Video Type Changer

[HoneyRyder]

Ok, like a year ago was the last time i made a vcd out of my DivX avi files. I was wondering if there are any new programs for converting .avi into .mpeg files. The last one i used was something like TMPEnc, but the last couple times i used it, the picture didnt fill the screen properly when i used my dvd player.

[Qyd]

Use <b>crop</b> in TMPenc to change to full-frame if you want to fill the screen. But of course you will lose the edges of the video. Doesn't your DVD-player have zoom?

[HoneyRyder]

i dont mean like that, i want wide screen. none of that full screen bs. the crop may work. but i dont mean its wide screen, i mean that it has black all around it (not just at the top and bottom like in wide screen)

I---------------------------------------I
I I
I I-------------------------I I
I I Picture I I
I I I I
I I-------------------------I I
I I
I------------------------------------ ---I

If this picture makes sence, the picture is the movie, the rest of the space is all black. I could use zoom, but it looks better when you dont have to.

[Qyd]

It certainly doesn't make sense to lose the few pixels of a vcd resolution.
So from what I understand your divx avi is letterboxed (probably wasn't cropped when encoded from dvd).
You can crop the avi file before you run it through TMPEnc (an approach to this would be with VirtualDub, null-transform filter and cropping to eliminate the black bars).

[HoneyRyder]

Shoot, the pic screwed up, well i sure dont know how i could post a picture so i will try again

I-----------------------------I
I-----------------------------I
I------PPPPPPPPPPP--------I
I------PPPPPPPPPPP--------I
I-----------------------------I
I-----------------------------I

OK, the - are black
the P's are the pictrue
the I's are the edge of the screen

[HoneyRyder]

Maybe it is me not understanding your post, but i want letter box (wide screen). My problem it that when i make the avi into a mpeg, it stayed wide screen, but then when i burned it, the picture as a wide screen was too small.

[Qyd]

If you crop the frame in virtualDub so that you get rid of the black bars you will still end up with a wide-screen avi.
Widescreen meens an aspect ratio of (approx) 16:9
Letterbox means black areas encoded in the video-frame (useless, space consuming, especially if the black/video edge falls inside a 16 pixel block).
If you enter TMPEnc with a widescreen avi, you can define the aspect ratio where you load the avi, and then letterbox it (black bars only at bottom/top) with 'keep aspect ratio' in the 'crop' dialog).
Now it seems pretty absurd to crop and then letterbox, but this is a clean way to go.
Alternatly you could only crop the left and right black bars (and eventualy parts of the top/bottom ones) in VirtualDub in such a way that you end up with a 4:3 aspect ratio (then it would be easier in TMPEnc.
Main thing is that you get rid of the lateral black bars in the source avi (again, crop them in VirtualDub).

[HoneyRyder]

OK, i will give that a shot, i guess what you are telling me is that TMPEnc is the best eh.

[Qyd]

I can't say that, just that it looks like it's widely used; I've tried it, it served my purpose, so I didn't look for anything else...
...although I might look for a <b>completly</b> free software that does the job.

[HoneyRyder]

I could, but i am sure that i could find a crack if i realy wanted.

Last i remember, when the trial period is up you can still use it to convert to mpeg1, the only thing you get when you pay for it is mpeg2, but all that could have changed i suppose

[Qyd]

Getting a crack is not an issue, but not a subject of discussion in this forum either.
It's just the principle. The generosity and idealism of GPL and freeware is just seducing.
Plus, if I am to choose between a freeware and a crack with comparable end results, I would always go for freeware.

[HoneyRyder]

True, but getting a crack is no different then downloading a ripped dvd off a p2p network. You get something that is supposed to cost money for free

[setarip]

"but getting a crack is no different then downloading a ripped dvd off a p2p network"

Neither of which should be discussed at this sub-forum ( "crackz" and "warez" are not discussed at ANY of these sub-forums)...

[HoneyRyder]

Sorry, as you can tell by my count, i am new, forgive me

[HoneyRyder]

BTW, thanks for the help Qyd.