2:1 Standard Def DVD

[JeffVFR]

I have my workflow flowing smoothly and will be posting a fun spot shot on RED along with the full workflow experience for review soon. One final step I'm having trouble with - it's not necessarily a RED issue but I thought I'd see if someone here has a solution:

Shot 4k 2:1
Edited 2k 2:1 in FCP
RedCine via Crimson
Back to FCP as ProResHQ

I take my color corrected ProResHQ sequence from FCP into Compressor to make an m2v file, then bring that into DVDStudioPro to burn a standard def DVD. Once there I only have the option of 16:9, though my spot was shot at 2:1, so it stretches the image vertically to fit 16:9.

How do I (Can I) tell DVDSP to place the 2:1 image in a 16:9 window with letterbox? Anyone know this one?

Thanks.

 

[Alex.Mitchell]

That's weird. See, the DVD spec doesn't support aspect ratios other than 1.33 and 1.78, so when you're creating the .m2v Compressor ought to add the black bars then. It's basically a burned in letterbox. Lemme just check this out with some footage I have...

[Edit] Okay, so here's my thoughts. You have two options. You can either add the black bars using RED Cine or RED Alert by exporting your footage @ 16:9 resolution with the "fit width" option selected, or you can add padding in Compressor under the geometry settings. I don't know how much padding you'd need for a 2:1 ratio though, so you'll need to do a little math. Good luck!

 

[Marcus Struzina]

The easy solution is to letterbox the 2:1 into a 16:9 frame in Compressor.

 

[Alex.Mitchell]

The easy solution is to letterbox the 2:1 into a 16:9 frame in Compressor.

Well yeah, but there aren't any easy settings for that. Compressor shoehorns 2:1 footage into a 16:9 aspect ratio and doesn't add padding/letterboxing. It has settings for padding, but there's only 1.33, 1.66, 1.75, 1.78, 1.85, and 2.35. I'm just crunching the numbers right now.

[Edit] Just did a render to check! If you want it to look the way it ought to, just add pad the video 27 on top and 27 on the bottom. Here was the math:

720 * .5 = 360 (vertical resolution of the video, pre-pixel aspect ratio conversion)

360 / .8438 = 426.6 (vertical resolution of the video, post-pixel aspect ratio conversion of .8438)

480 - ~426 = ~54 (pixel count ∆ between 16:9 and 2:1 aspect ration given a width of 720 and a pixel aspect ratio of .8438)

~54 / 2 = 27 (pixel padding on the top and the bottom)

 

[Ido Karilla]

Not the most accurate response but... as far as I remember you might have to use custom padding settings in compressor to get the right letterbox for 2:1 in SD. hope it helps.

Ido.

 

[Jimmy Shen]

In the PAL world, 16:9 SD square-pixel is 1024 wide. 2:1, vertical is 512 pixels. So (576-512)/2=32 pixels, that's the padding to be added top and bottom.

 

[JeffVFR]

Just did a render to check! If you want it to look the way it ought to, just add pad the video 27 on top and 27 on the bottom.

Wow, I think that worked! The m2v file looks perfect. I'm tossing it into DVDSP now and it should do the trick. Thank you!

The spot is now online for viewing if you want to check it out:

http://www.mxpfoto.com/RED/NaughtiRed.php

Note: it's pretty tame but not safe for the eyes/ears of kids or coworkers, so fair warning. Have fun.

Jeff

 

[Alex.Mitchell]

AHAHAHA, that was boss. Loved the spot. Question: How do you set up your quicktime vids so that you have to click on them before they begin to load in the browser?

 

[JeffVFR]

AHAHAHA, that was boss. Loved the spot. Question: How do you set up your quicktime vids so that you have to click on them before they begin to load in the browser?

I once knew how to that but I've since forgotten. This one wasn't built that way. Instead it's simply a page with an image for you to click, which then leads to you a new identical page with the QT movie in the same spot. Cheap trick. Smoke and mirrors. If anyone remembers that click-to-play trick, remind me!