Some random video-related questions ...

[MaHe]

Hiya, I have a bunch of questions of all kinds and I was kinda hoping you people could help me answer them.

1) Why is 720x480 considered 16:9 when it's really just 3:2?
2) Can you change the aspect-ratio on Zune (e.g. like on iPod, where you can choose between fullscreen (cropped) and a letterboxed image)?
3) Is Zune 30's USB connector compatible with Zune 80 and vice-versa?
4) Anyone knows a good application for ripping directly from DVD to MP4 with subtitles?
5) Which codec performs better (at resolutions up to 720x480), WMV or H.264?
6) Can you recommend any good cases for Zune 80?

If some can shed some light on at least some of these questions, I will be very grateful indeed. :]

 

[FAST6191]

No idea about the zune ones

1) Have a read: http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/understanding_16_9.html

2) I know I said no zune knowledge but if not you can botch it and add borders.

4) I assume by directly you mean without going to avi or some such. I suggest megui http://x264.nl/ , the ipod profiles should do well for it. You may have to mux subtitles in later (unless you hardsub) so grab YAMB/mp4box.

5) H264 (with something like x264) is my choice over wmv.

 

[MaHe]

Thanks a lot, especially the first question has been bugging me for a while.

I managed to find the Zune related answers by myself. Thanks!

 

[fischju]

Only a couple of players can play at 720x480 without conversion, the Archos 605 and Cowon Q5 being the only ones I can think of. I have the former, and all of the vidoes I've downloaded from torrents work.

For compatibility, I always prefer xvid in an avi container for video.

 

[techforumz]

Hiya, I have a bunch of questions of all kinds and I was kinda hoping you people could help me answer them.

1) Why is 720x480 considered 16:9 when it's really just 3:2?
2) Can you change the aspect-ratio on Zune (e.g. like on iPod, where you can choose between fullscreen (cropped) and a letterboxed image)?
3) Is Zune 30's USB connector compatible with Zune 80 and vice-versa?
4) Anyone knows a good application for ripping directly from DVD to MP4 with subtitles?
5) Which codec performs better (at resolutions up to 720x480), WMV or H.264?
6) Can you recommend any good cases for Zune 80?

If some can shed some light on at least some of these questions, I will be very grateful indeed. :]

1) It's not. That's the official DVD resolution. Can be either 4:3 or 16:9 depending on how it's encoded.
2) No idea. Big Zune and iPod hater.
3) See above answer.
4) DVD::RIP
5) Xvid
6) See answers 2 &3

See ya.