[Steve O]

 This thread over in the DVD Recorders Forum got me thinking about something. I'm currently transferring my small laserdisc collection to DVD-R. But DVD recorders can't do anything except record 4x3 480i.


What would be GREAT would be a processor to stretch the video signal from the laserdisc vertically before it was recorded to DVD-R so that when played back on a 16x9 TV, it could be squished back into the correct aspect ratio. That way the maximum vertical resolution could be used rather than wasting it on a bunch of black space.


Any (inexpensive) suggestions?


Thanks,

Steve

 

[Allan Jayne]

Won't accomplish much useful.


The nominal (published; luminance; advertised) vertical resolution originally recorded on the wide screen laserdisk in question is still limited to the letterbox format, 360 scan lines if the program is exactly 16:9.


Stretching the letterbox picture to not record (or not record as much) black bars on the DVD is a scaling process. It will give no more luminance resolution compared with recording it on the DVD normally and then scaling up the video at playback time.


Also, stretching the picture at the time of recording on the DVD will cause the DVD to yield less recording/playing time. The more subject motion, the less playing time per disk, and black bar material is perfectly stationary. Also, the more subject motion, the more likely a not so stellar DVD player will have its digital circuitry inside overload, resulting in jerky motion or coarse checkerboard pixellation such as what news video producers use to disguise people's faces or hide nudity.


Due to the way DVD is recorded (every two scan lines share the same color) the scaling prior to recording you want to accomplish will offer a slight improvement in color vertical resolution, but most viewers won't notice it.


Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm