Handling Aspect Ratio

[#1]

One of the biggest drawbacks of my newly acquired WDTV Live Hub is it's inability to handle the older 4:3 aspect ratio well.

Currently, if you view a video file that is in the 4:3 aspect ratio, this is how is shows up.

The black bars on either side of the video content is output by the WDTV Live Hub as a part of the video signal. Hence tricking the digital TVs to still believe that the signal being fed to it is a 16:9 one. And most newer HDTVs do not allow you very many zoom options when the signal is already 16:9. If the signal is 4:3, all zoom options are made available.

I request you to add a setting in the WDTV Live Hub's Video Output page... when the choice of screen is set to Widescreen, it would be very useful if we could even specify how we want content that is in the 4:3 ratio to be handled... by default.

I recommend having 3 defaults... under a new category called 'Handling 4:3 Content'

1. A 'Stretch To Fit' setting (something that over 90% of the HDTV users currently use as their default):

2. A 'Zoom To Fit' setting (not the best... but preferred by some):

3. Maintain 'Original Aspect' (switch output signal to 4:3 for 4:3 content only):

A request to implement the above to enhance our viewing experience.

Cheers

-A

[#2]

I cannot agree more on this post!!

Almost all of my daughter's Disney movies (DVD Rips) show with black bars aside them as in the first picture. Even worse: some movies are displayed inside a thick black frame (as if my display suddenly shrunk

I sincerely hope that this will be fixed in a FW upgrade as mentioned by Ambrish.

[#3]

I hope this gets done as well!  My Samsung Plasma doesn't have the stretch feature (it follows the HDMI standards to the tee).  I know a lot of models (even Samsung) have the stretch feature,  but my higher costing model apperantly doesn't include it (believe me I've checked). I can only get it to work if I use component HD inputs instead.  HDMI turns the feature off.

PLEASE include a stretch feature in your future firmware.  For us (some Sony Bravia's don't have it either) having the black bars on the sides is annoying.  I watch a lot of this content and sadly I've been using my old Popcorn Hour to watch (which offers the stretch "Fit to Screen").  I'd prefer to get rid of it and use my WDTV Live Hub for everything instead.

[#4]

I am also having problems with the aspect ratio, my Lord Of the Rings DVD set has massive black bars top and bottom, pathetic to watch on the Live Hub....

[#5]

bring this please, switching between widescreen and normal is so stupid. add this option by watching a movie

[#6]

I agree, WD please fix this problem.

[#7]

Please make it an option. I don't like having my programs/movies stretched, and if this became the default with no way to switch back, I would stop using the WD Live Tv.

[#8]

Agreed.  Please make this a feature.  Every DVD player I have owned has had this option.  Although my Widescreen TV does have the option to zoom and stretch, this is a huge inconvenience when exiting the movie to have the main WD Live menu stretched out of proportion.  The constant changing back and forth would be eliminated by this enhancement.  Please bump this to priority.  Thanks.

[#9]

full ack!

[#10]

any news about that ?, miss my old boxee free aspect ratio option...