I copied some of my VHS tapes to DVD recently, but it stretched the picture to 720X480. Do all DVD recorders do this or only some. If so, which do you know record sizes properly? Thanks!
Unless you find a device that records to a different format than DVD Video, that's the resolution for NTSC DVD, 720x480.
My DVD recorder will record at 4:3 aspect ratio (except for dvd_ram disks). If it's the aspect ratio that looks wrong (using a media player like VLC you can click 'Video' > 'Aspect Ratio' and change it while your viewing) then it can be changed using something like DVDPatcher..
I downloaded DVDPatcher but it doesn't change the aspect ratio, unless I'm doing something wrong. I change it to 640X480 with a 4:3 aspect ratio, but it just zooms in on the picture, and cuts off some of the left side of the picture.
Can I assume that the DVD consists of a VIDEO_TS folder with .IFO, .VOB and .BUP files - that it is 4:3 aspect ratio and you want it to be 16:9? It would be easier to patch the .IFO file instead of the individual .VOB files. Use a backup copy of the VIDEO_TS folder and run the IFO patch program in the link below. Play back the patched DVD folder with a media player and see if it suits. http://www.videohelp.com/tools/IfoAR2WS The pic shows the squeezed 4:3 recording then the adjusted 16:9 Note the circle logo in each pic to see how the AR should be 16:9
Actually, it's the other way around. I have it in 16:9 and want it to be in 4:3 (the original aspect ratio). Will that program do the opposite, it says it only does 4:3 -> 16:9?
No you have to use the DVD patcher program and use it on each .VOB file Note that on the right pane the source video lists it's properties - the settings should reflect this except that you set the AR to 4:3
Hmmm, despite it saying the size id 720X480, the aspect ratio is still 4:3. When I try to change it to 4:3 nothing happens, but when I try to make it 16:9, it makes it longer. Should I use the other program to make it say 16:9, and then change it to 4:3? Hm, tried it and it didn't work. It might have been a good idea to say this first, but the first 45 minutes are 16:9 and then it changed to 4:3.
An NTSC DVD is 720x480 - that's the only size it can be. The aspect ratio is either 4:3 or 16:9 A VHS tape would be 4:3 (they were made for 4:3 TV sets) When you say the AR changed after 45 minutes, what does that mean? Did it look ok at first, then the AR changed - because it shouldn't.
I copied three episodes of a TV show to DVD with a combo unit. When I play the DVD with VLC media player, the first 45 minutes (the 1st episode) plays in 720X480. When it goes into the 2nd episode, VLC resides to 640X480, the proper size. It does this with the DVD and the .VOBs. What I want to do make it so they are all 640X480 when played on the DVD (of course after burning new DVDs).
Drag each VOB file into MediaInfo to see the resolution. Take a snapshot of the good and the bad with VLC and post them.
The first .VOB is 720X480, 16:9, NTSC The Second .VOB (the correct sized one) is 352X480, 4:3, NTSC The images are in the same order as the list above.
That is a valid size for DVD - half frame. But I don't understand how a tape can have a 16:9 AR - more likely the recording is screwed up. Can you record a single episode and see what it looks like.
Does your manual for the recorder mention anything about it switching to half D1 if the set recording time is above a certain number (2, 4, 6 hours etc). The half D1 saves space on the disk (but of course the aspect ratio shouldn't be affected).
Unfortunately I can't because the burner died on me. I have all the episodes over 4 disks though, and I can tell you it seems to be random whether it's full screen or wide. Two disks are as they should be (full), one is completely wide, and the other is a combination. Would my best bet be just to burn them again?
I don't know what to suggest (except re-record from the tapes). I converted over a 100 tapes without seeing your results. You might want to try the Videohelp site - more experience with analog to digital conversions than I have. http://forum.videohelp.com/
Your DVD recorder recording options may be set wrong. I would fix this by ripping the disc, using Restream on the MPEG files, and then re-author + re-burn.
