[mayoke]

Hey I'm having some big problems and would really appreciate any insight.

I filmed a video using a Sony Handicam with a 16:9 aspect ratio setting - it is NOT an HD camera though.

I edited the video in Final Cut Express, and also retained that 16:9 aspect ratio. I exported the video as a quicktime file, which still retains the 16:9 aspect ratio when played back on my computer.

Now I take that same file and stick it into iDVD, and for some reason, iDVD re-shapes the video as though it were a 4:3 aspect ratio... so what I end up with is a video that is neither 4:3 nor 16:9 and has black bars all around it. (and yes the iDVD project is set to a widescreen/16:9 aspect ratio)

Any advice? I'd like to maintain the 16:9 ratio and get it on a DVD that can be played back on a DVD player.

THANKS!!!!!!

[Veltliner]

It's been a long time I worked with iDVD, but I remember that there's a setting where you set up the aspect ratio.

You need to do that in iDVD, or you get ridiculously squeezed or stretched frames.

I'm sure you find the right menu by consulting the iDVD manual.

[mayoke]

yeah i had set all that up properly. I solved my own problem, but I'll post for the benefit of anyone who has similar troubles. Despite using 16:9 as all the settings both in iDVD and FCE, the video got squished once transferred to iDVD. Then I tried rendering the video as an HD resolution 1280x720 (despite it being filmed at 720x480)... that did the trick, and you can put it in iDVD without any stretching problems!