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[raym]

Looking good.  A couple of comments based on a 2.35:1 bluray movie presented on a 16:9 screen (1920x1080) - using EVR for now:-

1/ "Crop black bars 2.35" still leaves a small 5-10 pixel high black bar at the top and bottom of the screen.  Zooming 2-3% fills it.

2/ What's the diff b/w this option and "Crop"?

3/ The preserve aspect ratio check box appears to have no effect -it's not un-checkable

4/ The options presented in the OSD appear to be a subset of those available in the "Window" context menu. Is this intentional?

5/ There doesn't appear to be any way to set a global default aspect ratio anymore. Is the idea all playback will assume no cropping by default and changes will be stored on a per video basis? I think this would be ok.

Thanks.

[Matt]

Here's a wiki:
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Video_Playback_Aspect_Ratio

As for #1, I think there are a wide variety of aspect ratios used.  2.40 is common.  The Fighter DVD is about 2.0.

If there are widely used ratios we're missing, we can add to the list.

[Hendrik]

Stupid question, but how exactly does that help me on a 16:9 screen?

Let say I have a Blu-ray being 2.35:1, obviously it has black bars on top/bottom.
Now those get cropped. However, the image still cannot be made "bigger", because it already fills the full available width of the screen?

The only real use i can see is if you have one of those 21:9 cinema screens.

[Matt]

Stupid question, but how exactly does that help me on a 16:9 screen?

There are two parts to this answer.

The first is that we weren't really trying to add new features with this work.  Instead, we were making the existing options more flexible, understandable, and universally available.  For example, you've always been able to do some black bar cropping with DVD but not with other video types.  And previously all modes were a single list, but this is a little confusing.  You might have an anamorphic lens but still need to correct the aspect ratio of a certain video.

As for how 'Crop Black Bars' helps if you're watching at 16:9, it doesn't unless you're willing to crop away some of the video to remove the black bars.  If you were watching in a little window or in Standard View > Playing Now with a wide display area, you might get black bars on all four sides and using this feature tells the program it doesn't have to do this.

As an aside about aspect ratios, I'm bitter that they finally convinced me to switch every display I own to 16:9 or 16:10 and now a lot of the best looking content is even wider so I still have black bars!

[Hendrik]

I wish more directors would create full 16:9 content, it looks so much better.
I'm reluctant to even consider getting such a 21:9 screen, because there is still alot of content around that is full 16:9, and black bars on the side are meh too.

[fitbrit]

I wish more directors would create full 16:9 content, it looks so much better.
I'm reluctant to even consider getting such a 21:9 screen, because there is still alot of content around that is full 16:9, and black bars on the side are meh too.

Agreed. Some people argue that you see more on the sides with a wider aspect ratio: I see it as you're getting less above and below. I believe that the movies are shot in 4:3 or 16:9 and then cropped to produce the ultra-wide images we're used to - what a waste!

[Hendrik]

Well Cinemas have those ultra-wide aspect ratios, but no reason not to give us at home the full image!

[raym]

Here's a wiki:
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Video_Playback_Aspect_Ratio

As for #1, I think there are a wide variety of aspect ratios used.  2.40 is common.  The Fighter DVD is about 2.0.

If there are widely used ratios we're missing, we can add to the list.

Maybe it was a 2.40 movie. I'll double check. I think this should make the OSK list too.

[Matt]

I think this should make the OSK list too.

Next build:
Changed: Added the aspect ratio of 2.40 to the list of choices for Crop Black Bars.

[raym]

Thanks Matt. By OSK I meant OSD, of course.

[raym]

One thing I didn't see in the wiki is what's the default? MC used to allow u to set a global aspect ratio. Is the default now no cropping / source aspect ratio for all videos and are the settings made video specific?

I'd like a way to say "no cropping" (for example) for all videos but store the crop settings on an individual basis.

[Matt]

Is the default now no cropping / source aspect ratio for all videos and are the settings made video specific?

Yes.

Most of the settings are video-specific, so don't make sense as a global setting.  Anamorphic may be the one exception, but we'll wait and see if anyone asks for it.

[raym]

Great!  Thanks again.

This has been a hot topic for me because I'm about a month or two away from buying a projector for my man cave. Deciding on a scope vs 16:9 screen was a tough one. I'm 90% decided on 16:9 since the room will be used for HDTV and gaming as well.

[raym]

Next build:
Changed: Added the aspect ratio of 2.40 to the list of choices for Crop Black Bars.

Doesn't appear as an option in the OSD   Could it be added there too please? 

Maybe it was a 2.40 movie. I'll double check.

It was!

[glynor]

Most of the settings are video-specific, so don't make sense as a global setting.  Anamorphic may be the one exception, but we'll wait and see if anyone asks for it.

That would make sense if someone has a fancy-pants projector with a fancy-pants lens.

I sure don't, and I have a pile of projectors, so...   

[raym]

Yeah and presumably, the fact that not all aspect ratios appear in the OSD is aimed at trying to minimize clutter. Perhaps those anamorphic options should be hidden given they are for very special cases.

2.40 and all other popular scope/widescreen formats should be supported.

[Matt]

Yeah and presumably, the fact that not all aspect ratios appear in the OSD is aimed at trying to minimize clutter.

There are hundreds of possible combinations of settings.  The OSD just tries to present a few of the common ones.

[raym]

There are hundreds of possible combinations of settings.  The OSD just tries to present a few of the common ones.

Agree 100%. Hopefully you consider 2.40 to be common enough though ;-)