"Zoom" Aspect Ratio?

[smajor]

Here is an interesting little problem I'm having with my HD-PVR and aspect ratios:

I have channels that have not been converted to HD yet, example Sci Fi.

When watching Stargate, it was filmed "widescreen", like an HD format.

Now, on my HD TV, watching this results in a pillar box effect. It's like HD, down converted to Analog, and back to HD since.

"Fill" doesn't work, because it is filled because my cable box is upconverting it to HD.

I need a "zoom" that's just enough to get rid of the black bars all the way around. I looked at the wiki and am willing to try, I'm just not very good with this type of thing. Am what I'm proposing possible?

[mvallevand]

On the PCH in the next firmware they are calling this "Crop" but I think it is really known as "Centre Cut". It is a nice feature, but probably better in the wishlist forum.

Martin

[smajor]

On the PCH in the next firmware they are calling this "Crop" but I think it is really known as "Centre Cut". It is a nice feature, but probably better in the wishlist forum.

Martin

The best solution is to hound my cable company to get everything in HD, until then... :p

[mvallevand]

Because cable companies are so responsive to client needs.....

If you have time could you upload a small 50MB sample from the HD PVR that show this to a free upload site like megaupload and provide the link? I am beta testing the PCH firmware and I want to test "crop" on h264 on a m2ts file.

Martin

[bdshaffer]

I have the same problem. I have a 4:3 TV and watch HD programming. I added the following aspect ratio to the <AspectRatioModes> section of config.xml:

<AspectRatioMode name="43wide" ratio="-0.15,0,1.15,1" />

This will not work if you are using overlay.

[smajor]

I have the same problem. I have a 4:3 TV and watch HD programming. I added the following aspect ratio to the <AspectRatioModes> section of config.xml:

<AspectRatioMode name="43wide" ratio="-0.15,0,1.15,1" />

This will not work if you are using overlay.

That's part of it. For me, it's the opposite, I'm trying to watch on my HD tv, but a picture in a "box" on the screen.

This nicely "stretches" to the left and right, getting rid of the black bars, now I just have to get rid of them at the top and bottom.

Think: what you did above plus what "remove letterbox" does. It'd be perfect then.

EDIT - GOT IT!

Thanks for settings, that got me in the direction I needed to go, mine is:

<AspectRatioMode name="43LTRBXHD" ratio="-0.15,-0.25,1.15,1.125" />

I'm going to try and explain this better... I'm watching HD TV where the channel is still analog but the show is letterboxed (if my provider had this channel as HD, the show would "fit" the screen.) You end up with the normal black bars on the side of your HD TV *plus* black bars on the bottom because the show is in a wide format but coming in as a 4x3 signal.

My settings effectively make a "zoom" getting the show to fill my 16x9 HD TV. I think back when I had 4x3, this would be akin to the provided "center cut" aspect ratio.

[bdshaffer]

Now I see what you're saying.
My problem is I have a 4:3 TV and a lot of 4:3 HD programming is broadcast in 16:9 with black bars on the side. So I end up with a black boarder around the whole show.