COZI TV Aspect Ratio

[rlknpvr]

COZI TV (KTMDDT3, Channel 47.3, OTA) displays and records all programs in "stretched" 16:9 aspect ratio.

All other channels display and record correctly.

[Reddwarf]

Have you tried the F7 key on your keyboard while watching?

[rlknpvr]

Yes. The F7 key toggles display among Auto, Fill, Remove LetterBox and Pillar Box options while watching a program, the same choices as available in the options menu. Unfortunately, the selected choices apply to all channels, not just the one problem channel. Also, no apparent way to correct when recording while away.

[sub]

When it comes to digital channels, you always get an exact copy of whatever the broadcaster sent, so this won't be a case of NextPVR doing something wrong for this particularly channel. It's likely just a case of broadcaster having the marked the aspect ratio incorrectly in their stream (or they're using some brain dead way of stretching the content to widescreen).

If you want to supply a short sample recording, I'm happy to check it out for you.

[Graham]

... no apparent way to correct when recording while away.

F7 only affects playback and it does apply to all channels. For digital recordings such as an ATSC over the air channel into a tuner via an antenna, NextPVR does little more than copy the broadcast stream into the recording file. NextPVR does not do anything with aspect ratio during recording.

Were the shows originally braodcast in 4:3 and they are being stretched and distorted to fit in a 16:9 screen?

[Graham]

If you want to supply a short sample recording, I'm happy to check it out for you.

Oi matey ... it's bad enough that you are constantly interrupting our California colleague ... I hope that you are not going to get into the same habit with me.

[sub]

It's my specialty

[sub]

Were the shows originally braodcast in 4:3 and they are being stretched and distorted to fit in a 16:9 screen?

Yeah, I'm guessing the broadcaster is doing something dumb like this. We've seen it a few times in the past. You never get it with big mainstream channels, but all bets are off when it comes to the lesser used subchannels.

[rlknpvr]

The "stretching" issue occurs on the one channel when viewing or recording using NPVR, but does not occur when viewing with "HDHomeRun View" on the same computer.

Have already submitted inquiry to COZI TV, but no response.

[sub]

The "stretching" issue occurs on the one channel when viewing or recording using NPVR, but does not occur when viewing with "HDHomeRun View" on the same computer.

If you use another player, to compare a recording from NextPVR, to a recording from HDHomeRun View, you'll find they look exactly the same. ie, they're both just recording a dump of the original broadcast stream, and not manipulating the aspect ratio of the recording in any way.

Its possible something about the channel is causing it to display incorrectly in NextPVR (ie, playing back a recording, or watching live). The recording itself will be fine though. If that is the case, I'm happy to take a look at a sample recording, to see why it's displaying incorrectly in NextPVR. (it may be related to something called AFD)