Aspect Ratios

**zorlan** · November 12th, 2010, 12:58 PM

This is the one feature that is quite often overlooked on many media streamers. I feel it is extremely beneficial as a user to be able to change my video from 4:3 to 16:9 while the video is playing and not have to re-encode it to fit my screen or without having to stop playing the video. Zoom cuts parts out and the 16x9 option will not go to full screen, it will just widen it. My screen is 16x9 1080p so I do not understand the problem here. Also it would be nice to be able to set the default ratio ourselves. At least if we can, I have missed it.

I have found that the aspect ratio options in boxee are very limited as well. I cannot get my 4:3 movies to fit full screen without part of the movie being cut out. Many streamers overlook this functionality and I do not know why. I would never use zoom. I don't mid stretching the pciture as long as nothing is cut out.

Is there something I am missing here? I hope boxee will revamp these aspect ratio options and make them more powerful for the user.

The best aspect ratio options on a streamer I have seen to date are the xtreamer and believe it or not the viewsonic nexTV (this little box is the best streamer I have ever owned, has volume control as well.)

--Z

**stevo81989** · November 12th, 2010, 01:02 PM

Never had an issue with aspect ratio. They support like 4:3, 16:10, 16:9 and 1 other. you can also fix the overscan issues as well. is this what you are looking for? Little unsure what your issue is...

**stevo81989** · November 12th, 2010, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by zorlan

I feel it is extremely beneficial as a user to be able to change my video from 4:3 to 16:9 while the video is playing and not have to re-encode it to fit my screen or without having to stop playing the video. Zoom cuts parts out and the 16x9 option will not go to full screen, it will just widen it.

It just sunk in. Press the menu button, and in the top right, hit the gear (settings) button. Under the video should have the ability to change ratio's...

**zorlan** · November 12th, 2010, 01:05 PM

yes I have tried that but my 4:3 videos still will not fit to the 16x9 screen. There will still be black bars and there shouldn't be. I did setup the screen at the beginning and that setup was kind of strange too. It was nto easy to determine how I needed to move the arrows. I am using a 1920x1080 Samsung LCD which I think is 16x9 and I shouldnt be having these formatting issues.

**stevo81989** · November 12th, 2010, 01:06 PM

Black bars on top and bottom or black bars on left and right? Do you want the content stretched?

**zorlan** · November 12th, 2010, 01:07 PM

Black bars on the left and right. Yeah stretching is fine...but it won't stretch fully.

**stevo81989** · November 12th, 2010, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by zorlan

yes I have tried that but my 4:3 videos still will not fit to the 16x9 screen. There will still be black bars and there shouldn't be. I did setup the screen at the beginning and that setup was kind of strange too. It was nto easy to determine how I needed to move the arrows. I am using a 1920x1080 Samsung LCD which I think is 16x9 and I shouldnt be having these formatting issues.

The calibrating the screen is necessary. Its because all screens use overscan (not the time or place to discuss). You move them so you can see the big arrows but not the lines lines...

Yes it is 16:9, but 4:3 videos will still have black bars on the left and right as they should.

**stevo81989** · November 12th, 2010, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by zorlan

Black bars on the left and right. Yeah stretching is fine...but it won't stretch fully.

That is perfectly normal. All 4:3 content should have black bars on the left and right to preserve the original intention of the video.

I remember seeing an option to stretch the video somewhere, not to sure where. im also not sure if this is a heavily requested feature. Im not in front of my box so I couldnt tell you, maybe someone else will pop in...

**ripper2982** · November 12th, 2010, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by stevo81989

That is perfectly normal. All 4:3 content should have black bars on the left and right to preserve the original intention of the video.

I'd have to disagree with you on this. I'm experiencing the same issue with black bars on both sides of my 4:3 content. The only workaroudn I've found is to go into video settings when playing and change the aspect to 14:9 which still doesn't fill the screen.

Just for kicks I tested the same videos on my PC with Boxee .9 and it properly expands the video to fit the screen so it looks like it was broken by 1.0

**zorlan** · November 12th, 2010, 01:15 PM

Yes black bars show up when a 4:3 video is being shown on a 16:9 screen. But when I change the display options to 16x9 in boxee, it should stretch it to fit the 16x9 screen and it is not. I love this option and not many streamers include it or if they do their attempts are faulty. The two other streamers I mentioned do it perfectly.