Video chopped off at sides

eric7085 wrote on 1/4/2009, 4:56 PM
Not sure if this has been answered, but I couldn't find it in the first few pages so here goes.

I'm using 4:3 video files. I then, using Super encode them into the correct parameters for DVD Architect (MPEG-2, 16:9 PAL 720x576) DVD Architect says they are correctly rendered and so does not re-render them. But when it burns the DVD it cuts a part of the left and side video off. The actual rendered video file doesn't have this cut off

In the Preview on DVD Architect it shows 2 boxes and it cuts off at the outer box.

How do I prevent this from happening?

Comments

TheHappyFriar wrote on 1/4/2009, 6:04 PM
a screenshot would help.

but why render them to 16:9 when it's 4:3? And any reason to not use the vegas encoder? then this wouldn't happen.
Chienworks wrote on 1/4/2009, 6:49 PM
Where are you looking at the result when you see it cut off? Maybe on your television? It could be the result of overscan. Try watching it in media player on your computer monitor and see if it's cut off there.

Seems odd though because if you render 4:3 into a 16:9 format you should have lots of extra space on the sides.
eric7085 wrote on 1/5/2009, 11:09 AM
http://i41.tinypic.com/2laqz5e.jpg

This image is how it shows in the DVD Architect preview.

http://i41.tinypic.com/1ylr13.jpg

This images shows how it appears on my PC when its been burned to DVD.

It shows correctly on the PC, but if you look at the top picture where the outer box is, that is all that appears when playing it on a DVD Player. For example where it says subtitles on the DVD player it only shows "subtit" on the TV screen. The TV is a 16:9 Screen and is set to 16:9 if I set the screen to 4:3 the black bars appear on the left and right but still all you see is the "subtit" as if it is chopped off. The DVD Player is set to 16:9 aswell. I've also tried this on 2 DVD Players.

The only main reason I want it in 16:9 is that I don't like the black bars on the sides.

I would have used Vegas but if I want to use the DVD Architect templates for MPEG-2 it won't let me customize the bit rate. I need to fit roughly 2 and a half hours on to each DVD. Using Vegas it encoded at such a high rate that I could only fit about half this onto a standard DVD.
bStro wrote on 1/5/2009, 11:54 AM
Those boxes you see in DVD Architect are the safe zones -- guides to tell you where to keep the most important content of your video. Most televisions cut off between 5% and 10% of the outside of all video. For more info, look up the word mentioned previously: overscan. It is your job as the video producer to keep all important action within the outer box (the "action safe zone") and any buttons you want accessible and text you want readable within the inner box (the "title safe zone").

The only main reason I want it in 16:9 is that I don't like the black bars on the sides.

Okay, but now the image is distorted. ;-) My recommendation would be to leave it at 4:3 and, if you really dislike the pillar bars, your widescreen television likely has a function to adjust the aspect ratio so you can either stretch or zoom the image. And then your video will still look fine for anyone who wants to watch it in its proper 4:3 aspect.

Rob
eric7085 wrote on 1/5/2009, 12:04 PM
I assumed there was a simple answer like this.

Another user mentioned using Vegas to encode the files, but I cannot find a way of adjusting the Bit Rate for MPEG-2. On the other settings I can use the Custom button, but this is greyed out for MPEG-2.