[Hillary White]

Padding worked! However, it seems that now the DVD files are too large (6.6 GB) to burn via Toast (the DVD has a 4.38 GB capacity). Whenever I try to add the files it says, “There is nothing to record. Please add more data.” After some investigation the size of the .m2v file is the only thing I can think of as a problem.

The .m2v definitely works and runs through MPEG Streamclip. The .ac3 plays fine through VLC. What’s going wrong now? I’m out of ideas. In fact, I don’t think I can take one more thing going wrong with this.

Any ideas?

[Hillary White]

Interesting. Also good to know. Perhaps it is copy protected after all.

Thanks for all your help!

[Hillary White]

So MPEG Streamclip it is. However, whenever I try to open footage from the DVD it never works… and that’s when Handbrake came into the picture. I used the “Open DVD” and “Open File” options in MPEG already. Even downloaded the program again to make sure there were no kinks. No dice.

[Hillary White]

Well, the footage was ripped from a DVD via Handbrake and has commentary added to it (the only difference really). It ripped it into a 720 x 304 frame size, which I don’t fully understand and haven’t been able to rectify. It has been recommended that I pad the output image in Compressor because it is slightly stretched. I wonder if this problem has anything to do with the stuttering problem as well.

The original file is Quicktime .mov file.

Frame Rate: 29.97
Compressor: H.264
Data Rate: 485.1 K/Sec
Pixel Aspect: Square

In Compressor the settings chosen are Best Quality 150 minutes for DVD and the corresponding Dolby Sound setting (which doesn’t have problems). I haven’t tried a DVD with padding yet… but I have the feeling this is a compressor problem if anything.

[Hillary White]

Man, I wish I could tell you why it’s that size. It’s all rather confusing. I’ll pad the output image and when it stretches (hopefully) it will be the right size.

[Hillary White]

Thanks Dave. I’ll use MPEG Streamclip instead, perhaps. It has more options and (obviously) less fuss.

You live, you learn I guess.

[Hillary White]

It appears that the anamorphic size was locked for some reason, but upon trying to put the DVD through Handbrake again it is unlocked. Must have been a glitch. I suppose that if I run it again it will export at 720 x 304, which appears to be a proper size.

[Hillary White]

Going back to the DVD and reexamining what happens during the Handbrake process, the specifications for the picture settings are as follows:

Source: 720 x 480
Output: 720 x 360
Anamorphic: 853 x 360 strict

Keep Aspect Ratio: off
Crop: Auto

So yes, the DVD’s image is 720 x 480. However, why the output is 100 pixels smaller and the anamorphic measurements are put in are beyond me. I’ll be investigating that in the meantime.

[Hillary White]

Well the frame size is rather odd, something I haven’t worked with before: 852 x 360. The frame rate is 29.97.