Hi im getting really confused on the settings when converting avi files to mpeg2. Like ill use TMPG XPress 4.0 to convert the files, the first screen i get is which aspect ratio to choose like 1.1, 16:9 NTSC, 16:9 PAL, 4:3 NTSC, 4:3 PAL or just 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratio so which one do i use. I live in the UK by the way. So just say i choose 16:9 PAL, then the next screen is what type of file would you like to convert AVI to and i choose MPEG2, then theirs another load of settings like i can change the aspect ratio again or the size to 720x576, 704x576, 352x576 or 352x288 so which one should i choose? theirs also a check box which saids lock video size what does that mean? Some people say depending on the screen size choose the right one, but i don't see how that works because you might lend your friend a copy and he will have a totally different screen size. Desperate help. Ive tried a few setting already and converted them onto a dvd then watched them on my tv but the size isn't quite right, the picture is to big for the screen, so as you can see i need some help lol. So could someone please help me, thank you so much.
On the destination format you don't have choice: - PAL DVD is 720x576; - NTSC DVD is 720x480. As 'aspect ratio' , the best solution is telling, when you elaborate AVI you how thay were made, to choose '1:1 (VGA)' The source aspect ratio is automatically guessed by TMPGenc when you load a clip, so you'd better leave it as it is. I saw the most crtical variable is 'aspect ratio' , because if I try to watch on my 4:3 TV a movie encoded 16:9 the picture appears too 'slim'. I cannot help you more, since I sticked with TMPGenc 2.5 because I found it OK, for the picture quality, and I never upgraded it to Xpress v3.x or v4.x.
When you say AVIs are you talking about Xvid/Divx movies? That is normal if you take a TV's overscan into consideration. You will typically lose at least 5% to 10% of the image around the edges. That's why in authoring apps they have some sort of rectangle marking the 'Safe Area'.
(1)You should use GSpot to confirm your specs of the video you're about to encode, GSpot is included in the K-Lite Codec Pack or can be found available to download from the download section of this site. Other good tools for this are: ImToo Encoder(will give you good details on your source video/audio and Adobe Primere Pro (File->Get Properties) The TmpgEnc doesn't "guess" at your settings and I've found if you don't clear them out from one project to the next...the settings from the last source remain..always clear out the settings, and double check that the source settings do infact match the actual source. (2) You are in UK, so PAL is correct: check your source aspect ratio and don't try to convert a 4:3 to 16:9...make sure they match. If the source file you downloaded was from the U.S....it will be NTSC with a framerate of 23.976 or 29.976....now you're going to have to convert that to PAL( sorry more work ) (3) frame sizes(PAL) 720x576<--default Standard resolution Mpeg-2 (Full D1) will author to any PAL DVD and display on any PAL TV. 704x576<--Broadcast D1( encoder should add 8 pixels black(macroblock) to each side of this to make up the full 720 pixels( I like this one best, I don't like my picture running off the edges) Most recorded DV from Cable come in this size anyway(leave it along) it too plays universally compatible PAL DVD. 352x576<--- Half D1 ( notice it's half as wide as Broadcast D1) why, anyone would want this...god only knows..if DVD authoring software will accept it/ and a dvd player play it...some will some won't. 352x288<---- despite what XXXX says...this is Mpeg-1 framesize (which is supported within the Mpeg-2 standard (it's low resolution) but you can shrink a video to it then pack several videos on a DVD...if your Authoring soft supports it and your player plays it...fine! But it's not a real DVD...you've just made a super duper SVCD with 48khz audio aresiding on a DVD.
If you have to go with a low bitrate (< 3000 kbps) and are dealing with some fairly high action source that's pixilating/blocky at Full D1 going to Half D1 can help eliminate it. There will be some softening of the video though, but I find this preferable to pixilation. All my players handle Half D1 properly.
that's good to know, i wasn't really clear up there..i know half D1 only samples half the resolution on the horizontal scans...so, does this help/work with both Progressive and Interlaced video?
Hi thanks for your reply s everyone and headborg which program should i use to convert my video from NTSC to PAL?
And so the problems grow...so are you saying now....that you checked the source file and found the framerate to be OTHER than 25fps and a vertical resolution OTHER than 576? So now you Know you have a NTSC video and need to make a PAL? (1) are you going to be playing this on a stand alone dvd player+TV? If not, you can leave it alone and make a NTSC DVD sould play fine on Software/computer. (2) Do you own a DVD player that will Play a NTSC DVD? (3) Do you want a quick "fix" that will work "fine" 90-95% of the time? (4) Does it have a surround sound audio which you want to keep and that would make a complete conversion Much more complicated/Impossible? The quick fix is DGPulldown a complete conversion is simple provided you have a couple programs and no surround audio to worry about. You need an Encoder(TMPgenc or CCE or ImTOO) A mux/demux tool( Tmpgenc works well) BeSweet or Adobe Audition( for time shrinking/pitch correcting Audio) I prefer Auditon it's easy+execellent quality and has pitch correction...BeSweet(isn't that sweet) works from Dos(command line) but has a GUI...but still the volume is always lower than original and no pitch correct(at least not in the GUI...there's probably a script code syntax for it..but I didn't waste my time looking for it.
