[Eoin Ryan]

Can you elaborate further or point me towards an article explaining this? I don’t get it. Thanks.

[Eoin Ryan]

If there is less area used when letterboxing, does this not mean there’d just be the same if not HIGHER resolution? I mean, if you pack more pixels into a smaller space, usually, the resolution is higher…

[Eoin Ryan]

Thanks to everyone for the comments.

As my main worry these days is people seeing pillarboxing, I have edited and exported as anamorphic and tested it on various players/TVs.

If the TV is set to 16:9, then I get the black bars that I like. Aspect ratio correct.

If it’s not, at least the full frame is displayed on the TV, without black bars. Aspect ratio correct and no pillarboxing.

So I get the best of both worlds: sometimes black bars, and if not, full frame widescreen with no pillarboxing.

FADE OUT.

[Eoin Ryan]

I use DVDSP for other things. I use iDVD when I want/need to. All this “professional application” talk is redundant, depending on what you’re doing. iDVD also saves time and I’m not compromising image quality with encoding (I’ve tried encoding with both and there’s no difference). As regards cookie-cutter menus: they’re better menus that I could probably ever create myself, nor would I want to create my own menus. I’m not interested in that. DVDSP takes way too long, when all you need to do is use a really nice menu time and time again.

[Eoin Ryan]

Pixelation was a problem with an earlier version of iDVD. Not now with ‘professional encode’. I hear what you’re saying about control and settings etc. Obviously DVD Studio Pro is ideal for that. But when you don’t need to do that so much, you can use iDVD.

Do you know if there’s much of a difference between the quality of an image I’d get with iDVD and DVD Studio Pro? Different types of encoders I believe? But what are they doing differently?

[Eoin Ryan]

The template menus in iDVD are nicer, according to the people who matter: the couples.

If I was using DVDSP, could I not ask someone “Why are you using DVDSP and not iDVD?”

Why is DVDSP better?

[Eoin Ryan]

Sorry, I’ve been tyring to upload those images and can’t. I hit browse, select the image and upload. However, the images aren’t in my post.

[Eoin Ryan]

Thanks for the comments.

Let me tell you what my main concern is.

I’ve been letterboxing my wedding DVDs for years and have had nothing but great feedback. They are standard def DVDs. I haven’t moved to HD yet. I shoot in 16:9 and edit in Final Cut Pro (see pic called ‘letterboxed’ below – in other post) and export as letterboxed. I author my DVDs on iDVD (professional encode).

When I drop the file into iDVD, (see pics 1, 2, 3), I get letterbox, which is what I want.

However, lately I have been thinking, because of all the new TVs and DVD players out there, that it cold be looking really different depending on other peoples sets etc. So I went and tested the DVDs. They are fine on most set ups. However, on a Blu-Ray player it was pillarboxed (horrible) and for some reason the image looked really bad (sort of like pixelated). Can someone explain this to me about why the image looked really bad?

So I like the look of the black bars at the top and bottom, but my concern is that people have newer players/TVs now and I want my work to look the best it can.

So based on advice above I’ve edited a clip in anamorphic (no black bars) and dropped it in iDVD, with the intention of playing it on my 16:9 plasma screen. When I did this, the video image filled the whole screen alright, but looked a bit distorted. I don’t think iDVD handled the clip correctly when I dropped it into it. See pic called ‘anamorphic test in iDVD’ – in other post) to let me know.

Thanks for the help guys.

[Eoin Ryan]

Thank you Walter. You’ve been very helpful.

[Eoin Ryan]

When I watch the DVD on a 42″ plasma TV, the black bars are at the top and bottom of the screen (so yes, it’s letterboxed).

There are no black bars at the sides. However, just because there are no black bars at the sides on this TV (or a few others), doesn’t mean it won’t happen on someones elses TV.

It looks better, in my opinion, than if it was exported as anamporphic and played on this TV. I tried this, and it fills the entire screen as you say, but it lacks that “cinematic” feel that the black bars bring.

I’m certainly not losing any image. It’s all there. But what you do in this situation? I’m afraid that the ordinary people who I give the DVDs to won’t have their TV/DVD sets set up properly (nor know how to do it), and will be watching their weddings with black bars at top, bottom AND sides. Top and bottom is fine with me.

Thanks again.