only getting letterbox mode (1 Viewer)

[chenks]

Area: Media Portal Program
MediaPortal Version: 0.2.0.0 (2006-07-03)
MediaPortal Skin: MCE
Windows Version: Windows XP (SP2)
.NET CLR Version: 2.0.50727
DirectX Version: 4.09.00.0904 (9.0c)
Audio Codec: CyberLink Audio Decoder (PDVD7)
Video Codec: CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD7)
CPU Type: Intel Celeron M 1.50GHz
Memory: 1 GB
Motherboard: i915GMm-HFS (AOpen)
TV Card Model: Nebula DigiTV PCI
TV Card Type: DVB
TV Card Driver: BDA Driver 1.0.36
Video Card Model: Mobile Intel(r) 915gm/gms,910gml Express Chipset Family (128 MB)
Video Card Driver: 6.14.10.4277
Video Card Resolution: 800x600
Video Render Type: -
Audio Card Model: Realtek High Definition Audio
Audio Card Driver: -
Synopsis::

i have my system connected to a widescreen CRT tv (sony 28" trinitron). it is connected via the S-Video output on the PC.

the problem i have is that any widescreen TV program is displayed in letterbox format on the TV (ie black bars on top and bottom).

this could be because the PC thinks it is still running at 800x600 even though no montior is connected and the intel software has detected it is in "TV mode".

how do i get the MyTV to display correctly? possibly anamorphic mode etc. i have tried the various settings in the "aspect ratio" menu but neither of them give the desired result.

i also have the same problem when viewing widescreen Divx movies etc

 

[Nightmare77]

theoritcally because you are running a 4x3 ratio in windows i believe you need to select one of the 2 options i forget which one its stretch or Zoom. Then on your tv it should give you a better aspect ratio on your tv, bare in mind some movies will still have the black bars as not all widescreen movies will fit perfectly still. hope that helps

 

[chenks]

i've tried both those.. and "zoom" does correct the aspect but it zooms right in so i lose quite a bit of the video.

the video files i am playing don't have the black bars on them.

i was hoping MP would have an "anamorphic mode" that corrected it.

guess i will have to try and force the windows resolution to true widescreen to see if that helps. any ideas how i might do that ?

 

[chenks]

i have amended the title of this thread as the problam is not limited just to MyTV, but all video playback.

 

[ronilse]

Hi,
Have you tried to toggle with x keyboard & checked all different view modes?

Regards
Roy

 

[Jetboy]

guess i will have to try and force the windows resolution to true widescreen to see if that helps. any ideas how i might do that ?

I think this will give you the best results. I don't have a clue on how to do this on your Intel graphics card, but on a GeForce you right click your windows desktop, select Properties, Settings tab, then click the Advanced button. There you can probably create custom resolutions.

 

[rtv]

Widescreen or not - your SD-CRT will use 720x576 for PAL
I'm currently investigating this behaviour - from the code it should work but I think the screen calibration causes this..

The letterboxing will only happen on stations which do not use the "full" resolution for their broadcast.

For a workaround try stretch and your TV in 16:9 mode && set the calibration accordingly.

 

[chenks]

my TV is permanently set to stretch 16:9 mode.

i have tested the following

viewing BBC1 on normal TV via aerial
programme is displayed correctly in 16:9

viewing BBC1 on MP
same programme is displayed in letterbox mode with black bars top and bottom

therefore it's not the TV causing the problem... it's MP

now, i have also used Nebula DigiTV software for viewing TV and this also displays the program correctly.. therefore it is only MP that is not displaying it correctly.

stretch mode only seems to strech it horizontally.... and therefore doesn't make any difference to the image.... it doesn't stretch it vertically.

 

[Jetboy]

Widescreen or not - your SD-CRT will use 720x576 for PAL

Yes, that's true but if you set your desktop to a wide resolution like 1024x576, the output will be squeezed into an anamorphic tv-image. The "wide" setting on the tv will then pull the image out to widescreen again.

 

[rtv]

MP behaves 100% correct. I triple checked each aspect ratio when I introduced the 14:9 setting (which in fact uses correct AR but zooms 12,5%)

The proper way for a PAL-Widescreen-CRT is:
1. screen calibration of MP (e.g. 1,25 - you're eyes will fool you!)
2. set TV to 16:9 mode
3. windows resolution must be 720x576@50

4. - MP zoom mode for 16:9 sources is "Normal".
(There are numerous other formats like 16:10 which will show slight borders if not using "stretch")

- MP zoom mode for 4:3 sources is "14:9"
(You won't loose much information but get nearly fullscreen)

^^ This applies only to people which like correct AR of course ;-)