DVD to Web Dimensions

[Jon Geddes]

Regardless of a dvd being widescreen or full screen, the dimensions of the video will always be 720×480 (NTSC). If the video is intended to be 4×3, the player will apply a 0.9 pixel aspect ratio to the width, which squishes it down 640×480. However, if the video is intended to be widescreen, the player will apply a 1.2 pixel aspect ratio to the width, which causes it to stretch out to roughly 853×480. So, depending on if your footage is widescreen or full-screen, you will have to apply the appropriate pixel aspect ratio correction.

Jon Geddes
Motion Graphics Designer
http://www.precomposed.com

[Jeff Klein]

Hi Jon, sorry for the extremely late response, but I’ve come across the same problem again and was hoping to get some more answers. Although your answer was extremely helpful, I don’t think it really answered my question. Here’s the question again, I’m hoping someone can clarify. Thanks.

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Hi, my goal is to rip a DVD and post it to the web and have it look “normal,” meaning not squished or stretched. I know a DVD is 720 by 480 non-square pixels, but after I rip it, bring it into AFX and interpret it, it says 720 by 480 square pixels. The software I use to rip it has no options about pixel aspect ratio. The ripped video looks fine though (not squished or stretched) which confuses me.

When starting this project I was assuming my final web-ready video was going to be 640 by 480, which I thought was the square-pixel-equivalent to DV. Now it looks like my final video is going to be 720 by 480. What am I confused about?

Moral of the story is: If I rip a DVD and post it to web, what should the dimension of the posted web video be to keep it “equivalent” to the original DVD video?

Also, why is there no DV square pixel Comp Preset in AFX? I have a feeling the answer to this has something to do with my problem.

Thanks.

[Jeff Klein]

Thank you very much for the response, I don’t think I am being clear. First, compression is not an issue, my question is strictly concerning pixel-aspect ratio. Moral or the story is, I want footage (that is non-square pixel, shot on a DV camera and is now on DVD) to look correct(not-stretched) on a computer monitor. A possible answer to this question might be “this can’t be done.”

I don’t need the ripped footage to be 4:3, any aspect ratio is fine.

At what dimensions should I rip a DVD (which is natively 720×480 non-square pixels) so that it will look right on a computer? Is the answer as simple as just “rip it at 720×480”? I have a tough time wrapping my head around this, because I feel like if you do it this way the non-square pixels will be forced to turn square and will distort the image in some way. However if I rip at 640×480 it also seems like distortion is unavoidable.

This question is very hard to put into words and I hope I was clear enough. Thanks.

[Jeff Klein]

You’re correct, the DV forum would have been more appropriate, the footage is ultimately being used in AFX but I guess that is irrelevant.

When I say “right” I don’t mean I want it to be at the right aspect ratio, I just don’t want the footage to be stretch/squished (aspect ratio is not important in this case). If 720×480 (not 4:3) is what it will take to make it look “right” on a computer, than that’s fine.

This is the part I admittedly have a tough time wrapping my head around. 720×540 (non-square) is 4:3 on a TV because the TV uses non-square, I get that. But if I rip 720×540 non-square to 720×540 square, I realize it won’t be 4:3, but will it be un-stretched? I feel like the additional pieces of the pixels have to go somewhere.

Don’t feel obligated to respond, realize this might be overly confusing and I might be way off the mark.