DivX ShowSqueeze Resize Style

[BankZ]

Could someone please better explain this setting?

[ArtfulFox]

I'd love to see accurate help on the DivX options in general.
The current version of the chm file doesn't really even talk about DivX; looks like the Divx section the same as the other encodeing styles. The parameters dont' match.

For now in the short term, it would be useful if we could get a tech note for the beta testers on encoding parameters so we can play with the options and see how they work.

[ZetaVu]

I've been trying to get it to showsqueeze my files without adding black lines top and bottom. It does it once in a while, but not consistently. You'd think "keep aspect" would do it but no.

Now, if I record at 720x480, and showsqueeze to 720x480, shouldn't it come out the same shape? Does not.

[Kilrsat]

Disabled - The output resolution will be the same as the input resolution.

Keep Aspect Ratio - The height may be changed to account for the aspect ratio of the original file. For example, if you create a profile that is 640x480 and have Keep Aspect Ratio set, you can showsqueeze a 1280x720 file and still end up with 16:9 output. In this example, the output file would be 640x360.

Enabled - The output file will be modified to be exactly the resolution specified.

Now the funky stuff. A 720x480 mpeg2 file doesn't have a 1:1 pixel aspect ratio, and that's where the mess starts. The Keep Aspect Ratio setting is still making a 1:1 pixel aspect ratio assumption, and so if you feed it a file that doesn't meet those specs then the output can be stretched.

By default all of the profiles should have been set to 640x480, with Resize Style set to enabled. This is still what I would recommend for SD content, as it still gives you correct 4:3 output.

[ZetaVu]

So if I run showsqueeze and output is 640x480, resize enabled (and what is the next setting, bilinear or something) then I will get the same screen as my mpeg? I'm trying this now, will see when I get home.

The keep aspect seems to give me black bars top and bottom, and I think disabled does as well, does this make sense?

[PBMax]

You have to realize that some content is letterboxed when transmitted. This means that the original file has the black bars in the picture. You will still get the black bars in the resulting ShowSqueeze.

[ZetaVu]

I know, I am talking about a show with no black bars in mpg form that gets black bars when showsqueezed.

[BankZ]

Originally Posted by Kilrsat

By default all of the profiles should have been set to 640x480, with Resize Style set to enabled. This is still what I would recommend for SD content, as it still gives you correct 4:3 output.

Thanks for the explanation. It was very helpful.

But as a FYI the profiles default to "keep aspect" and 640x480

[BankZ]

Also, will this setting affect ShowSqueeze speeds?

[ZetaVu]

Not sure about speeds, but I did confirm a couple of times that resize mode enabled and bidirectional does not reshape my output, setting showsqeueeze at 640x480 and oriinal at 720x480

[Rich A]

Just a note about the 640x480 aspect ration and Divx. The default frame size for Divx Home Theater preset is 640x480. The reason for that is that 640x480 plays best with the stand alone Divx capable DVD set top DVD players.

Some Divx enabled DVD boxes have trouble with other Divx frame sizes and you'll have fewer problems (so I'm told) if you keep the home theater profile frame size at 640x480. Of course you can play with the other parameters (bit rates etc) to change quality and such and re-save the profile as a custom home theater profile. I personally show squeeze using a modified Home Theater profile and choose to keep the 720x480 frame size .. I don't have any need at this time to play those Divx converted shows on anything other than the PC based HTPC.

But if you may want to sometime in the future burn those divx files to a DVD and play them on a Divx capable DVD player, it would be best to compress to a 640x480 frame.

[gveresa4]

Originally Posted by Kilrsat

By default all of the profiles should have been set to 640x480, with Resize Style set to enabled. This is still what I would recommend for SD content, as it still gives you correct 4:3 output.

That was a good description Kilrsat, but I think you glossed over the difference between 1:1 pixel size and the 4:3 pixel size of TV. This makes a big difference and you recommendation of converting your divx to 640x480 is great if you are going to play back on a computer screen that has 1:1 pixel aspect ratio.

I drive my SD sets with 720x480 and my (low res) HDTV at 852x480. So, when I convert to 640x480 I get a messed up aspect ratio on playback.

[Bigbird999]

Zeta
This explains most of this stuff pretty well.
http://www.divx-digest.com/articles/...#videosettings
Maybe the setting posted below solve your problem? Every time I think I have a handle on this, I get another unexpected result on a compression or re-encode.

BB