Check the mediainfo on the 1440x1980 video clip. It is probably 16x9 not 4x3 as is common with hdv. One senior contributor here is very familiar with it.

I just right-clicked, selected Properties > Details and it reports Frame Width 1440, Frame Height 1080. I don't currently have MediaInfo installed. Are you suggesting Properties is reporting an incorrect figure? Regards,
Mike

Home-build system:
Intel Core i5 Quad Core 3.3GHz, 2 x 4GB DDR3 1333MHz,
Asus Nvidia GT440 1GB, 2 x Western Digital WD10EARS 1TB, 1 x Seagate ST1000DM010 1TB,
Windows 7 Prof 64-bit, PD 9 Ultra 64, PD 13 Ultimate 64

I'm just giving this a bump in the hope that someone might yet have some thoughts on my initial question . . . . . Regards,
Mike

Home-build system:
Intel Core i5 Quad Core 3.3GHz, 2 x 4GB DDR3 1333MHz,
Asus Nvidia GT440 1GB, 2 x Western Digital WD10EARS 1TB, 1 x Seagate ST1000DM010 1TB,
Windows 7 Prof 64-bit, PD 9 Ultra 64, PD 13 Ultimate 64

Hi Mike -

This is just what tomasc posted above, in different words.

One of my Canons can record 1440x1080. It uses non-square pixels, so it still displays as a 16:9 video.

You wrote: Power director stretches the 4:3 video when it is imported to the timeline so I therefore need to re-size it. When you import the 1440x1080 clips into PDR, do they display as 16:9 or 4:3?



Cheers - Tony
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Hi Tony, thanks for responding.

I'm sorry that my original post was a bit ambiguous. What happens is as is shown in your image. Properties reports the frames as 1440 x 1080 but they display with a 16:9 aspect.

Unfortunately the little test clip that I was sent did not contain any image details that would show if it was being displayed distorted. I must admit that the subject of aspect ratio is something I find a little confusing but can I presume, from what you've said, that if the 1440 x 1080 pixels are non-square they will display correctly at 16:9 ratio and won't need any resizing?

If that is the case that brings me to another question : how will PD handle a timeline with a mix of 1920 x 1080 square pixels and 1440 x 1080 non-square? Regards,
Mike

Home-build system:
Intel Core i5 Quad Core 3.3GHz, 2 x 4GB DDR3 1333MHz,
Asus Nvidia GT440 1GB, 2 x Western Digital WD10EARS 1TB, 1 x Seagate ST1000DM010 1TB,
Windows 7 Prof 64-bit, PD 9 Ultra 64, PD 13 Ultimate 64

Mike -

You're absolutely right. It's quite normal for cameras to use that as recording option.

Esseentially, you don't have to do anything! After you've edited, just produce to 1920x1080 or 1280x720 (or whatever 16:9 profile you wish).

In basic terms, each pixel in the 1440x1080 video is shaped like ▀ but when it's displayed in PDR, on the camera's monitor or in a media player, each pixel is square ■

This is a reasonably simple explanation of aspect ratio (display, pixel & frame) - http://www.shedworx.com/hd-information/aspect-ratios

Cheers - Tony
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Thanks Tony, that's made things much clearer. Regards,
Mike

Home-build system:
Intel Core i5 Quad Core 3.3GHz, 2 x 4GB DDR3 1333MHz,
Asus Nvidia GT440 1GB, 2 x Western Digital WD10EARS 1TB, 1 x Seagate ST1000DM010 1TB,
Windows 7 Prof 64-bit, PD 9 Ultra 64, PD 13 Ultimate 64