i was wondering the same thing yesterday
thanks

What would be wrong with just using the Track Motion, on the track header, for each track? Type in the same value for each one.

For a border, use the track FX / Border / set size etc...
Many ways.................

GG,
Got it.I see what you mean.
Border FX would work if you could just adjust the aspect ratio???

Thanks

It does depend on whether you want to fill the frame or not...

If you want to fill the frame, zooming-in with the Track Motion might be fine, like pcfx says. It doesn't even need to be the same for all tracks. If you are cropping-out a visible film gate or boom mic in the shot you can set the image position for each track to best suit.

The masking like GG mentions is often good for letterboxing, etc. (where you see the masks) and image position can be tweeked with tracks that way too.

Either way, you might not need to take the time and re-compression of re-rendering.

Regards, MPH

>>Depends on what you also want to do after the crop. Just a crop and leave a black border (like a simulated widescreen) or a crop and then a zoom to fill the frame? I think it's easier to apply a mask to a new top track or use a filter/mask in the preview window FX chain.

Insert a new video track, add a solid color event (white)and crop it. Make it a Parent to the track below that you want to crop. Drag the edges of the solid color event to cover the timeline as needed (like an hour long, etc.). Shut off the Pan/Crop restraints as needed.

Or, make a mask in a graphics app (655 x 480 for NTSC DV) and use that instead of the solid color event.

Or a cookie cutter in the preview window FX chain. Many ways. Depends on the shape of the crop as to how to make it.

GG>>

Why is the solid color white, instead of black?

Also, if you are doing simulated widescreen using masks for DVD's is there anything special you need to do? I assume that your masks don't have to be proportional to something like 16:9, but can be any "custom" ratio you want. Is that true?

Hi EW,

>>>>>Also, if you are doing simulated widescreen using masks for DVD's is there anything special you need to do? I assume that your masks don't have to be proportional to something like 16:9, but can be any "custom" ratio you want. Is that true?<<<<<

Well, if you're rendering-out a 4:3 NTSC DV file, you can mask the screen any way you like.

HTH, MPH

P.S. I rekon white is a good color for a *luminance* mask. I personally use the gradient to alpha with a hard-edge and not use the mask generator.

I see the difference. I wasn't creating a mask. I was adding 2 black solid color bars to the top and bottom of the frame on 2 new tracks. What you are doing is a keying operation, using parent/child masking, and therefore any color is fine. I don't know why I didn't do it that way myself.

By the way, what is the correct amount to mask DV to create a simulated 16:9 letterboxed 4:3 image?

Is this correct:
The TV display of 4:3, takes the normal 720 x 480 DV image and displays it as 640 x 480, cropping 40 pixels from both sides of the screen.

A conversion for letterboxing an NTSC 4:3 image is 640 x 360 (16:9). For native DV it is then 720 x 360, or a 60 pixel mask over the top and bottom of a 720 x 480 image.