Custom Aspects/Resolutions on HD Extender?

[bialio]

So the letterbox aspect ratio that Stanger posted is :

=Letterbox|source=2048,2048,4096,3072,
FrontEdgeToCenter,FrontEdgeToCenter,
Relative,Relative,Relative,Relative

The only change from the default is the 3072 value in the height field. If I am interpreting this correctly, what this rule says in plain English is to display the source image using only 3072/4096 (3/4) of the height. I'm guessing that the "FrontEdgeToCenter" means that the 3/4 that is used is centered on the image (in other words remove 1/8 from the top and 1/8 from the bottom). If you remove 1/4 of the height a 4:3 image you get a 16:9 image. Which is what this aspect ratio does.

Is that right?

[bialio]

=VStretch|source=2048,2048,4096,3072,
FrontEdgeToCenter,FrontEdgeToCenter,
Relative,Relative,Relative,Relative|blackstrip=0,0;

Assuming that the original source format is 16:9, the first part of this (same as letterbox) will yeild a 2.37:1 image with black bars on top and bottom.

Will the addition of blackstrip=0,0 here cause the 2.37:1 image to stretch vertically so as to eliminate the black bars?

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by bialio

So the letterbox aspect ratio that Stanger posted is :

=Letterbox|source=2048,2048,4096,3072,
FrontEdgeToCenter,FrontEdgeToCenter,
Relative,Relative,Relative,Relative

The only change from the default is the 3072 value in the height field. If I am interpreting this correctly, what this rule says in plain English is to display the source image using only 3072/4096 (3/4) of the height. I'm guessing that the "FrontEdgeToCenter" means that the 3/4 that is used is centered on the image (in other words remove 1/8 from the top and 1/8 from the bottom). If you remove 1/4 of the height a 4:3 image you get a 16:9 image. Which is what this aspect ratio does.

Is that right?

Yeah, basically the x,y,w,h are centering in x and y, width and height. They're basically a scaled integer, with 0 being 0 and 4096 being 1.0.

blackstrip tells the extender how much black it can add to the image, so yes, I'd say blackstrip=0,0 would cause Sage to chop the top/bottom off but not add any bars (ie vertical stretch).

Still trying to get to the bottom of what exactly FrontEdgeToCenter etc are, though my guess is that yes, they define basically where x,y,w,h operate on the image.

[pez]

Originally Posted by Opus4

Did you check the custom resolution & AR FAQs before posting?

It was already in the custom resolution FAQ from the beginning, but I added it to the AR post early this morning.

- Andy

I stand corrected. I must have missed it based on the information overload I was experiencing.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Still trying to get to the bottom of what exactly FrontEdgeToCenter etc are, though my guess is that yes, they define basically where x,y,w,h operate on the image.

From some testing I did, here is what I added to the HD100's AR FAQ a little while ago:

Originally Posted by Opus4

Here is what I think those position modes mean:

The FrontEdge prefix specifies an origin coordinate (0,0) at the top-left corner & the RearEdge prefix's origin is the bottom-right corner.

For the rest of the position mode name, this is what I noticed: Adding ToCenter causes the (width,height) to be centered on the (x,y) coordinate, with half on either side of the coordinate. Adding ToBorder caused the entire (width,height) to be added from the (x,y) coordinate towards the other side of the screen from the position mode's origin point.

If anyone finds different results, please say so.

- Andy

[bialio]

Andy - if you have access, and are able to, could you share the scaling parameters for the 4 built in modes? I think it would help understand some of the parameters.

btl.

[bialio]

Originally Posted by bialio

=VStretch|source=2048,2048,4096,3072,
FrontEdgeToCenter,FrontEdgeToCenter,
Relative,Relative,Relative,Relative|blackstrip=0,0;

Assuming that the original source format is 16:9, the first part of this (same as letterbox) will yeild a 2.37:1 image with black bars on top and bottom.

Will the addition of blackstrip=0,0 here cause the 2.37:1 image to stretch vertically so as to eliminate the black bars?

Turns out this doesn't quite work. Adding blackstrip does remove the black bars, but it isn't stretching - it just zooms in so the left and right hand side of the picture get chopped off.

I can't figure out how to get it to scale the outcome of the source parameter to take up the entire screen without black bars......

btl.

[appelm]

I have my HD extender set up as 1280x720p at the moment and I'm not super thrilled with that as its not using 1:1 pixel mapping on the monitor. My plasma's (NEC 42xr3) native resolution is 1365x768. The TV has DVI input but not HDMI so I am using an HDMI->DVI cable. Is there any way to get the HD extender to use a custom HDMI resolution of 1365x768 @60hz? Its not clear to me how to do this from the FAQ as its not one of the specified HDMI resolutions.

When I had my PC connected to this plasma, I was able to use the nvidia control panel and set the pc to 1365x768 (see this thread http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...61#post7184461).

Thanks,
Marc

[stanger89]

Try something like this:

extender_resolution_extra_modes=1366x768p@60|standard\=VESA_1366x768x60

[CyRex]

I created a 'Pillarbox' aspect ratio that I thought I would share. Some of the programs I have been recording via my HDHR has black / gray bars on each side. This aspect ratio will remove the bars and stretch the image to fill the screen.

Pillarbox|source\=2048,2048,3048,4096,FrontEdgeToCenter,FrontEdgeToCenter,Relative,Relative,Relative,Relative|blackstrip\=0,0|cutstrip\=0,0

Thanks to stanger and Opus for posting and explaining the syntax for custom aspect ratio's. They are a very powerful and useful tool once you know how to use them (not that I do... )

-Dan

Edit: This actually stretches the image a bit more than necessary. Some of the programs I tried this on still had thin strips of black / gray on one side. You can tweak the third value (3048) to your liking. To cut off less from each side of the picture, increase the value.

[appelm]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Try something like this:

extender_resolution_extra_modes=1366x768p@60|standard\=VESA_1366x768x60

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, this didn't work. My tv won't sync when I select this resolution (using 1365x768).

[electronics4lif]

Originally Posted by CyRex

I created a 'Pillarbox' aspect ratio that I thought I would share. Some of the programs I have been recording via my HDHR has black / gray bars on each side. This aspect ratio will remove the bars and stretch the image to fill the screen.

Pillarbox|source\=2048,2048,3048,4096,FrontEdgeToCenter,FrontEdgeToCenter,Relative,Relative,Relative,Relative|blackstrip\=0,0|cutstrip\=0,0

Thanks to stanger and Opus for posting and explaining the syntax for custom aspect ratio's. They are a very powerful and useful tool once you know how to use them (not that I do... )

-Dan

Edit: This actually stretches the image a bit more than necessary. Some of the programs I tried this on still had thin strips of black / gray on one side. You can tweak the third value (3048) to your liking. To cut off less from each side of the picture, increase the value.

I sure hope this works. This was the last thing I think I needed to tweak to get my HDHR programs to my liking. I'll report back if it worked.

[hemicuda]

Originally Posted by stanger89

This one will crop/expand letterbox content.

advanced_aspect_ratio_extra_modes=Letterbox|source\=2048,2048,4096,3072,FrontEdgeToCenter,FrontEdgeToCenter,Relative,Relative,Relative,Relative

thanks. works well. I just need to tweak the values a bit. it crops a little of the actual video.

[electronics4lif]

Originally Posted by CyRex

I created a 'Pillarbox' aspect ratio that I thought I would share. Some of the programs I have been recording via my HDHR has black / gray bars on each side. This aspect ratio will remove the bars and stretch the image to fill the screen.

Pillarbox|source\=2048,2048,3048,4096,FrontEdgeToCenter,FrontEdgeToCenter,Relative,Relative,Relative,Relative|blackstrip\=0,0|cutstrip\=0,0

Thanks to stanger and Opus for posting and explaining the syntax for custom aspect ratio's. They are a very powerful and useful tool once you know how to use them (not that I do... )

-Dan

Edit: This actually stretches the image a bit more than necessary. Some of the programs I tried this on still had thin strips of black / gray on one side. You can tweak the third value (3048) to your liking. To cut off less from each side of the picture, increase the value.

Works perfectly. Thanks!

[electronics4lif]

I am having trouble getting 2 custom aspect ratios to show up correctly. I tried separating them by a semi colon. When a semi colon is used, no custom ARs show up. I then tried a colon. This only lets one show up. Any one get 2 custom ARs to show up on their HD extender?

[carlgar]

I have 2 custom ARs and they both work fine. The semi colon is the correct separator. Here is the line I have in the file:

advanced_aspect_ratio_extra_modes=Letterbox|source\=2048,2048,4096,3151,FrontEdgeToCenter,FrontEdgeToCenter,Relative,Relative,Relative,Relative;Pillarbox|source\=2048,2048,3048,4096,FrontEdgeToCenter,FrontEdgeToCenter,Relative,Relative,Relative,Relative|blackstrip\=0,0|cutstrip\=0,0

Be sure you have word wrap turned off when editing the file.

[electronics4lif]

Originally Posted by electronics4lif

I am having trouble getting 2 custom aspect ratios to show up correctly. I tried separating them by a semi colon. When a semi colon is used, no custom ARs show up. I then tried a colon. This only lets one show up. Any one get 2 custom ARs to show up on their HD extender?

I forgot to mention that I was using SageMC. I reverted back to SageMC 6.3.5 and it is working correctly now (except for the modes text being cut off on the selection screen).

[bialio]

Works fine for me in SageMC. I have two additional one's defined on both of my 100's.

btl.

[popechild]

Thanks guys, this is awesome info. I have a couple of questions about how this all works though... (I'm using SageMC, so some of it could be specific to that, but I wouldn't think so).

1) (When watching a dvd) The custom aspect ratios that I define don't show up when I hit the Options/Aspect Ratio route on the remote - I still just get Source, Fill, Zoom A and Zoom B. I have to hit Up on the remote to get a little menu that lets me select Aspect Ratio, then the custom ratios are listed in that list. Any idea why they don't show up using the Options route?

2) When I go the Up/Aspect Ratios route where I can see all the options, including the custom ratios, there's an "Edit Current" option which lets me change the zoom width/height on any of the aspect ratios (just like you can do on the server), but it doesn't actually seem to do anything, at least not when I changed the Zoom A or Zoom B options. Anybody know what this is there for?

[bialio]

The "Edit Current" works if you are using the server or a full client. The HD Extender doesn't support editing AR's on the fly.

As far as the first question, I think the others are there, you just have to scroll down to see them (there is no indicator that it's a scrollable list! - but it is!)

btl.