Aspect Ratios - native or stretch to fit?

12Bass · May 3, 2012, 03:27 AM

Curious to know what people think about displaying video which has an aspect ratio which differs from their display.

Roughly speaking, it seems that people gravitate toward two approaches:

1. Stretch image to fit the display (4:3 is stretched horizontally, 2.39:1 is stretched vertically, to fit a 16:9 display)

2. Display all content with native aspect ratio, non-native content viewed either in letterbox or pillarbox.

DeathKnight · May 3, 2012, 09:32 AM

OAR or bust

acroig · May 3, 2012, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathKnight

OAR or bust

+1.

caveman-jim · May 3, 2012, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathKnight

OAR or bust

+2

ASCI Blue · May 3, 2012, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathKnight

OAR or bust

+3

Jaillum Malord · May 3, 2012, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathKnight

OAR or bust

+4

Meteor|WAR · May 3, 2012, 03:14 PM

Whoever chooses stretched should be banned from this forum.

12Bass · May 3, 2012, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meteor|WAR

Whoever chooses stretched should be banned from this forum.

LOL....

mabran · May 3, 2012, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathKnight

OAR or bust

+5

guest · May 3, 2012, 05:26 PM

I prefer images to be displayed in their native aspect ratio with the top and bottom chopped off so it fills up the screen.

12Bass · May 3, 2012, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guest

I prefer images to be displayed in their native aspect ratio with the top and bottom chopped off so it fills up the screen.

Serious cat? A zoomer/cropper.... hmmm..... bet you love windowboxing....

guest · May 3, 2012, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12Bass

Serious cat? A zoomer/cropper.... hmmm..... bet you love windowboxing....

Not me, I'm making fun of my wife... but I think I broke her of it.
But it was probably my fault because...
When I had my rear crt projection screen I actually did that because I didn't want to image burn the tubes. Black bars on the side are not cool with CRT rear projection.

Edit: Yes windowboxing was easily fixed by zooming in on a 4:3 image.. That happened a lot in the early days of HDTV.

12Bass · May 3, 2012, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guest

Not me, I'm making fun of my wife... but I think I broke her of it.
But it was probably my fault because...
When I had my rear crt projection screen I actually did that because I didn't want to image burn the tubes. Black bars on the side are not cool with CRT rear projection.

Ah.... although I prefer native, sometimes I leave the plasma in stretch mode if I think someone else is likely to risk burn in.

guest · May 3, 2012, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12Bass

Ah.... although I prefer native, sometimes I leave the plasma in stretch mode if I think someone else is likely to risk burn in.

I guess that would be another poll. Do you watch video at the correct aspect ratio or do you burn your screen in?

My CRT rear projection had gray side bars to help out with the issue but my OTA ATSC tuner had black side bars and there was no way around it. I started using HDTV 12 years ago when almost everything was still 4:3. I took some pictures of my set when CBS etc were bragging about HDTV, figured it would be a good piece of history.

I don't worry about burn in on the plasma because I didn't pay $6,000 for the set..

Meteor|WAR · May 3, 2012, 06:30 PM

Unless you have a plasma from over 5 years ago (maybe even longer) you probably don't need to worry about burn in after the first month of use.

Redshirt_X · May 3, 2012, 07:38 PM

I did it back in the day with various SD shows I watched on my CRT HDTV, but thankfully I grew out of that...and got away from CRT screens...

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathKnight

OAR or bust

+6.

HiThere · May 3, 2012, 09:33 PM

I never alter OAR, but I use zoom sometimes when cartoon network (one of the networks you don't get in HD on FiOS) airs something in widescreen letterbox and I don't want to watch it with black bars around all sides. Usually, in that situation, I wait for someone to post the 720p keyboard drivers that fix the issue.

Young justice a day late, every week

Zero · May 5, 2012, 12:01 AM

Sometimes, when I go to other people's houses, I change their tvs to OAR

12Bass · May 7, 2012, 04:35 AM

No one wants to volunteer for the rack???

mabran · May 7, 2012, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meteor|WAR

Unless you have a plasma from over 5 years ago (maybe even longer) you probably don't need to worry about burn in after the first month of use.

As long as the contrast is not set to overly strong values. even the old plasmas wouldn't burn in. It's the folks that had it cranked to 100 all the time that would have the majority of the issues.

I had one of the first plasmas many moons ago and never once had burn in (and I monitored stocks and helpdesk apps with static screens) sure the pixel shift tweaks helped for extreme scenarios but too much contrast even on modern sets can burn in (although not likely) I walk into some places and wonder how people can watch the screen with the contrast and brightness kicked so high.

Meteor|WAR · May 7, 2012, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mabran

As long as the contrast is not set to overly strong values. even the old plasmas wouldn't burn in. It's the folks that had it cranked to 100 all the time that would have the majority of the issues.

I had one of the first plasmas many moons ago and never once had burn in (and I monitored stocks and helpdesk apps with static screens) sure the pixel shift tweaks helped for extreme scenarios but too much contrast even on modern sets can burn in (although not likely) I walk into some places and wonder how people can watch the screen with the contrast and brightness kicked so high.

I'm betting its simply a case of these people being uninformed on basic calibration methods and their eyes are untrained for what really looks good and bad. Most people out there believe LCDs set in torch mode with over-saturated color look better than a properly ISF and grayscale calibrated plasma. Most of them think the plasma looks very bland and dim compared to theirs, when in actuality it is more natural looking with more accurate colors and gamma.

Loopy · May 7, 2012, 01:12 PM

OAR only except kids 4:3 programming. My last plasma had bad IR and developed a dark smear where the left hand pillar bar would have started, maybe burn in, maybe not I don't know (and yes it was properly calibrated). Being a little more cautious on the new set and I don't think 2 year olds care if Dora is stretched or not.

.

drumphil · May 7, 2012, 10:53 PM

I gave up a long time ago trying to explain to people why watching 4:3 video in stretch mode was just plain retarded. The sort of person who wants this doesn't want it for technical reasons, and can't be talked out of it with technical reasoning. People can't get past the feeling that something is wrong, because black bars on a 4:3 CRT of the past meant that something was drastically wrong, and they don't understand why some videos don't use all of their big screen that they just paid for.

That's my theory anyway.

Omega53 · May 7, 2012, 11:15 PM

I zoom in as much as possible to distort the image as much as I can

Clockwork · May 8, 2012, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathKnight

OAR or bust

This.

aviphysics · May 8, 2012, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathKnight

OAR or bust

+8

Stingray · May 15, 2012, 04:43 PM

I stretch because I'm afraid to leave burn-in marks.

Is there a danger of that on a 3 YO LCD?

mabran · May 15, 2012, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stingray

I stretch because I'm afraid to leave burn-in marks.

Is there a danger of that on a 3 YO LCD?

I would say there is no danger. Burn in really is not a problem anymore and a 3 year old set should not suffer from what the first generation of sets did many years ago.

The only time I have seen burn in even on the old sets is when they are 100% in torch mode with contrast maxxed out and not very watchable by any stretch of the imagination.

DeathKnight · May 16, 2012, 12:01 AM

About the worst you'll get is some slight image retention if you leave a contrasty or bright static image/element on the screen for hours on end. Black bars don't get burnt in.

Stingray · May 19, 2012, 10:06 AM

Cool, thanks.

View Poll Results: Aspect Ratios - do prefer native or stretch to fit?
I prefer images to be displayed in their native aspect ratio.	35	92.11%
I prefer images to be stretched to fill the screen.	3	7.89%
No preference.	0	0%
Voters: 38. You may not vote on this poll

May 3, 2012, 03:27 AM	#1	Advertisement (Guests Only) Login or Register to remove this ad
12Bass Quantum Bleep Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Earth Posts: 13,545	Aspect Ratios - native or stretch to fit? Curious to know what people think about displaying video which has an aspect ratio which differs from their display. Roughly speaking, it seems that people gravitate toward two approaches: 1. Stretch image to fit the display (4:3 is stretched horizontally, 2.39:1 is stretched vertically, to fit a 16:9 display) 2. Display all content with native aspect ratio, non-native content viewed either in letterbox or pillarbox. __________________ My world is a world of concepts and principles, not a battlefield - "war" is simply the wrong metaphor for where I'm coming from.

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May 3, 2012, 09:32 AM	#2
DeathKnight Rage3D Spammer Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 17,549	OAR or bust __________________ My New Photo Gallery (prints available) Old Gallery

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May 3, 2012, 03:14 PM	#7
Meteor\|WAR Fear is your only god. Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 7,547	Whoever chooses stretched should be banned from this forum.

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May 3, 2012, 05:26 PM	#10
guest Whiny Mooch Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Login Prompt Posts: 23,804	I prefer images to be displayed in their native aspect ratio with the top and bottom chopped off so it fills up the screen.

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May 3, 2012, 06:30 PM	#15
Meteor\|WAR Fear is your only god. Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 7,547	Unless you have a plasma from over 5 years ago (maybe even longer) you probably don't need to worry about burn in after the first month of use.

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May 3, 2012, 09:33 PM	#17
HiThere salty cracker Join Date: Oct 2000 Posts: 7,004	I never alter OAR, but I use zoom sometimes when cartoon network (one of the networks you don't get in HD on FiOS) airs something in widescreen letterbox and I don't want to watch it with black bars around all sides. Usually, in that situation, I wait for someone to post the 720p keyboard drivers that fix the issue. Young justice a day late, every week __________________ This thread is gonna suck.

May 5, 2012, 12:01 AM	#18
Zero Sass hole Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 32,398	Sometimes, when I go to other people's houses, I change their tvs to OAR __________________ Attaching the electrodes of knowledge to the nipples of ignorance since 1980.

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May 7, 2012, 04:35 AM	#19
12Bass Quantum Bleep Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Earth Posts: 13,545	No one wants to volunteer for the rack??? __________________ My world is a world of concepts and principles, not a battlefield - "war" is simply the wrong metaphor for where I'm coming from.

May 7, 2012, 01:12 PM	#22
Loopy Radeon HD 6870 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Halifax Posts: 276	OAR only except kids 4:3 programming. My last plasma had bad IR and developed a dark smear where the left hand pillar bar would have started, maybe burn in, maybe not I don't know (and yes it was properly calibrated). Being a little more cautious on the new set and I don't think 2 year olds care if Dora is stretched or not. . __________________ Life is like a hurricane here in Duckburg....

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May 7, 2012, 10:53 PM	#23
drumphil Rage3D Veteran Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 2,146	I gave up a long time ago trying to explain to people why watching 4:3 video in stretch mode was just plain retarded. The sort of person who wants this doesn't want it for technical reasons, and can't be talked out of it with technical reasoning. People can't get past the feeling that something is wrong, because black bars on a 4:3 CRT of the past meant that something was drastically wrong, and they don't understand why some videos don't use all of their big screen that they just paid for. That's my theory anyway. __________________ Jasef: "I am a lawful man. By serving pee to cops, you support terrorism. I will lock this thread." 12Bass: re: 9/11 nano-thermite conspiracy theory "Nanotermites... turns out it was a spelling error. Also explains the lack of explosions before the collapse." Last edited by drumphil : May 7, 2012 at 10:56 PM.

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May 15, 2012, 04:43 PM	#27
Stingray Banned Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 18,015	I stretch because I'm afraid to leave burn-in marks. Is there a danger of that on a 3 YO LCD?

May 16, 2012, 12:01 AM	#29
DeathKnight Rage3D Spammer Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 17,549	About the worst you'll get is some slight image retention if you leave a contrasty or bright static image/element on the screen for hours on end. Black bars don't get burnt in. __________________ My New Photo Gallery (prints available) Old Gallery

May 19, 2012, 10:06 AM	#30
Stingray Banned Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 18,015	Cool, thanks.

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