Going 4:3 to 16:9 & PAR

vincej wrote on 8/1/2010, 5:08 PM

Hi ,

I have a standard def NTSC video recorded in 4:3 with a standard pixel asset ratio for that format. ie 0.9

If I take this video and change the PAR to the 1.2 ratio and the template to 16:9 will the final result look all stretched as it was recorded in 4:3 or will it look natural ?

Common sense tells me it will look stretched and no better than if I just resize the image on the TV screen.

Many thanks

Vincej

Comments

richard-amirault wrote on 8/1/2010, 8:22 PM

First. I have no experience with 16 x 9 ... but I agree with you that I think it will be "stretched".

I think you would need to crop the top and bottom off your 4 x 3 image then blow what remains up to 16 x 9. You will loose resolution but it won't be "stretched"

Wait for other answers from those who know better.

musicvid10 wrote on 8/1/2010, 8:37 PM

4:3 and 16:9 are ratios. That means they are proportions (refer to 5th grade math).

You can accomplish a 16:9 output from 4:3 source by one of two means.

1) You can stretch the video, which many consider unnatural.

2) You can crop the top and bottom so it fills the proportion of the output frame.

That's all there is to it.

BTW, your message topic is about SAR (Screen Aspect Ratio), not PAR (Pixel Aspect Ratio).

vincej wrote on 8/1/2010, 9:20 PM

I am not sure what is gained by patronizing people in forums ....

I had always believed that a pixel ratio of 1.2 : 1 is larger than one of 0.9:1

To be more specific, when you select a widescreen template in DVA it automatically changes the PAR from .9 to 1.2.

Provided the source was recored in widescreen all ends up well.

But suppose you recored in 4:3 ( ie .9 PAR) but you selected t he wide screen template regardless - would the result be stretched or natural ... common sense tell me stretched.

thanks vincej

musicvid10 wrote on 8/1/2010, 9:48 PM

So maybe the best answer is to test your theories for yourself.

(you will find that you are correct)

;?)