[Ian Smith]

No plug-ins. So I’m don’t believe it would be a watermark issue, though I agree it looks like one.

[Ian Smith]

Here’s a look at the image. I hope it worked right, I’ve not uploaded on here before. Let me know if it didn’t work.

[Ian Smith]

I didn’t think there was an issue with this video. Are you saying that something should be different?

The video is displaying exactly as animated. If there is something I can do to improve it, please let me know… but I’m not understanding what needs changed.

The video (flv) is 310×230 – a not perfect mathematical 16×9 ratio, but displays correctly without skewing or showing interlacing lines.

The flv and swf controls are displayed on a swf canvas size of 420×275. That shouldn’t matter what aspect ratio,…. or should it?

The web developer shouldn’t have to worry about anything other than making sure the div brings in the swf to match the swf size at 420×275 is what I’m thinking.

Thanks for your input!

[Ian Smith]

I could have mentioned that the flv and everything has already been approved and will most likely not change on my end.

The flv itself is at 410×230
The swf is just large enough to cover the player and controls (I can’t remember what size off top of my head).

[Ian Smith]

The website that is currently using the video is:
https://www.indeposerve.com/

On this page, select the upper left picture that when hovered over the page says “Why Choose Indiana Deposition Services”.

This video flv and swf was created exactly as discussed in this forum.

I am not the web developer. I created the flv, and flash player using Flash automated player, and changed some of the values to fit clients liking. Technically, it should have a gray player (which I sent to developer and hasn’t been updated).

[Ian Smith]

I’m still a little unclear as to why there are black bars on the export AND I only see them once the flv is imported into Adobe Flash player. If the black bars are exported with the video animation, wouldn’t they show up when I simply play the flv in another player? And how do they get there to begin with? I am used to black bars showing up on miniDV footage when shot with a camera such as the Canon GL1. However, this animation was completely created from After Effects and has no DV footage in the project. When I would create an animation using Apple Motion, never did I have this issue. Not a complaint about After Effects, I just don’t know what I’m not understanding.

None the less, doing exactly as you wrote in your last post, cropping the 8 off left and 8 off right, I ended with perfect results in the final Flash Player. Thank you very much for your help!

[Ian Smith]

Thank you Brendan for your response to my post! Your information is very useful. I will have to check out the converter you mentioned.

I somehow overlooked that you posted this response before I found my solution, and am just now reading it (after I have gotten it to work). – However, your information is correct!

I will post my results for forum purposes:

In response to previous post response,… Yes, It was always my understanding that if I wanted video for the Web that it would need to be exported to an FLV. You helped clear up for me as to why.

I have used Premiere to export an uncompressed video and sent through Adobe Encoder where I then converted the file to an FLV.

I was able to crop the video using 16:9 restraints on crop.
I changed the Output Tab = Change Output Size
Upped my settings for a cleaner resolution FLV, bitrate around 2,000.

I now have an 2 minute long flv at about 16MB, 400×225 playing perfectly within an automated Flash Player. That being, a SWF playing my FLV file.

[Ian Smith]

Today, it seems that the “letter-boxing” effect has gone away. I honestly don’t think I did anything different within Adobe Encoder.

I have been using two duplicates of my project as testing (only difference is the second one I changed the project to Widescreen Square pixels). It didn’t change the animation and I only slightly adjusted a couple background graphics to cover the slightly wider canvas.

Using the first project(non square pixel), I exported a “Video for Windows” AVI at full quality (720×480 by default). Then using Encoder I compressed to an FLV at a resized ratio of 416×228. The FLV looks perfect, and has no black edges or letter-boxing. Once imported into Flash CS4, (player automatically has exact dimensions) and played… the video now has a 1 pixel black edge on the left and one on the right.

When doing the same process using the second After Effects composition using Square pixels, the only difference is my flv ratio is 410×228. The end result in the flash player is the same (black edge on left and right).

Anyone see where I could be going wrong, or where I could test something different?

Thanks Vince. I think your help has me going in the right direction.

[Ian Smith]

Thank you for your response. The information you provided is very helpful. I am still working at finding my solution…

I apologize if this conflicts with my post, but I think everything should operate the same… I’m working with an After Effects composition.
Here are my composition settings. Feel free to correct me anywhere you see I may be screwing up.

NTSC DV Widescreen
720 x 480 (Lock Aspect Ratio to 3:2 (1.50))
Frame Rate: 29.97

From here, what should I keep in mind when exporting when the final output is an flv for web video?
In the past, I have been able to simply crop a video at whatever dimension I chose, create an flv player to display the flv at the exact frame ratio as what I exported, and BANG – perfect video. Now, it seems that no matter what I do, I either get black side bars, or letter-boxing.

[Ian Smith]

You have connected the missing link for me. The MA-100 is a component I need and do not have. I suppose I have taken it for granted that I have only worked with cameras that have XML and other audio inputs built into the camera.

Thank you for your help!