Aspect ratio import question (noob)

[Strecker25]

I just started using premiere elements and have a JVC everio HDD camcorder. When i import the files which i recorded in 16:9 (theyre 720x480, i checked the properties) within premiere I still get black bars on the side and the video gets crammed into 3:4. I can manually change the properties under motion to scale the width to 133 and it fills the screen, but i must be doing somthing wrong. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[ATR]

We have a lot to talk about. Premiere Elements really should be placed in the Premiere Elements Forum here so that they do not get lost in the Photoshop Elements questions posted here. So, let us start here and maybe move over to the Premiere Elements Forum. Either way, I will find you.

1. What version of Premiere Elements are you using?

2. What model of JVC camcorder are you using? Specifically what is the shooting mode that you are using for the JVC? Do you know the format of the recording? What file extension does the file have....mod or something else? How are you getting the recordings from the camcorder to the Premiere Elements Timeline?

3. What project preset are you setting when the program opens and before the workplace interface opens: NTSC DV Standard (4:3), NTSC DV Widescreen (16:9), NTSC HDV 1080i30, other?

4. What do you intend to do with your video once it is edited in Premiere Elements....DVD-VIDEO Standard 4:3, DVD-VIDEO Widescreen 16:9, or one of the exports under Personal Computer/MPEG, Windows Media, Quicktime???

Once I have the above information, I will be in a better position to advise you.

Here comes speculation time. I suspect that you have a JVC Everio that records to the camcorder's hard drive, probably standard definition widescreen in MPEG2 format. Standard definition widescreen has a frame size of 720 x 480 pixels (4:3) and a 16:9 flag which is included during encoding and stretches the video for the display to get widescreen 16:9.

If the latter guess is correct, ordinarily beforehand you should be setting your Premiere Elements project preset to: NTSC DV Widescreen 16:9. But, since you are recording to a camcorder hard drive, there is a "Fields" issue. So, then you would use the Premiere Elements project preset of NTSC Hard Disc Flash Memory Camcorders, Widescreen. (If you have a version that has the project preset.)

Many people have problem with video from JVC camcorders because of the .mod file extension that is used. Some convert the .mod to DV AVI with a converter and then bring the DV AVI version into the Premiere Elements Timeline. Others can get away with changing the .mod file extension to .mpg or .avi and then bringing that into Premiere Elements Timeline.

Remember that DV AVI is the native format of the Premiere Elements Timeline.

Please review the comments, do some reading on what you have, some basics of Premiere Elements, and what you want to do, and then we will move forward together to work out the workflow.

ATR

[Strecker25]

1. What version of Premiere Elements are you using?

its premiere elements 7.0

2. What model of JVC camcorder are you using? Specifically what is the shooting mode that you are using for the JVC? Do you know the format of the recording? What file extension does the file have....mod or something else? How are you getting the recordings from the camcorder to the Premiere Elements Timeline?

It is the JVC Everio GZ-MG670 (80GB SD) and the files are recorded in .mod with the 16:9 setting on the camera. They seem to import just fine into PE, although somtimes quality seems to dip a little bit.


3. What project preset are you setting when the program opens and before the workplace interface opens: NTSC DV Standard (4:3), NTSC DV Widescreen (16:9), NTSC HDV 1080i30, other?

I have tried both the DV Widescreen and the Camcorder widescreen setting, both seem to yield the same result by clipping the two sides of the image while on the timeline and after rendering.

4. What do you intend to do with your video once it is edited in Premiere Elements....DVD-VIDEO Standard 4:3, DVD-VIDEO Widescreen 16:9, or one of the exports under Personal Computer/MPEG, Windows Media, Quicktime???

At the moment i simply intend to just put it in the timeline, do some clipping and add transitions and export it to be burned to a dvd. Once i do some more research ill learn to do more editing.

Once I have the above information, I will be in a better position to advise you.

Here comes speculation time. I suspect that you have a JVC Everio that records to the camcorder's hard drive, probably standard definition widescreen in MPEG2 format. Standard definition widescreen has a frame size of 720 x 480 pixels (4:3) and a 16:9 flag which is included during encoding and stretches the video for the display to get widescreen 16:9.

If the latter guess is correct, ordinarily beforehand you should be setting your Premiere Elements project preset to: NTSC DV Widescreen 16:9. But, since you are recording to a camcorder hard drive, there is a "Fields" issue. So, then you would use the Premiere Elements project preset of NTSC Hard Disc Flash Memory Camcorders, Widescreen. (If you have a version that has the project preset.)

I do have that flash memory camcorder setting and have been using that one.

I appreciate the response, seems like a good place to learn.

[ATR]

Thanks for reposting here.

Given:
JVC standard definition camcorder recording MPEG2 to its 80 GB hard drive, using its Widescreen 16:9 Recording Mode....
How are you getting the video from there to the Premiere Elements 7 Timeline?

Are you downloading it from the camcorder to the computer via USB, saving it to a computer internal hard drive location, and then bringing the video from there into the Premiere Elements 7 Timeline via its Get Media/Files & Folders? And is the Premiere Elements 7 project preset set for NTSC Hard Drive Flash Memory Camcorders Widescreen?

Many people have problems bringing these .mod files into Premiere Elements and have to convert them before bringing them into Premiere Elements:
a. changing file extension from .mod to .mpg or .avi
b. using a conversion program for .mod to DV AVI.
But, if you say that you are not having a problem in that regard, we will put that aside for the moment.

Next, with your video on the Timeline, do you still see your video chopped at the edges (you mean left and right sides only??). If so, in Premiere Elements, try this:
1. Organizer Mode/Get Media/PC Files & Folders select your video in its computer hard drive location
2. You should then find a thumbnail of your video in the Organizer as well as the file placed on the Timeline.
3. Now click on the Edit (Orange) Tab, followed by clicking on the Project Tab below it so that you are in the Project Mode of Media.
4. You should see a copy of your file there. Right click it and from the drop down list, select Interpret Footage.
5. After that dialog opens, look to the Pixel Aspect Ratio area of the dialog and dot the "Conform to:". In Conform to, from the drop down list, select
"D1/DV NTSC Widescreen 16:9 (1.2)". Then click OK to get out of there.
6. Look at the view of your video in the Monitor. What does it look?

When you get to the burn dialog, just make sure that the Burn To Disc Presets says "NTSC Widescreen_Dolby_DVD".

Please let me know what this all looks like all along the way.

To be continued....

ATR

[Chuck Engels]

3. What project preset are you setting when the program opens and before the workplace interface opens: NTSC DV Standard (4:3), NTSC DV Widescreen (16:9), NTSC HDV 1080i30, other?

I have tried both the DV Widescreen and the Camcorder widescreen setting, both seem to yield the same result by clipping the two sides of the image while on the timeline and after rendering.



I am still wondering if the correct project preset is being selected. I don't know where the Camcorder Widescreen comes in, maybe I'm missing something?

On the same screen where you start a new project you can select the project settings, NTSC DV Widescreen would be the correct option to select unless you are in Europe.

[ATR]

CE

I am confused about your confusion about "Camcorder Widescreen"...

This camcorder's specs says that it can be set to record in the Widescreen 16:9 Mode rather than in the Standard 4:3 Mode....it was said that the camcorder was set for Widescreen 16:9 Mode, so it would seem that the appropriate Premiere Elements project preset would be NTSC DV Widescreen (assuming that the user is in a NTSC region). Also see the information that I found for this camcorder in previous post in this thread. This is not a High Definition camcorder.

ATR

[Chuck Engels]

I am confused because you asked what project preset was being used and the reply was I have tried both the DV Widescreen and the Camcorder widescreen setting Premiere Elements does not have a Camcorder Widescreen preset.

[ATR]

CE

I did not read the reply or see it that way...what I saw was that the camcorder was set to Widescreen 16:9 Mode and the Premiere Elements project preset used was NTSC DV Widescreen. I knew this camcorder's mode offerings and the Premiere Elements presets and that colored my read.

It is difficult for me to see your take on the reply,
Premiere Elements does not have a Camcorder Widescreen preset.
Strecker25 did not say that.

ATR

[Chuck Engels]

Writings are sometimes misinterpreted, that is what happens in forums sometimes.

[ATR]

I am hoping for a good news report on this issue today...starting with success.

Please keep that thought.

ATR

[Strecker25]

Next, with your video on the Timeline, do you still see your video chopped at the edges (you mean left and right sides only??). If so, in Premiere Elements, try this:
1. Organizer Mode/Get Media/PC Files & Folders select your video in its computer hard drive location
2. You should then find a thumbnail of your video in the Organizer as well as the file placed on the Timeline.
3. Now click on the Edit (Orange) Tab, followed by clicking on the Project Tab below it so that you are in the Project Mode of Media.
4. You should see a copy of your file there. Right click it and from the drop down list, select Interpret Footage.
5. After that dialog opens, look to the Pixel Aspect Ratio area of the dialog and dot the "Conform to:". In Conform to, from the drop down list, select
"D1/DV NTSC Widescreen 16:9 (1.2)". Then click OK to get out of there.
6. Look at the view of your video in the Monitor. What does it look?

When you get to the burn dialog, just make sure that the Burn To Disc Presets says "NTSC Widescreen_Dolby_DVD".


ATR

first off, sorry it took so long for me to post results i took a vacation and now have hours of video that need editing.

This solution works, the default that premier elements is seeing the video in is a pixel aspect ratio of .9 This makes it seem like the camcorder is recording the video in 16:9 but flagging it as 4:3 in the files.

Once i force it into 16:9 the video looks correct, and also displays correct.
For now this is fine, and it looks good on DVD, I appreciate all the responses, now i just have to figure out how to use this program and edit some good videos together. thanks again

[ATR]

Thanks for the update.

Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any further concerns about the program. We will figure them out together.

ATR