I have a VisionDTV card which can record digital TV broadcasts to Mpeg-2 format, it can even record High Definition.
I also have Ulead's DVD MovieFactory for DVD authoring (which I got with my burner), but when I make a DVD, the aspect ration is no longer widescreen & the picture is streched heightwise.

Are there any affordable DVD authoring packages capable of maintaining the pixel resolution and aspect ration of the original video?

Thanks in advance

What version of Movie Factory? I know that when I use MF it appears stretched on the preview screen, but is actually ok when played on a standalone DVD Player.

If it was only in the preview I wouldn't be so worried. It's actually when I view the final DVD that the incorrect aspect ration is apparent.

As for the version, I'm not sure, I'll check tonight when I get home.

If, when playing the DVD through your set-top player the picture contains tall-thin people (which i what i assume you mean by 'stretched vertically' then try the following, if you haven't already. Change your DVD player video option to wide screen TV. On my player this effectively stretches the picture wider giving you a widescreen (anamorphic?) picture and the image ratio should be what you want.

I'm just wondering if you have effectively built yoursefl a true anamorphic DVD and maybe have your player settings to P&S or letterbox. If so then the above should cure things.

Just an idea.

I think whats happending is that the software is converting the video from true widescreen to 720X576, keeping the height information but compressing the width.

Plus, I don't really expect anyone who views my DVDs to be forced to change the settings on their DVD player, so I'll probably have to go shopping for a superior DVD authoring package.

Any suggestions?

I'd be careful about the 'superior' burning software. I'd tried this again this weekend. Creating a 16:9 ratio Mpeg file using MediaStudioPro, then using Mocie Factory to burn the menus and video to DVD. No problems whatsoever! It would be worth checking the software on your DTV Vision card to see if there are any options for tweeking your MPeg / 16:9 output options.

Good luck though.

Sorry for the late post!!

I don't think mine it's purely an aspect ration problem. MovieFactory is CONVERTING the original Video (which is in Digital broadcast resolution (PAL) of 768 x 576, worst still for High Definition recordings of 1450 x 108 down to a more standard 720 x 576. So, if I mess with the aspect ration to get my 16:9 widescreen, I will never get back the original 768 x 576 resolution of data. Which is why I asked about 'superior' DVD authoring software.

OK I think I get where you're coming from. I've had a play with Adobe Encore whcih I think fits your description of 'superior' DVD authoring s/w (at least for the home user anyway).

If I 'compose' a DVD project using the settings for Pal Widescreen then the resulting DVD plays in my set-top box exactly as if it were an anamorphic widescreen DVD I had purchased.

My personal normal DVD player settings are widescreen mode with my TV doing the 'stretching' for me. This works fine. If I set the player to 'letterbox' then I get a widescreen presentation that is shrunk for a 4:3 TV i.e. black bands topand bottom. The last settign I have is Pand&Scan where the centre portion of the widescreen presentation is displayed in a 4:3 picture.

Nasically, it all works how I would expect.

Needless to say, I leave my Sony TRV33E in widescreen mode, Premiere projects are all widescreen and Encore projects always use the widescreen settings too. The results then works on whatever player and TV combination I choose to play it on just as if I'd bought a DVD the shops.

HTH