[mythtv-users] Aspect ratio problem

[Yann Lehmann]

Hello,

Until recently, my MythTV setup consisted of a combined be/fe machine 
(which is also my desktop pc) and several older pcs and laptops as 
frontends. All displays on the frontends have a 4:3 aspect ratio and 
resolution of 1280x1024 or 1024x768.

Recordings are done in sd from analog cable with pvr-cards (1x 500 and 
1x 150). The aspect ratio in the recording profiles was set to 4:3.

All the machines are xbuntu based, most of them still on 8.04, one on 
9.04, MythTV ist on 0.21 (update ist planned).

Sometime ago, I bought a Samsung Plasma TV, which is hd capable, and 
built a new frontend to use with it (Nvidia 8400 GPU with proprietary 
driver). The frontend is connected with a dvi to hdmi cable.

I was able to get the MythTV interface (and the Mythbuntu desktop) being 
displayed with the max resolution of 1920x1080.

My problems are with recordings or live tv.

Though most of the channels I record are broadcasted with an aspect 
ratio of 16:9, I always get black bars on the top and bottom of the screen.

I have tried different settings, the first one being changing the aspect 
ration from 4:3 to 16:9 in all recording profiles, I never got rid of 
the bars.

The same problem appears with a dvd watched with the frontend, but not 
when I watch it with mplayer.

I remember having read threads with similar problems recently, but I 
couldn't find them anymore.

Where should I look after the culprit ?

Tanks in advance for any help
Yann