16:9 format

[cgilson33]

I have read some threads on here but none that answered my questions yet.

I have cable tv so normally 4:3 pillarbox is best, but some shows are now being broadcast in a boxed in 16:9 ratio.
Basically, having a black frame around the picture (bars on the top and bottom and the sides)

I assumed GBPVR's "fill" setting would correct this but it doesn't
when i use fill it only stretches the picture horizontally, getting rid of the side bars
And "auto" does the same thing

This is actually worse than anything since it stretches the actual images more than if i stretch a normal 4:3 picture

Is there a setting or a way to change this to stretch my image vertically also?

[johnsonx42]

which video renderer are you using? assuming you're using a VMR9 renderer, you should be able to choose the "Remove Letterbox" ratio. If you don't see it when you hit F7, then you're either using Overlay or EVR (which doesn't support aspect ratio settings with the required negative number), or the ratio is missing from your config.xml.

The standard line is: <AspectRatioMode name="Remove LetterBox" ratio="0,-0.125,1,1.125" />

If you do get the Remove Letterbox ratio, and the vertical stretch isn't right, you can tweak the 2nd and 4th values (just keep the decimal portions equal, ie -0.15 and 1.15 or -0.1 and 1.1)

edit: by the way, don't change the values for the Fill mode - that is used to just fill the 16:9 screen with any content that is actually 16:9; likewise Pillarbox is used for 4:3 content.

[cgilson33]

I am using EVR i believe
can I use negatives in EVR?

[johnsonx42]

I am using EVR i believe
can I use negatives in EVR?

no. that's why you don't see the 'Remove Letterbox' option - pvrx2 just skips any <AspectRatioMode> with a negative number when using either EVR or Overlay.

It is apparently a limitation of the renderer, not directly GB-PVR itself. I keep hoping sub will find another way to implement this with EVR, as I would dearly love to use EVR but simply can't give up my custom aspect ratios using negative numbers.

95% of my TV watching is done with such an aspect ratio, and without them my 61" TV would be effectively reduced to about 40" most of the time.

Here's my original thread on the matter, but all you'll really learn there is that there is currently no solution: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=38820

[dennit]

I would dearly love to use EVR but simply can't give up my custom aspect ratios using negative numbers.

When I moved my HTPC to Vista, I switched from VMR9 to EVR, but I haven't really noticed any major difference. What is it about EVR that you would prefer?

[johnsonx42]

When I was running Vista, EVR was the only renderer that gave me tear-free fully accelerated video; it was essentially perfect; I had to give it up to resolve the aspect-ratio issues described in the thread I linked above. I've downgraded to XP since then for other reasons (which turned out to be false, no need to go into that here), and continue to have tearing, de-interlacing problems and little or no hardware acceleration (yes, I've tried myriad video drivers, decoders and video cards to no avail). VMR9 FSE is better (not perfect) but I have external tasks that can't run with FSE enabled, so VMR9 custom is currently my only usable choice.

I've grown used to it, and have more-or-less given up on the idea that I'll ever get what I consider good video quality until I can go back to Vista or Win7 and EVR. I keep hoping my 61" SDTV will just die so I will have a valid reason to buy an widescreen HD set. I could live without the negative-number aspect ratios on a 16:9 set (though Remove Letterbox would be nice on some occaisions).

[cgilson33]

thats why i use evr also (tear free video)
though if i could switch to vmr9 for analog and evr for HD i think that would be great
then i could get the best aspect ratio all the time

[Deusxmachina]

I don't know what GBPVR comes with standard anymore, but there are threads where people have made their own picture settings. You should be able to do it easily enough, but either way you may have to look for those threads. I just copied a few different "zoom" settings people posted and use those. One thread had three posted: +10% zoom, +20% zoom, +30% zoom. Choices like that pretty much takes care of whatever I need.

So, if GBPVR isn't giving you the aspect you want, you can make your own.

[cgilson33]

oh that would be great if it worked
will the zoom work for EVR?
I think i found something that says how to adjust the zoom size in the config.xml but...
Where do i adjust the zoom when i'm watching tv?
and how do i add more than one zoom control (ie 10%, 20% etc)

[johnsonx42]

I searched around for the posts Deusxmachina mentioned; most had to do with setting custom <AspectRatioModes> with negative numbers to get the desired zoom effect, which we already know won't work with EVR.

However, the config.xml does have this section:

Code:

<!-- zoom control -->
  <HorizontalZoom>1.05</HorizontalZoom>
  <HorizontalOffset>0</HorizontalOffset>
  <VerticalZoom>1.03</VerticalZoom>
  <VerticalOffset>0</VerticalOffset>

I gather from other posts that this will zoom all video playback by the amount specified, and then the AspectRatioModes get applied after that. If the Zoom settings work with EVR, then it should be possible to set a large zoom amount (like 1.3) to zoom in as close as you'd ever want, and then tweak the various AspectRatioModes to pull back out by the desired amounts. For testing you could start with something like:

Code:

<AspectRatioMode name="Undo Zoom" ratio="0.165,0.165,0.835,0.835" />

That should undo a HorizontalZoom and VerticalZoom setting of 1.3.

I have no idea though whether the end result would actually be as expected (funny thing about unexpected results... no one ever expects them!).

If you decide to play with this, I'll be very interested in your results.