New to video editing. encoding with 2 different resolutions

[OMGapotato]

Sorry guys I just started video editing so I'm trying to get over the huge learning curve. I'm currently using adobe premiere pro cs4. I made an amv that has the same anime with 2 resolutions, 1 is 720p and the other is 480p. How do i convert the 720p into 480p or expand the 480p(though that'll have severe consequences to the quality i'm assuming)?

again, i apologize for probably reposting a similar thread.

here's a link to the video i'm talking about
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q17KlxrvAvI

thanks

[OMGapotato]

also, i tried using a video converter to convert the 720p .mkv files into h.264 .mp4 720x480 files but it didn't change the resolution at all. still stayed at 720p.

[Kariudo]

Most would recommend scaling the 720p source down.
There's 2 methods you could use (well, there are more than 2 methods...but these two are probably the ones you'll hear over and over)

Avisynth
VirtualDub

Of the two, VirtualDub is easier (google it if you don't have it). Once you load your video you go to video->filters->add and then scroll until you find resize. Highlight it and click ok (or double click it) and you'll get the resize dialog.

For new size, put 480 for the height.
For aspect ratio, select same as source
Leave filter mode as bicubic
For framing options, choose Letterbox/crop to size and put 720 x 480 in for the size (or 640 x 480 if you resized your other footage to a square pixel aspect ratio)

Once you're more comfortable with editing and video preparation, I'd suggest using avisynth as it gives you more control.

I'm sure some people will come prancing in here trying to argue technical minutiae of why this isn't 100% correct...but meh, this is good enough.

Vdub spits out AVI files, and to make sure they play nicely with editing programs you should save them with a lossless codec (Ut Video is the current recommendation). You have to set the codec before saving. Go to video->compression and then choose your codec. Beware that lossless = very big, so it's not recommended to save entire episodes like this. Instead, select small clips to encode.

[Mister Hatt]

I don't know if this counts as "technical minutiae" but arbitrarily changing the aspect ratio without compensating for it is a really bad idea, just sayin'.

[OMGapotato]

thanks a lot Kariudo. this is good stuff.

[Kariudo]

I don't know if this counts as "technical minutiae" but arbitrarily changing the aspect ratio without compensating for it is a really bad idea, just sayin'.

The aspect ratio isn't changing
...not in the resizing part at least

[LegendaryEd]

Most would recommend scaling the 720p source down.

I'm kinda newbish when it comes to all of this, but why would scaling down the 720p be preferable?

[Kariudo]

because if you scale the 480p stuff up, it'll look terrible compared to your other HD footage.

[LegendaryEd]

And suddenly, I feel like an imbecile for not realizing the context in which you said that. I gotcha, thanks haha

[Mister Hatt]

Actually it does. Resizing changes the PAR, cropping changes the DAR. Video basics really.