Aspect ratio appears to change on export

[Ivan Myles]

Many media players do not recognize anamorphic aspect ratios. Try viewing the output file in Premiere to check. You might want to export a second version with square pixels (1024×576) for computer/online viewing.

[Tessa Garland]

Hi
Thanks very much for your response, its really appreciated because I am not terribly technical.

Yes so to respond, it does seem to be how the media player is reading the file because once imported into a 16:9 sequence its aspect ratio is correct. However it doesn’t look that sharp does reducing the scale alter the quality? The full size files that I have made have retained their quality.

I also did as you said and exported a QuickTime file square pixels (1024×576) for playback in the computer and it works perfectly for viewing on my computer. So are these settings for computer viewing only because I send files away to art exhibitions who then make up showreels for exhibition.

I wonder then if you could help me a step further If I want to make a full size Quicktime file for exhibition should the settings be QuickTime 1920 x 1080, DV Pal widescreen, Progressive, Quality 100. I am not using square pixel. Audio – I have set to 24 bit.
Thank you again

[Ivan Myles]

[Tessa Garland] “However it doesn’t look that sharp does reducing the scale alter the quality?”

It can, especially if playing back at a larger resolution (e.g. full screen), but the loss of sharpness may be inherent to the DV conversion. In the export settings, select “Render at Maximum Depth” to improve image quality when down-scaling.

[Tessa Garland] “If I want to make a full size Quicktime file for exhibition should the settings be QuickTime 1920 x 1080, DV Pal widescreen, Progressive, Quality 100.”

To the best of my knowledge DV does not support 1080 resolutions; use DVCPRO HD instead. The choice of 1080p or 1080i will depend on the playback equipment.

[Tessa Garland]

Thanks for your reply. I tried DVCPRO HD file which plays in Premiere although not in media players and the only available frame size on export is 1440 x 1080. Is this correct?
Also and only with this setting I noticed that in parts of my video where I have re scaled a clip, the whole video is showing outside of the margins which should be black, e.g the clip is scaled to 130 instead of 100. This hasn’t happened to other files?

Thanks again.

[Jeff Pulera]

Your export settings for exhibition will depend entirely on HOW you intend to show the video. For best quality, you would want to stay with the original 1920×1080 resolution of course. There are inexpensive “Media Player” devices, such as WDTV from Western Digital. It’s a small box with USB inputs and an HDMI output and a remote control. Encode your HD video as an H.264 file and copy to a small USB drive or thumb drive and connect to WDTV unit. Can be set up for loop play. The devices work great for exhibits. Very portable, no moving parts to wear.

Thanks

Jeff Pulera
Safe Harbor Computers

[Tessa Garland]

Thanks for your reply. Useful to know

[Ken Mitchell]

Try creating an 864×576 square pixel quicktime file. That should solve your problem.