[mythtv-users] myth video settings

[Yan-Fa Li]

Stephen Tait wrote:

> 
> However, I'm unsure as to what your problems with AVI's is. I have quite 
> a few old rips that I haven't redone yet that are still in AVI (as well 
> as some cartoons off the net), and have never had a problem with aspect 
> ratio, although I use Xine FWIW.
> 

 From the mplayer documentation:

<quote>
One important feature of MPGs is that they have a field to describe the 
aspect ratio of the video stream within. For example SVCDs have 480x480 
resolution video, and in the header that field is set to 4:3, so that it 
is played at 640x480. AVI files do not have this field, so they have to 
be rescaled during encoding or played with the -aspect option.
</quote>

This is a problem specifically with 16:9 formatted material.  There is 
more than one aspect ratio.  The two most common being 1.85:1 and 2.35:1 
for movies in letterbox format.  AVI apparently is unaware of this 
distinction.  I even have one disc, 24 season 1, that is formatted 
1.78:1 or something odd like that.

Many thanks for responding though.  The search continues.  Maybe Xine is 
smarter and actually works out the ratio based on the dimensions of the 
encoding.  Mplayer has to be told for AVI.

Yan