MVP and Aspect Ratio

[jtokach]

Okay, I've read like 10 different posts on the subject, but I'm still not clear on this.

Can the MVP playback 16:9 MPEG and/or AVI files in widescreen on a 16:9 tv without cropping the sides? I've not gotten this work, so I don't have high hopes, but at least I'll know once and for all!

over and out...

[zehd]

Okay, I've read like 10 different posts on the subject, but I'm still not clear on this.

Can the MVP playback 16:9 MPEG and/or AVI files in widescreen on a 16:9 tv without cropping the sides? I've not gotten this work, so I don't have high hopes, but at least I'll know once and for all!

over and out...

Yes it can play 16:9 AVIs. MPGs will play the way they were recorded.

The 16:9 AVI must be stretched/shrunk and signed with a 16:9 tag. The MVP will enfold the video across your wide screen. a 16:9 AVI will show as 16:9 on a 16:9 TV, No Pillar box or Letterbox needed...

I have written ZProcess to do exactly this. The wide screen feature may not be as documented as other features because not many people are using it that way. But I have purposely written wide into the code, and tested and used the feature a lot...

Try it, and ask questions if needed...

Good luck.

[jtokach]

Zprocess looks promising, but lets begin at the beginning. My 16:9 MPEG and AVI files do not currently fill the screen of my 16:9 tv. From what you're saying, it sounds as though they should. Do I need enable something or change any settings for this to work?

Thanks,

Jim

[zehd]

Zprocess looks promising, but lets begin at the beginning. My 16:9 MPEG and AVI files do not currently fill the screen of my 16:9 tv. From what you're saying, it sounds as though they should. Do I need enable something or change any settings for this to work?

Thanks,

Jim

Disable the GB-PVR service, (install and) enable the Hauppauge software. Reboot MVP.

In the settings change it to 16:9.

Disable Hauppauge, enable GBPVR

Use ZProcess

[jtokach]

Follow ups:

I already have the Hauppauge software on there, but have no idea how old it is. Does this matter, do I need the latest version?

Once I make this change with the Hauppauge software, when I switch my TV from 16:9 to 4:3 to watch video recorded in 4:3, will everything (video and the interface) still appear correctly, or will I need to reverse the process?

In GBPVR under the System>Settings menu there's a "TV Shape" option. Does this have any effect on the MVP?

I would assume that since the Hauppauge software can do this, we should be able to incorporate this into a plugin, however if it would have been easy I suspect someone would have done it by now and that Config would not have this option greyed out. This would be super handy to automate swapping output ratio and the skin (e.g. from Sassari to Nouro) and reboot the MVP. Is this Possible?

Is this documented on the Wiki? If not, I'd be happy to document the process and these FAQs.

I've been looking for a really good front end for FFMpeg and ZProcess looks about right. But I want to separate this until I get some positive results.

[sub]

In GBPVR under the System>Settings menu there's a "TV Shape" option. Does this have any effect on the MVP?

No it doesnt. GB-PVR has no built-in control over the aspect ratio on the MVP.

[jtokach]

Sub, can I get you $0.02 on this:

I would assume that since the Hauppauge software can do this, we should be able to incorporate this into a plugin, however if it would have been easy I suspect someone would have done it by now and that Config would not have this option greyed out. This would be super handy to automate swapping output ratio and the skin (e.g. from Sassari to Nouro) and reboot the MVP. Is this Possible?

[sub]

It couldnt be done via a plugin. In theory I could add this feature, but its so flawed how aspect ratio works on the MVP that its not worth it in my book.

[jtokach]

It couldnt be done via a plugin. In theory I could add this feature, but its so flawed how aspect ratio works on the MVP that its not worth it in my book.

No doubt Hauppauge hasn't made your job any easier.

Would it be possible to add a setting that added side bars to 4:3 source recordings? Not after the fact, we can do that now via re-encoding, but while the recording is happening?

This way, 16:9 tv's with mvp's can be kept in 16:9 and there'd be no need to swap the skin. I would also guess that since the mvp defaults to cropping 16:9 video when the mvp is in 4:3 mode, that these videos would work in all mvp scenarios. (This is my scenario actually: 2 mvp's on 16:9 tv and one 4:3)

[sub]

Would it be possible to add a setting that added side bars to 4:3 source recordings?

No, I literally have no control over this on the MVP.