Recommended Video Template in the Project Properties Box

BobWard wrote on 12/19/2016, 6:14 PM

I am trying to find the best video template to use for a 3-hour slide/movie show that incorporates photos and movies taken with 3 different cameras. I am also trying to avoid the hassle of having to tell everyone who receives the final DVDs how to best adjust their widescreen TV picture mode so as to get maximum screen display with no distortion.

On my first test run, I used the "NTSC DV Widescreen" video template under the assumption that such a template would play ok on a widescreen TV without the viewer having to fiddle around with the TV picture mode. Well, that worked ok with "Wide Mode, Normal", but the photos were fairly small, centered on the TV screen with a lot of black around the top, bottom and sides. I adjusted the TV picture mode to "Wide Mode Zoom" and that made the "portrait" format photos fill the screen vertically (with no visible distortion), but obviously with the expected black bars on the sides. Under "Wide Mode Zoom", all the movie events filled the TV screen completely with no distortion and no clipping of the movie images.

Other than pixel aspect ratio, I am confused about the differences between:

1. NTSC DV Widescreen

2. NTSC DV

3. NTSC Standard

Any suggestions on which of these 3 templates are most recommended for rendering to a DVD, when I have the mix of movies and camera still photos mentioned above? All viewers will be using a widescreen TV for playback.

Also, once MPEG-2 rendering is done on a project with one of the above video templates, do I have to specify all of this template information again when the rendered file is brought into DVD Architect Studio 5.0?

Comments

BobWard wrote on 12/19/2016, 6:41 PM

That menu is not available in Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10.0. I am looking for suggestions on the 3 video templates that I mention in the original post.

EricLNZ wrote on 12/19/2016, 7:10 PM

Bob, even after you've sorted out your problem (I'd use the DV Widescreen setting but your project needs to be set to widescreen) you have no control over how your viewers TVs will react. Some will respond to the aspect ratio and show WS as WS whilst others won't. The viewer will have to adjust manually. I've a Sony TV which does correctly respond and I wrongly assumed all TVs did the same. Then I got a Panasonic and it doesn't. So I have to manually switch between 4:3 and 16:9. A bit annoying with DVDs that have 4:3 menus and 16:9 contents! And yes I've spent hours going through the TVs menu trying to find something to alter this behaviour but without success. But if your viewers are using a Blu-ray player there's no problem as the player will take note of the aspect ratio when it upscales.

BobWard wrote on 12/19/2016, 8:48 PM

Yes, based on my initial test run, the "NTSC DV Widescreen" template seems to be my best performer.

Setting the Sony TV picture mode to "Wide Mode Zoom" produced a very good result. The only annoyance is having to tell everyone to adjust their TV picture mode for an optimum viewing experience. Plus, I imagine the available TV picture modes use different nomenclature from one TV manufacturer to another. So, if I tell them to use "Wide Mode Zoom" (from my Sony TV), they may not see that exact wording on their TV picture mode menu. A lot of people probably do not even know what the TV picture mode button does.

What type of projects would the "NTSC DV" and "NTSC Standard" templates be best suited for?

EricLNZ wrote on 12/20/2016, 12:51 AM

What type of projects would the "NTSC DV" and "NTSC Standard" templates be best suited for?

4:3.

EricLNZ wrote on 12/20/2016, 12:52 AM

Setting the Sony TV picture mode to "Wide Mode Zoom" produced a very good result.

You shouldn't have to use this. It should be correct on 16:9 setting.

set wrote on 12/20/2016, 4:59 AM

A bit annoying with DVDs that have 4:3 menus and 16:9 contents!

DVD Menu should also can be set as 16:9...

EricLNZ wrote on 12/20/2016, 5:18 AM

DVD Menu should also can be set as 16:9...

Yes, if you are making the disc but it's purchased commercial discs that do it which irritate me!

set wrote on 12/20/2016, 10:56 AM

Try look at in dvda, go to file properties video format change to ntsc widescreen 16x9 drop down menu

(ref : http://www.designstudioschool.com/how-menus-t36784.html )

I only have DVD Architect Pro 5 / 6, and I can find the settings here:

BobWard wrote on 12/20/2016, 11:03 AM

I tried another test run with the "NTSC DV" template. Results were basically the same as with the "NTSC DV Widescreen" template, with the exception that the 16:9 movie events no longer filled the entire TV screen. I still had to set the Sony TV picture mode to "Wide Mode Zoom" to get the portrait format photos to fill the screen from top to bottom.

Based on this, it seems the "NTSC DV Widescreen" template still provides the best results. Just have to remember to adjust the TV picture mode to the right setting.

Thanks for the replies.