HTPC query - not sure if this is the right place though??

[Per]

A mate of mine has given me a hard drive with loads of films on it. I have just ripped 47 films (dvd copies not blu rays) to my HTPC. Some are in 16:9 format, but some are coming up in 3:2 or 4:3 both of which leave large black borders around the picture. Is there any setting I can work on to change this or is it (as I suspect) limited by the data that is copied - if the copy I was given is 4:3, then it will display this way, no matter what I do?

Cheers

Per

[northan]

pirated films
It's been a long time since I had a 4:3 format film, I do have some older films in this format, but my tv takes care of it with smart stretch.
Why did you friend record them in this format, was it for space saving techniques?
My suspicions is it's hard coded now, no matter what you do. I guess your tv could smart stretch it.
BTW what format is the films in and what size is a typical film?

[Per]

(01-25-2011 08:43 PM)northan Wrote:   pirated films
It's been a long time since I had a 4:3 format film, I do have some older films in this format, but my tv takes care of it with smart stretch.
Why did you friend record them in this format, was it for space saving techniques?
My suspicions is it's hard coded now, no matter what you do. I guess your tv could smart stretch it.
BTW what format is the films in and what size is a typical film?

Pirated - never, just copied for own use!

Will check format but file sizes 1.8 to 2.4mb, so not large at all.

Not sure about smart stretch - my TV is on auto, and when I swapped to 16:9 just to check it, it stayed as a 4:3 picture.

Cheers

Per

[northan]

Sorry didn't mean to use such a strong word as pirate
Dealer sir, no sir, smoke it for my own use sir
Does the tv have widescreen zoom or something.
In all honesty its only crop, zoom or stretch anyway, its just a stop gap.
Sorry bud

[Per]

I gather that TMT3 which I am using does have a 'smart stretch' facility that converts 4:3 video to 16:9, but I haven't found where the setting is - yet.

[ali_g]

(01-25-2011 10:27 PM)Per Wrote:  I gather that TMT3 which I am using does have a 'smart stretch' facility that converts 4:3 video to 16:9, but I haven't found where the setting is - yet.

This thread might help, it looks like there is a setting in another piece of software you run. About half-way down the page might help.

[Per]

(01-26-2011 04:33 PM)ali_g Wrote:  

(01-25-2011 10:27 PM)Per Wrote:  I gather that TMT3 which I am using does have a 'smart stretch' facility that converts 4:3 video to 16:9, but I haven't found where the setting is - yet.

This thread might help, it looks like there is a setting in another piece of software you run. About half-way down the page might help.

Do you mean this bit?

when you say a 'smaller' size--do you mean that it puts additional black bars on top & bottom so it looks like it's 'smaller'?

If so, I ran into the exact same issue a while back--and then I realized it was because my resolution was set to 1024x768 (or any other non-16:9 resolution). If TMT3 detects a non-16:9 resolution, it assumes it needs to add the additional letterbox bars.

Setting my VMC monitor to a Television & 720p resolved it for me.



My resolution is set to 1080p as my TV nad PJ are both 1080p, and the films I have thatI have copied to my HTPC are all copied in the highest resolution. I will look at this, but its not an ideal solution if all other films off the HTPC come out at a lower resolution than I like.

Cheers

Per

[Per]

Here's an odd thing....

If I play one of the films on my HTPC, it is in a 4:3 ratio, but having downloaded DivX/MPEG4/DX-50 codec for my PC, which has a 4:3 screen, I can chose the aspect ratio and display the film in 16:9 or custom, why can't I do this with TMT3? Or am I missing a setting somewhere? Maybe I should download the codec on to my HTPC so the films are properly handled?

For example, Snakes on a Plane shows as a 4:3 image via my HTPC,but when the hard drive is plugged in to my PC, I can see that in 16:9. The resolution is stated to be 720 x 576, which should default to widescreen, right?

Some of the other films include Ironman 2, which on the HTPC is stated as 720 x 432, but it shows fine as 1.85:1 (not 16:9, as it has the black bars across the top, which I am fine with - my PJ screen is 16:9, but the films generally are 1.85:1)

Any thoughts?

Cheers

Per

PS - pictures of the elusive HTPC will be posted up when I have this headache sorted out.

[dunks517]

(01-27-2011 02:57 PM)Per Wrote:  Here's an odd thing....

If I play one of the films on my HTPC, it is in a 4:3 ratio, but having downloaded DivX/MPEG4/DX-50 codec for my PC, which has a 4:3 screen, I can chose the aspect ratio and display the film in 16:9 or custom, why can't I do this with TMT3? Or am I missing a setting somewhere? Maybe I should download the codec on to my HTPC so the films are properly handled?

For example, Snakes on a Plane shows as a 4:3 image via my HTPC,but when the hard drive is plugged in to my PC, I can see that in 16:9. The resolution is stated to be 720 x 576, which should default to widescreen, right?

Some of the other films include Ironman 2, which on the HTPC is stated as 720 x 432, but it shows fine as 1.85:1 (not 16:9, as it has the black bars across the top, which I am fine with - my PJ screen is 16:9, but the films generally are 1.85:1)

Any thoughts?

Cheers

Per

PS - pictures of the elusive HTPC will be posted up when I have this headache sorted out.

Per, I bite my thumb at you Sir for having the audacity to watch recently released movies in SD on your projector, HD versions are available...

[Per]

(01-27-2011 05:20 PM)dunks517 Wrote:  

(01-27-2011 02:57 PM)Per Wrote:  Here's an odd thing....

If I play one of the films on my HTPC, it is in a 4:3 ratio, but having downloaded DivX/MPEG4/DX-50 codec for my PC, which has a 4:3 screen, I can chose the aspect ratio and display the film in 16:9 or custom, why can't I do this with TMT3? Or am I missing a setting somewhere? Maybe I should download the codec on to my HTPC so the films are properly handled?

For example, Snakes on a Plane shows as a 4:3 image via my HTPC,but when the hard drive is plugged in to my PC, I can see that in 16:9. The resolution is stated to be 720 x 576, which should default to widescreen, right?

Some of the other films include Ironman 2, which on the HTPC is stated as 720 x 432, but it shows fine as 1.85:1 (not 16:9, as it has the black bars across the top, which I am fine with - my PJ screen is 16:9, but the films generally are 1.85:1)

Any thoughts?

Cheers

Per

PS - pictures of the elusive HTPC will be posted up when I have this headache sorted out.

Per, I bite my thumb at you Sir for having the audacity to watch recently released movies in SD on your projector, HD versions are available...

But not for free......

Nic and I have agreed that if the films are worth getting asHD copies, then that's what we'll..... eventually