[QLab] aspect ratio's & video formats - HELP!!!

[ra byn (robin)]

A bit off topic...

I've got a 9'T x 12'W screen which is a 4:3 if I'm not mistaken.

I've got a file the video renders says is 720 x 480 which by my math is a 3:2

The video file shows wide on my Mac screen. Meaning that it doesn't appear
to be a 4:3 aspect ration but wider.

The same video file sent to the projector via VGA doesn't fit the screen
but instead is too wide.

The projector is native 1024 x 768 (4:3) & the splash screen fits the screen.

The video render is asking me to just use a DVD player to which I again
mention that what I see on my screen isn't 4:3 & so how is using a
different player going to fix that?

But I might just be wrong about everything.

If I put the guys DVD in a standard DVD player & plug it in via the
composite / component inputs, is it magically going to fit the screen?

Do I need some sort of hdmi to vga / component / composite box to get the
image to fit the screen?

The projector has VGA, component, composite & Svideo as input options.

I'd like to not end up abandoning all the work I've done so far & end up
with a DVD player but time is running out & I'm not the one in control of
the original files / master 3/4" Umatic tapes.

All help is greatly appreciated!!!

ra byn (robin)

________________________________________________________
WHEN REPLYING, PLEASE QUOTE ONLY WHAT YOU NEED. Thanks!
Change your preferences or unsubscribe here:
http://lists.figure53.com/listinfo.cgi/qlab-figure53.com
Follow Figure 53 on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/Figure53

[Sean Dougall]

Does the image appear stretched horizontally, or does it look like a normal image in a widescreen format?

If it looks like a normal image in too wide a frame, then it sounds like you have an anamorphic 16:9 movie (meaning it has a native 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio, but is encoded at 720x480 to fit in a regular NTSC resolution). In that case, the problem is with the content and there's nothing you can do other than show the 16:9 movie with letterboxing.

If the image is stretched, then it's possible you have a regular NTSC movie that for some reason is playing back as though it's anamorphic. In that case, assuming you're using QLab for playback, you should be able to simply unlock the scale of the movie and set the vertical scale to 1.333 to stretch it back up.

Switching to a DVD player isn't likely to help in either case, nor is going through a scan converter to get a composite connection.

Cheers,
Sean

On Oct 19, 2011, at 3:07 PM, ra byn (robin) wrote:

> The same video file sent to the projector via VGA doesn't fit the screen
> but instead is too wide.

________________________________________________________

[ra byn (robin)]

When I play the video file in Qlab & screen capture the image, then
compare the pixel count with the same video footage in QT doing the same
thing, the QT video pixel count is different that Qlab (with no special
scaling).

Qlab = 582 x 401
QT = 687 x 450

After sending this information to the video editor,

The video person responded,

"Is the qlab player changing the video to square pixels? Since it was
rendered out 720 x 480 .91 pixel aspect ratio nonsquare, Not 600 x 400."

Please do tell.

ra byn

On Wed, October 19, 2011 5:31 pm, Sean Dougall wrote:
> Does the image appear stretched horizontally, or does it look like a
normal image in a widescreen format?
> If it looks like a normal image in too wide a frame, then it sounds like
you have an anamorphic 16:9 movie (meaning it has a native 16:9
widescreen
> aspect ratio, but is encoded at 720x480 to fit in a regular NTSC
resolution). In that case, the problem is with the content and there's
nothing you can do other than show the 16:9 movie with letterboxing. If
the image is stretched, then it's possible you have a regular NTSC movie
that for some reason is playing back as though it's anamorphic. In that
case, assuming you're using QLab for playback, you should be able
to
> simply unlock the scale of the movie and set the vertical scale to 1.333
to stretch it back up.
> Switching to a DVD player isn't likely to help in either case, nor is
going through a scan converter to get a composite connection.

[Ben Chaisson]

In qlab if you select de select. " preserve aspect ratio" in full screen it will fill the screen but it will resize your imagery.sometimes this is not noticeable .
You are correct that 720 by 480 is 3:2 but as was stated before you probably have a video that is anamorphic.

Or you can set the scale you want by choosing custom geometry and adjusting both the x and y values as long as you de select the lock.

Ben Chaisson
Creative Director/ Designer
Playground Studios
Sent from my iPad

[ra byn (robin)]

When I try adding 1.33 to the height, I end up with a sort of 6:5 ratio.

Is there a common number used to get from a 3:2 to a 4:3?

Thanks,

ra byn

On Wed, October 19, 2011 10:11 pm, Ben Chaisson wrote:
> In qlab if you select de select. " preserve aspect ratio" in full screen
> it will fill the screen but it will resize your imagery.sometimes this is
> not noticeable .
> You are correct that 720 by 480 is 3:2 but as was stated before you
> probably have a video that is anamorphic.
>
> Or you can set the scale you want by choosing custom geometry and
> adjusting both the x and y values as long as you de select the lock.

[sam kusnetz]

ra byn's video guy said:

> "Is the qlab player changing the video to square pixels? Since it was
> rendered out 720 x 480 .91 pixel aspect ratio nonsquare, Not 600 x 400."

this is definitely your problem. you need video with square pixels. your video guy will likely think you're some kind of fool, but .91 pixel ratio is for broadcast and you're on a computer, so he should get with the program.

alternately, play the video in custom geometry mode, unlock the horizontal and vertical scales, and stretch or shrink the width until it looks right.

but really, square pixels please.

cheerio
sam

[Andy Dolph]

YES YES YES!!

This is an often unknown "gotcha" when I'm going to do video on a 1024x768 projector what I ask for is to have it rendered

Quicktime

Progressive

1024x768 Square Pixels

Photo-jpeg codec set to medium high quality (ie put the slider between medium and high)

I've found that those specs almost always produce video that I've had good luck playing in qlab on various MacbookPros.

Andy

[Mark Valenzuela]

As far as a reference point goes, that's the most concise and specific answer I've seen here on that difficult question of what format, size, type, specs, etc should my 

[Mark Valenzuela]

Silly thumbs sending messages before they're ready. What I meant to say was........

As far as a reference point goes, that's the most concise and specific answer I've seen here on that difficult question of 'what format, size, type, specs, etc should my video be to run well in QLab'. I know there are a lot of right answers, but having that on hand is helpful. So, um, thanks!

Mark

On Oct 20, 2011, at 1:06 PM, Andy Dolph <acd...@gmail.com> wrote:

[ra byn (robin)]

Maybe it would be useful to have a wiki page where Qlab video people can
post their preferred setups.

Similar to the "tested hardware" page...

http://wiki.figure53.com/QLab+Tested+Hardware

But for video formatting

"tested file formats, resolutions, configurations & other helpful settings"

OS version
Qlab version
Computer model
RAM
File format
etc...

Along with pointers about the joys of the copyright protection issues
recently mentioned & best practices in the real world.

ra byn

On Thu, October 20, 2011 12:49 pm, Mark Valenzuela wrote:
> Silly thumbs sending messages before they're ready. What I meant to say
> was........
>
> As far as a reference point goes, that's the most concise and specific
> answer I've seen here on that difficult question of 'what format, size,
> type, specs, etc should my video be to run well in QLab'. I know there are
> a lot of right answers, but having that on hand is helpful. So, um,
> thanks!

________________________________________________________