Converting avi/mov to mpeg 2

[grimm]

I'm creating content for work in adobe after effects at a custom resolution of 1050x1050. i then need to convert the AVI or MOV to MPEG2 format but maintain the same resolution. I'm downloading sorenson Squeeze 5. in hopes this will work Anyone have any experience with this?

I know mpeg2 used to be based on a 16x px ratio, meaning as long as you can divide the resolution by 16 evenly it will work. so this clip will actually have to be 1056x1056 - 16x66=1056. is this true?

[jb1830]

I've never heard anything about the size calculations you're talking about. But what I do know is that Sorenson has some of the best tools for converting and compressing footage. Should do whatever it is you need just fine.

Out of curiosity can you say what it is you're working on that has such an odd size and needs to be converted to MPEG2?

[grimm]

yea sorenson seems to be working fine, i haven't tested it on the actual display but it seems ok so far.

As far as why i need these custom aspect ratio's / resolutions. I work for a company that designs and installs custom displays, video walls, etc etc. We designed a 6'x6'x6' floating rear projection cube with seamless video wrapping the box. The playback software needs the 4200x1050px clip separated into individual 1050x1050 clips (one per side of the cube) So thats why i need this crazy size.

if you are curious we designed the largest seamless rear projection video wall in the US. 120'x11'. It was installed in the IAC building in NYC.
http://www.vimeo.com/280373
http://trollback.com/IAC/
http://iacbuilding.com/interactive/content.html

[jb1830]

That is cool. What are you using to play the mpeg2 files?

[grimm]

we are using Dataton Watchout.

[jb1830]

I was just on the Dataton site. That is a pretty cool piece of software. Thanks for sharing

[grimm]

yea it's a pretty cool software. We've used it numerous times, but this is the first time i've had to create media for it. Which I'm still having issues with.
encoding as mpeg2 at custom aspect ratios sucks. let alone being off site and trying to get these huge files to the site for testing sucks. grrr....

[jb1830]

What kinda problems are you having with the custom aspect ratios? Quality problems or distortion problems? Is this that same vid that is 1050x1050?

IM me if you want. AIM SN: ihaveaglitch

[grimm]

yea same clips.

the problem is that after encoding them thru sorenson they don't fill the width of the screen? even though they were supposedly 1440x1080px? i sent over some .mov's that were 1050x1050 but haven't got any feed back yet.

(i don't have aim saddly)

[jb1830]

Strange. Could it be that you are using the wrong pixel aspect ratio? MPEG2 is usually for NTSC DVD video and the pixel ratio might be set to 0.9, make sure it is set to 1 otherwise your image will be squeezed when played back on a computer.

[grimm]

You guessed right.

[jb1830]

Sweet, glad I could help. Maybe when you guys finish this you'll post a link so I can check it out. The projection stuff sounds interesting/cool. BTW is the company you work for Trollback?

[grimm]

I'm going there tomorrow to do a photoshoot and will def post some of those up. but for now i have one photo from earlier today (site is still not finished)

Hahah I wish i worked for trollback. I work for McCann Systems. We are just getting into doing media creation. We generally stick to the hardware side of stuff, audio visual and control systems. Projection systems, that sort of thing.

[jb1830]

That looks cool as hell. I'll be waiting for the pics.

[grimm]

Here are the pics. Pictures

[grimm]

oh and just to sum this up, i ended up using compressed MOV files not mpeg 2 and it worked out great. the quality ended up being better then the people who were actually hired to do the media creation. hahaha...