ddr clip aspect ratios in vt4

[spotduster]

We are running vt4 and all our cameras in 16:9 aspect ratio, as set in preferences. Sometimes we need to play 4:3 clips in the ddr, but it stretches them to 16:9. Is there a way to change clip properties or ddr properties in vt4? Thanks.

[jcupp]

You will need to pre-render the clip pillar boxed or cropped. You can doo this with VT Edit.

[spotduster]

Thanks so much for a quick answer. I was hoping for a lossless solution. Seeing that is not possible, would upgrading to VT5 solve this problem?

[Jim_C]

Thanks so much for a quick answer. I was hoping for a lossless solution. Seeing that is not possible, would upgrading to VT5 solve this problem?

Save the work in VT-Edit using the avi wrapper and import that or just import the VT-Edit project itself, both are lossless, instant and no rendering involved.

[spotduster]

We can go with that workflow temporarily. Would upgrading to VT5 solve this problem?

[ScorpioProd]

VT[5] doesn't support real-time letterboxing of a 16:9 source for display on a 4:3 monitor or real-time pillar boxing of a 4:3 source for display on a 16:9 monitor.

That said, there may be a way to use LiveSet in it to set up something like that, I'm not sure.

As for "lossless" in the workarounds mentioned, IF you're recording as RTV, then rendering to RTV is lossless. If you are recording to a compressed format like DV, then as Jim said, you could load the VT-Edit project into a DDR for a lossless solution.

[SBowie]

I think you could modify them in SE (probably taking advantage of the ToolShed) and run the result out to the Switcher (or drop it in a DDR.)

[ScorpioProd]

User is running VT[4], so he's not using SE, but VT-Edit would do it as well, as was explained.

[Jim_C]

We can go with that workflow temporarily. Would upgrading to VT5 solve this problem?

Set a toolshed preset to do all your ratio/size/aspect changes you need done so its only a one click does all fix.

This should speed the process up to
-throw clips to be changed on timeline
-use toolshed to change ratio
-save as vt-edit project
-put project in DDR

Hopefully a 10second process... and lossless

[bbeanan]

Here is the solution for you...

Granted it is via VT5

put the DDR you have your 4x3 footage loaded into then turn on LiveSet and use the Utilities Scene and you can change around the aspect.