Videora converted file problem

[jkalnin]

Here is the jist:
I have an .avi file converted to mpeg from Videora and it works perfectly on my Tivo. I put the files on disk and gave them to my friend that also has Tivo. When she transfers the mpeg from her PC to her Tivo the video is garbled. She said it was like a double image on the screen. The files work fine on her computer, so she is able to watch them on her PC without any problems.

Why are these files (which work fin on my PC and Tivo, and her PC) garbled on her Tivo? Anyone have any clue? Also, she mentioned that her .tivo files get errors and don't work once transferred from her PC back to her Tivo.

[Dan203]

Sounds like the video is 16:9 and your friend has a newer 540 series TiVo. Unfortunately the 540 series TiVos (i.e. night light and Toshiba/Humax DVD-RW units) have a bug that prevents them from playing 16:9 content of a 4:3 screen. Your friend can change their TiVo to think they have a 16:9 TV and the video will play. However it will be squished to fit the screen, rather then letterboxed, so everyone will look tall and skinny.

There is a thread here on this forum that tells you how to letterbox 16:9 content when converting to prevent this in the future.

Dan

[jkalnin]

Are you refferring to the post where the guy adds padding using "Custom FFmpeg Flags"

-s 720x352 -padtop 64 -padbottom 64

This is all I could find searching (which I did before posting). If you have the other thread please post it for me.

Thanks for the info!

[Dan203]

This is the thread I was referring to...

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=283897

Dan