DVD NTSC media stream from 4:3 to 16:9 - why the black bars on the side?

[David Delaney]

I had rendered out a project using the default for the DVD NTSC video stream(it is HDV video) - without thinking, I never changed aspect ratio to 16:9 (from 4:3) until now...

So, I rendered it out with the 16:9 in the custom video section and NOW when I look at it - there are black bars that run vertically on sides of the screen (left and right).

Should I just have rendered it DVD NTSC widescreen video stream instead?

[David Delaney]

After testing the Widescreen NTSC video stream DVD mode, I am finding the same thing. On the left and right hand side, there are THIN BLACK BARS running vertically. Is this normal? This is using DVD arch 3 and I have yet to burn it to DVD to see what it would be like on a TV.

[Edward Troxel]

If they're really thin (like 2 or 3 pixels wide), I even get this in SD at 4x3. It's in the safe area so it won't be seen anyway.

[Jeff Harper]

Did you change the aspect ratio in the properties dialogue box also?

[David Delaney]

No, I didn't. What should I change it to?

[Jeff Harper]

Change it to widescreen.

[David Delaney]

You are talking about the Project properties dialogue box right? When I do that, there are really big BLACK BARS running vertically on the left and right hand side.

[Jeff Harper]

If your footage is widescreen, if your properties are widescreen, and you render it out to a widescreen template it should be fine. Dont know what the issue can be...I guess see Edward's response...he was addressing the thin black bars you described, I just mentioned the properties box in case...

[David Delaney]

The black bars are in the PREVIEW WINDOW. I haven't tried it out to a DVD yet, but I guess that is the next step.
Right now I am rendering it out as a Widescreen DVD NTSC video stream. In the preview window I can see the returning THIN BLACK BARS running vertically on the left and right hand side. I will have to render it out to DVD and see if these are problematic or not - unfortunately I am running out of time (aren't we all? ;) )

Also the black bars were there when I ran WinMedia Player as well...

[Edward Troxel]

I guess you could always check the "stretch to fill frame" checkbox on the Render As screen.

[David Delaney]

I must be doing something wrong here. I am also noticing now (figures), that my transition flashes are consuming the black bars at the top. So I think my project settings are not right...

[Marc Salvatore]

Hi David,

Yes if you are editing HDV in and HDV project setting and then downconverting to NTSC DVD Widescreen you will see thin black vertical bars in the preview windown and on the final render. TVs will not show it because of overscan but Windows Media etc. will. This has something to do with the slight difference between HDV aspect and DV Widescreen aspect.

If you choose "strech video to fill output frame size" in the render dialog box I think it will only stretch the sides of the picture so you will lose the black bars but will slighty mess up your true aspect. Also make sure you have a deinterlace method chosen in the "Project properties" (I use Blend Fields). Vegas needs this for the best quality when doing the downcovert even though you are not deinterlacing.

Regards, Marc

[David Delaney]

Thank you Marc, that is the answer I have been waiting for!!

[David Delaney]

BTW, since it is for TV, should I leave it on interlaced upper or lower? Is it necessary to change it to ProgressivE?

[Jason Robinson]

Originally Posted by David Delaney

I had rendered out a project using the default for the DVD NTSC video stream(it is HDV video) - without thinking, I never changed aspect ratio to 16:9 (from 4:3) until now...

So, I rendered it out with the 16:9 in the custom video section and NOW when I look at it - there are black bars that run vertically on sides of the screen (left and right).

Should I just have rendered it DVD NTSC widescreen video stream instead?

When I shoot in 4:3 SD mode (on GL2) I crop to 16:9 in post and I always have to (on the pan crop tool) choose to NOT keep aspect ratio because there are tiny black lines on either side due to pixel aspect ratio differences (at least that is what I think causes it).

The fix does not noticeably affect the picture. In other words, you cannot tell the picture was stretched a few pixels, but it may mess up the final render quality by stretching all the pixels and having to recombine all the stretched pixels into new pixels. I'm not sure.