Copy only plays in narrow letterbox...

[topgazza]

Finally copied my Region 1 DVD of 1941 (I'm region 2) all is well except it plays in a very narrow band on the TV. Even the original only plays in this very narrow picture on my PC. On the DVD it says it is 2.35:1 Widescreen. I have changed every setting with IfoEdit from 4:3 to 16:9 with and without auto Letterbox without the picture changing

Is this just one of those DVDs that has been created in an odd format that can't be changed ?

[blutach]

If the copy plays the same as the orginal, then there's no issue. It is obviously a very wide aspect ratio.

Regards

[topgazza]

....and no changing it I suspect. It just looks very narrow and almost unwatchable

[Calimari]

I have changed every setting with IfoEdit from 4:3 to 16:9 with and without auto Letterbox without the picture changing

That won't crop the image.
As blutah said, if the backup plays like the original, I wouldn't change any flags in IfoEdit, or mess around with other settings. You won't change the video by doing this.
You could demux the video out of the VOB's and use FitCD to crop the image and create an avisynth script to load into Cinema Craft Encoder. You'll lose some info on both sizes of your screen (left-right) but it would keep the aspect ratio, if your settings are right of course. Just play with it and test a few minutes of encoding in CCE, then watch the result in Media Player classic.
Once CCE has finished your new m2v, you can use IfoEdit to re-mux it in the dvd.

[blutach]

Of course, marking the IFO as 16:9 Pan and scan will do that job a lot quicker and with less effort.

But I hate pan and scan and see it as a blight on the industry.

Regards

[Calimari]

Of course, marking the IFO as 16:9 Pan and scan will do that job a lot quicker and with less effort.
Regards

True, but Pan and Scan is like placing a 4:3 window over the original widescreen. So it wouldn't be widescreen anymore at all. This way you lose a lot of information on the sides and it would leave you no options to play with the cropping size.

[r0lZ]

Right, but consider that you can set both the Pan&Scan and the Letterbox flags. This way, you can play it as you like, by changing the player configuration. You do not crop or lose quality, and ppl liking Pan&Scan (still wondering why!) are happy.

[Calimari]

Indeed, both Pan & Scan and Letterbox would let you choose between the original size and the scanned 4:3 window. But as topgazza complains about a too flat rectangle, I don't think Letterbox is in his wishlist
So what's left is, again, Pan & Scan (yikes). It's an option, but I would go for the cropjob. It lets you choose how far you wanna cut of the edges (by pre-watching it for example).
I've done this many times when converting XviD avi's to DVD. It's not the easiest solution, and it takes some time and work.

[Calimari]

Even the original only plays in this very narrow picture on my PC.

When viewing the dvd on your pc, you could use Media Player Classic and press numeric key 9 to zoom in as many as desired. Pressing 5 restores the original view.

[topgazza]

Cheers guys...its a conundrum

Not sure if the 2.35:1 widescreen makings on the DVD mean anything but I have tried everthing and it stubbornly refuses to change aspect ratio. I have created several folders with variations on an ifoedited theme but all play very narrow. Ill have a tinker with the pan/scan on my cinema surround system to see if that option helps. Makes you wonder why they create DVDs like this...I cant imagine many domestic setups that it would suit.....

[Calimari]

Makes you wonder why they create DVDs like this...

Well, I find those discs very usefull... to practice my shooting skills in the garden.

[topgazza]