Cannot Render at Original Size w/out Letterbox bar

Troy_@_TLC wrote on 8/13/2007, 9:35 AM

I have searched the help and forum and cannot figure this one out. Here is the scenario:
- Original video is 720x480
- Project properties and Render As specifies 720x480
- Project properties and Render As specifies Pixel Aspect ratio as 1.00 (square)
- I edit and render (at 720x480)
- I end up with black letterbox bars on the left and right (the final image is truely 720x480 if the letterbox bars are included)

This seems very simple, in at 720x480 - out at 720x480, but it has be completely confused on why I am getting these black bars! Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Comments

Per1 wrote on 8/13/2007, 10:19 AM

Have you tried to remove "Maintain aspect ratio"? (Right-click clip and click Properties

Some cams (like my JVC) record in some "fake" 16:9 and this fixes that.

goodtimej wrote on 8/13/2007, 10:19 AM

What are you viewing the video back on?

Just an in case, but are you sure your project properties aren't NTSC widescreen 720 x 480?

Chienworks wrote on 8/13/2007, 10:22 AM

That's most likely because your video is actually a PAR of 0.9091, which is standard for "4x3" DV. When you set the frame size to 720x480 with a PAR of 1.0 you're making a frame wider than the original material, hence the reason you get the black bars on the sides.

Yes, it is very simple 720x480 in and out, but it's 720x480 at 0.9091, not 1.0. If you want 720x480 then set the PAR to 0.9091 (which is the default if you don't mess with it). If you really want square pixels then set the project and rendering properties to 655x480, but this won't be a DV compatable file. What is your output format?

Troy_@_TLC wrote on 8/13/2007, 11:29 AM

Thanks Chienworks,

That makes perfect sense. I am just now noticing that when outputting to a .wmv format it is limited to pixel aspect ratio of 1.0 or 1.33. When I change output to an MPEG-1 I have more pixel aspect ratio options. I selected .9350 and output fills 720x480 with no letterbox bars.

Also tried outputting a .wmv with pixel aspect ratio of 1.0, but sized to 655x480 (which it changed to 656x480) and output fills 720x480 with no letterbox bars.

I will work with each to see which meets my needs best. Thank you!

John_Cline wrote on 8/13/2007, 1:07 PM

I'm assuming that you are using DV fooatge and you are rendering for viewing on a computer monitor. In this case, you will want to render at 655x480 (or 656x480) using square pixels. (PAR 1.0) If you render at 720x480 and view it on a computer monitor, the aspect ratio will be wrong. Everyone in the video will be shorter and fatter and people generally don't want to be shorter and fatter!

See this thread from way back in 2002:

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?ForumID=4&MessageID=130409

John