Couple of newbie questions

[screenname]

Installed NextPVR 3.1.1 under Windows 8.1 and managed to have video/audio without too much difficulties. Now I have couple of newbie questions.
1 - In the setting, I set the aspect ratio to 16:9 but the screen still have a black bar on top and bottom. How do I get rid of it.
2 - I have setup for "live TV" but I have a blank screen when I start the app. I have to right click to get to the channel listing and select a channel before I have video/audio. Is there a way for it to remember my last channel and use it when I restart the app?
Thank you in advance.

[sub]

1 - In the setting, I set the aspect ratio to 16:9 but the screen still have a black bar on top and bottom. How do I get rid of it.

It really depends what content you're watching. Is the black bars part of the picture being broadcast? ie, like when they sometimes broadcast a 4:3 video signal, containing a letterboxed 16:9 video.

[screenname]

It really depends what content you're watching. Is the black bars part of the picture being broadcast? ie, like when they sometimes broadcast a 4:3 video signal, containing a letterboxed 16:9 video.

The content is all 16:9.

[Zeb]

Hello screenname,

NextPVR's Aspect Ratio settings can be accessed via right-click menu or toggled via F7 key. Sounds like Auto is the default setting. I prefer Fill; Remove LetterBox is too prone to give haircuts.

[Edit] Live TV does remember the last channel played. I just tried UI Mode "TV Viewer" on Settings->General for the first time, and it looks like you must right-click and select Live TV.

[screenname]

I knew about the "fill" option but that just stretch the picture vertically. Between black bars and stretched, black bars are better for me.

About "live TV", I forgot to set "Default Activity" to "Live TV" under Misc in the settings. Once that is set, it works as I expected.
Thanks.

[sub]

Can you post a screenshot of what you're seeing?

[screenname]

See attached.

[sub]

Those are odd sized black bars.

Have you tried other video decoders to see if it makes any difference?

[screenname]

I have no video if I set H.264 video to "Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder". MainConcept (Broadcast) AVD/H.264 or MainConcept AVD/H.254 Video Decoder produce the black bars. Are there other decoders I should try?

[sub]

I would have suggested either Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder or the ArcSoft Video Decoder, which is the two I regularly use. If you don't have the ArcSoft decoder already, there is probably no easy way to get it. A lot of Hauppauge device owners have this decoder, since it comes with WinTV and Hauppauge Capture.

I'm not sure why the Microsoft decoder isn't working - it's usually great.