Hi
Thought it might be useful to clarify how the Pioneer hard drive recorders handle aspect ratio switching, it isn't too clear in the manual and it is assumed on a DVD-R Video disc that no wide screen signal is recorded, this isn't always true, and you can have wide screen switching on DVD-Rs if you know how:
When recording to the hard drive
Wide screen signal is recorded appropriately and will switch on playback as the original source did, i.e. 16:9 adverts then 4:3 for the program.
When recording real-time to a DVD-RW VR mode disc
Wide screen signal is recorded appropriately.
When recording real-time directly to a DVD Video (DVD-R or DVD-RW in video mode)
Wide screen signal is defaulted to 4:3 regardless of the source; you will need to manually switch your TV to 16:9 for wide screen recordings. Widescreen sources will be tall and thin on 4:3 TVs.
When dubbing from the hard-drive to DVD Video
When high-speed dubbing the wide screen switching is completely preserved, so on playback from the DVD the wide screen signal is present for 16:9 sources. Note that if the source changes between 16:9 and 4:3 these will be split into separate titles on the DVD to keep to the DVD Video specification.
When dubbing real-time, for example when re-compressing to fit on a single disc, then the source will be recorded as 4:3 regardless. There is a way around this however:
1) Use a DVD-RW in VR mode, and recompress to that VR mode disc. This preserves the widescreen-switching signal.
2) Next, high-speed dub the DVD-RW VR mode disc to the hard-drive giving you a new title that is compressed to the right size for fitting on a DVD.
3) Take a DVD-R disc, and then high-speed dub this new title to it, which will preserve the wide screen switching.
So in summary, to get wide-screen switching on a DVD-R Video disc, record to the hard-drive first then high-speed dub to the DVD. Follow the steps above if you need to recompress the video on the hard-drive in order to fit onto a single disc.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Phil
Thought it might be useful to clarify how the Pioneer hard drive recorders handle aspect ratio switching, it isn't too clear in the manual and it is assumed on a DVD-R Video disc that no wide screen signal is recorded, this isn't always true, and you can have wide screen switching on DVD-Rs if you know how:
When recording to the hard drive
Wide screen signal is recorded appropriately and will switch on playback as the original source did, i.e. 16:9 adverts then 4:3 for the program.
When recording real-time to a DVD-RW VR mode disc
Wide screen signal is recorded appropriately.
When recording real-time directly to a DVD Video (DVD-R or DVD-RW in video mode)
Wide screen signal is defaulted to 4:3 regardless of the source; you will need to manually switch your TV to 16:9 for wide screen recordings. Widescreen sources will be tall and thin on 4:3 TVs.
When dubbing from the hard-drive to DVD Video
When high-speed dubbing the wide screen switching is completely preserved, so on playback from the DVD the wide screen signal is present for 16:9 sources. Note that if the source changes between 16:9 and 4:3 these will be split into separate titles on the DVD to keep to the DVD Video specification.
When dubbing real-time, for example when re-compressing to fit on a single disc, then the source will be recorded as 4:3 regardless. There is a way around this however:
1) Use a DVD-RW in VR mode, and recompress to that VR mode disc. This preserves the widescreen-switching signal.
2) Next, high-speed dub the DVD-RW VR mode disc to the hard-drive giving you a new title that is compressed to the right size for fitting on a DVD.
3) Take a DVD-R disc, and then high-speed dub this new title to it, which will preserve the wide screen switching.
So in summary, to get wide-screen switching on a DVD-R Video disc, record to the hard-drive first then high-speed dub to the DVD. Follow the steps above if you need to recompress the video on the hard-drive in order to fit onto a single disc.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Phil