[mythtv-users] Burned to DVD, plays 4:3 in DVD players, but 16:9 in MythTV, how do I get it letterboxed?

Stuart Morgan stuart at tase.co.uk
Thu Jul 21 09:06:55 EDT 2005


On Thu 21 July 2005 13:23, ffrr wrote:
> In MythTV the DVD disc plays in 16:9 (with black bands above and below
> on my PC monitor).  I want it to play this way on a normal TV and DVD
> player too, i.e. to play letterboxed like most commercial DVDs do on
> that same equipment.
>
> Can anyone suggest what I need to change?

OK ... stretching my mind a little, a DVD can come in a couple of formats - 
Pan&Scan and Letterbox. Pan&Scan will take a 16:9 format but show it at 4:3 
with cropping on a normal TV. Letterbox shows it with horizontal black bars. 
*

Although this ability is enabled on the DVD it is usually controlled by the 
DVD player. Check the options for your standalone player just for interest.

Alternatively you can pass options to dvdauthor to disable pan&scan mode thus 
forcing the player to use letterbox. Do dvdauthor --help and look at the 
--video= options.

i.e. dvdauthor -o DVD --video=nopanscan 1.mpg

* I'm no expert on this subject and there is more to the subject of DVD aspect 
ratios but I think this should answer your question.
-- 
Stuart Morgan


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