposes that the VirtualDub ACM plug-in is installed.
Thank you so much!!!!!!!!! That is pretty much what I did except I added grey bars to the bottom to help reduce burn-in on my CRT widescreen rear-projection 16x9 TV. I think I need a little help with the video compression part. So I need to use GSpot to determine what the source was using and then try to replicate the settings, right? I assume the VirtualDub "File Information" does not include enough info. If you could provide help on tweaking/configuring this I would be help. My main concern is replicating the source, keeping the size about the same. Thanks again!
Load the file and click 'File' 'File Information'. The codec ID and the data rate are listed along with most of the other relevant information. The only tweaking I use is to nudge the data rate and hope to keep the quality of the original - for knowledgeable advice best start a new thread at Afterdawn or http://www.videohelp.com/ or the VirtualDub forum http://forums.virtualdub.org/index.php?s=946ce8aa4338b9ffe4a53e5a9775dac5 where the creator of VirtualDub moderates and offers real help. Because I have the DivX codec installed, I simply select the 'Home Theatre' setting and increase the data rate slightly and either abort the conversion to judge the quality of the new video or select a particular clip with the slider/clipping tools and save that. The image shows the initial data rate, the adjustment from the default in the codec settings and the final result.
