Need help with DVD creation!

Peter Frostad wrote on 9/1/2009, 11:01 AM

I am running DVD Architect 4.5 and Vegas Movie Studio 9.0.

I shoot my videos in 16:9 HD (on a Sony HC1 and Canon HF10). I then create standard def DVD's maintaining the 16:9 aspect ration. Then when I play them on my 16:9 flat screen, I can expand the picture properly to fill the screen. Works very nice.

Here's my question. I have noticed that when I play store-bought standard def DVD's that have the same 16:9 ratio, the picture automatically fills the screen. I don't have to expand the picture. Somehow my equipment senses that it's 16:9 ratio and expands it to fill the screen. Not sure if it's the TV or the DVD player that's doing this.

Does anyone know how to create standard def DVD's that do this?

Thanks in advance.

Edit: I just discovered the 4:3 to 16:9 switch in DVDA under Options>Preferences>Preview Tab>DVD Player but this did not solve the problem although it may very well be necessary to the final solution.

Comments

Terry Esslinger wrote on 9/1/2009, 9:31 PM

If you are shooting real 16:9 footage and edit it in a 16:9 project and burn it to a 16:9 (widescreen)DVD it will automatically fill your wide screen TV if your DVD player is told that it is connectetd to a widescreen TV.

Peter Frostad wrote on 9/2/2009, 6:51 AM

Thanks for your reply, Terry. You have outlined 3 steps, I need some clarification on them:

1. Shooting in real 16:9 footage - yes I am. I shoot in 16:9 hi def.

2. Edit it in a 16:9 project - not sure about this one. When I start a new project in Vegas Platinum 9.0, and it asks me 'Select your final project output type', I answer 'I'm not sure yet, I will choose later'. I do my projects in hi def video with the intension of producing both an SD version and a HD version. Although for this discussion I am producing the SD version. So when I 'Make Movie' I have the following relevant choices for an SD DVD. Which one is right:
DVD NTSC
DVD NTSC video stream
DVD Architect NTSC Widescreen video stream

It would be nice if there was a 'DVD NTSC Widescreen' option but there isn't. If I have to use one of the video stream options, I can. It requires a separate audio stream but I can handle that.

3. Burn it to a 16:9 (widescreen) DVD - yes, I believe I am doing this.

Thanks in advance for your reply.

Edit: Yeehaa, I got it to work. I just had to produce an 'DVD Architect NTSC Widescreen video stream' (and a separate audio file), and it automatically played in widescreen mode on my 16:9 TV! Thanks Terry.

If anyone wants my exact step by step process, just ask.