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SiriusHardware · 16th Jan 2021, 4:38 pm

When recording to DVD from HDD, in my experience the aspect of the original recording will be preserved as long as you do a high-speed copy onto DVD. If the length of the recording on HDD exceeds what will naturally fit on a DVD (2 hours at standard definition) then the recorder has to re-encode the recording and for some reason it will, depending on recorder model, record it to DVD in 4:3 regardless of the original aspect. Tres annoying.

But that's not all. If the recorder is HDMI-connected to the display / TV the display will be told, over HDMI, what the aspect of the material is - 4:3 - and you will find it difficult to override that. The only way around that is to connect the recorder and TV via an analogue connection and then you will be able to override the display's aspect ratio so that at least the recording which was wrongly recorded to DVD in 4:3 can be displayed in its original 16:9 aspect.

Both of these nuisances were certainly an issue with my Pioneer 545.

There is a workaround for this, which is, if you know that something you are recording will exceed 2 hours in length, then drop down one 'quality mode' when you make that recording - for example most HDD recorders have a mode between 'SP' and 'LP' in which they will record up to 2.5 hours of SD material which can then be high-speed copied onto DVD, preserving the original aspect. For films especially, you have to be aware of whether the recording (with any adverts removed) will be in excess of 2 hours and adjust the recording mode downwards if need be.

16th Jan 2021, 4:38 pm	#27
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 11,586	Re: "Converting" 4:3 to 16:9 (Aspect Ratios) When recording to DVD from HDD, in my experience the aspect of the original recording will be preserved as long as you do a high-speed copy onto DVD. If the length of the recording on HDD exceeds what will naturally fit on a DVD (2 hours at standard definition) then the recorder has to re-encode the recording and for some reason it will, depending on recorder model, record it to DVD in 4:3 regardless of the original aspect. Tres annoying. But that's not all. If the recorder is HDMI-connected to the display / TV the display will be told, over HDMI, what the aspect of the material is - 4:3 - and you will find it difficult to override that. The only way around that is to connect the recorder and TV via an analogue connection and then you will be able to override the display's aspect ratio so that at least the recording which was wrongly recorded to DVD in 4:3 can be displayed in its original 16:9 aspect. Both of these nuisances were certainly an issue with my Pioneer 545. There is a workaround for this, which is, if you know that something you are recording will exceed 2 hours in length, then drop down one 'quality mode' when you make that recording - for example most HDD recorders have a mode between 'SP' and 'LP' in which they will record up to 2.5 hours of SD material which can then be high-speed copied onto DVD, preserving the original aspect. For films especially, you have to be aware of whether the recording (with any adverts removed) will be in excess of 2 hours and adjust the recording mode downwards if need be.