Solved Input video dimensions not same when rendering

i'm creating a video with old Vietnam War footage that friends want used in a book trailer video. The original video is 856x480. when I initially bring this video into Vegas, I say YES to the question Do you want to set your project video settings to match this media? i even verified Vegas properties (template) to ensure the dimensions were correct. Image attached.

But, when i go to render it into a movie...the dimensions have changed in the Make Movie window. Image attached.

Why would they change?

Thanks for posting your message on the Forum

It looks like you are using Movie Studio Platinum 13.
The simple mode is unable to handle the type of video settings you are using.

I do have a tutorial for how to render 1080p video with Movie Studio Platinum 13, which you can modify.
www.moviestudiozen.com/free-tutorials/sony-movie-studio-platinum/516-1080p-video-in-movie-studio-platinum-13
I recommend you follow this tutorial, but use a different template to render the final video and use some custom bit rate settings.

I recommend you don't use the simple rendering options window, but instead use the Advanced options.



If the video is going to end up on YouTube or for playback on a computer, the following settings are best.
Select Mainconcept AVC/AAC / Internet 480p widescreeen
Then press Customize template



Make sure all your settings look exactly like this!
Set Bit Rates: Max = 10,000,000 Average = 6,000,000
This will produce good quality 480p video for YouTube.
You could render to 720p or 1080p, however this will not improve the quality of the older style Standard Definition 480p video.
Instead, it is better to use the bit rate settings I have provided.



Regards
Derek

Hi kajunkid,

I have some source footage that may be useful for your project. If you are interested, please contact me and I will explain. Posting it here would risk taking your thread off topic. Click on my profile for the email link.....

Appreciate the offer, george, but this is his personal footage.

Got it, and understand.

Derek, i've rendered video according to your instructions. before rendering, my video looks widescreen. after rendering, instead of 16:9 it's 4:3 causing people to be slightly stretched top to bottom.
this attachment is in the vegas studio 13 program before rendering:


this attachment is after rendering:


yes, i did make sure i chose 480 widescreen in advanced settings, so should i chose another setting?

Are you using mixed videos from different sources in your project ?

Go to the Project Media tab and click on each video in your project.
At the bottom of the window is a readout, which will tell you the actual Video Properties.
Click on the first video and take a screen shot for me, and then upload here.
Press on top of all the videos - if you notice the Video Properties change for any video, take a screen shot of that as well.
I need to see the Project Properties for every different video in your project.
So if you end up having 3 different video types, I need to know this !

Your first screen shot is showing me that your video is NOT 16:9 widescreen video.
Your first screen shot is showing "stretching", which means your video is actually 4:3 aspect ratio and not widescreen.

Bizarrely, the final rendered video looks like it's Aspect Ratio has been corrected, because there is no longer "stretching" (distortion) in the man seen in reflection and the Text on Plaque also looks better.

I cannot comment any further, until I see the actual video properties for ALL your videos.

p.s.
I edited your message to fix the image placements. When you insert an uploaded image into a message on the forum, make sure to keep the [insert code] on a line by itself. After you insert an image, press the Enter Key and go to a new line before writing any text.

Thank you, Derek...i will place images on a separate line.
the first image i sent before is the one desired...as the man is short and stocky. the second image is the one that looks stretched because it shows him taller and slimmer. i am using one video with inserted jpg's and generated media. i have video dimensions of 856x480x12 in the Project Media window and 640x480x32 in the Preview window. i really don't know what all that means (is there a website, book or something that would explain video attributes in easy layman terms?). i am going to try and bring the video into a new movie studio layout and say Yes to keeping settings, then add in the jpg's and generated media checking my video properties after each and see what happens (because i don't know why the two video dimensions above would change). Thanks, again, for helping me throughout this...

Derek...before i use a lot of your time up, i went back to the author and he is fine with the first image..it is more the quality of the video (of course). that said, i'm just curious as to the different video dimensions, etc. between the Project Media window and the Preview Window. thanks

If we duplicate the same dimensions of the source media to the Project Properties and the Rendered Template, what we see in the preview and what we get in the render will match what was in the original source media. Your source media dimensions and Project Properties dimensions do not match, as you have pointed out.

Click on 'Project', then click on 'Properties' (or the keyboard shortcut is 'Alt+Enter'). Then change the width from the current '640' to '856' which matches your source media, click on 'Apply', then 'OK'. Now your preview should reflect the correct dimensions of your source. The dimensions in the Render Template can also be manually changed to match the source and preview, as well. Hope this helps. (see note below)

I do not know the stature of your subject, but depending on the angles of subject, reflective surface and camera angle, reflected images can be deceiving.

NOTE: The dimensions for 480 Widescreen are 854x480, which is very close to your source and should not show a noticeable difference, but using a 'Custom Frame Size' will allow you to set the dimension (frame size) for exactly 856x480 if you prefer. This is assuming when you render you are going 'Make Movie' > 'Save to my hard drive' > 'Advanced options...' > select the format, then the template that closely matches and finally 'Customize Template...'.