HDV to square NTSC
 

Hello,
How do you convert HDV (from Sony HDR-FX1) to display at 4:3 (low-res)? I think this means converting anamorphic/rectangular pixels to square pixels.

I create webinars from live events (presentations, trainings, demos). Recently I was stuck with only one camera and shot several events in HDV 1040i with the intention of cropping out different parts of the video frame to separate clips of multiple live demos. Also, while recording HDV to tape in 1040i, I simultaneously downloaded i.LINK (DV) converted firewire from the camera to an attached laptop (saved as 16:9 WMV, low res).

The i.LINK and NLEs (post-processing) down converts HDV to DV ok, but it is always in 16:9. The webinar software (Microsoft PowerPoint Producer) reads the 16:9 files (WMV, AVI, MPG), but won't play them (the crux problem). As well I would prefer to keep the 4:3 look consistently.

If the FX1 is set to NTSC originally, it records and displays 4:3 great, but then there is less resolution for cropping out separate video clips of the live demos. As well, I have only 16:9 content from the last live events. How can I convert the existing 16:9 stuff to display at 4:3? (and/or play in Producer)

I've tried with Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5.1, Ulead MediaStudio 8, Womble, but I'm just not getting it. Often the rendering says it is saving to 4:3, and the clip properties say 4:3, but the video still displays as 16:9, and won't play in MS Producer. Sorry if I'm missing something obvious, but I've searched through the posts here (I've been lurking on this forum for years, this is my best source of HD/DV info), and am not succeeding. Maybe I need info on how to do letterbox...?

thanks for any help,
-MarkZ
mszaller@yahoo.com

Mark,

When you render to 4x3, what format? (mpg1, DV,?). Ulead MSP has a feature called moving path. You can "map" your 16x9 onto 4x3 any way you wish. You can even zoom - pan - tilt - whatever! You can set keyframes for motion within shots.

I'm a little unhappy with Ulead right now. I always liked the operation of MSP, but I'm having lip sync problems with long pieces. I just downloaded a trial of MSP8 - and the problem is STILL there.

Maybe I've given you some ideas.