[Info-vax] [OT] Audio and video technology, was: Re: getting pixel dimensions of monitor

[Simon Clubley]

On 2013-02-04, AEF <spamsink2001 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Feb 3, 8:50 am, hel... at astro.multiCLOTHESvax.de (Phillip Helbig---
> undress to reply) wrote:
>>
>> The numbers come from trial and error.  Using them on a different
>> monitor sometimes results in stretched images, so the ratio is probably
>> not the same.  Is there some standard way to find out what the ratio
>> really is?  (Probably not, otherwise one could set it on the fly.)
>
> Uh oh, another case of aspect-ratio disease! Phillip, I wish you luck
> on your endeavor to eradicate this instance of the disease. But it's a
> plague. I've even seen TV's (LG's) with the picture over-stretched!
> That means it would have fit as is but was somehow stretched even
> more.
>

The information Phillip needs is encoded in the EDID structure on modern
monitors. On a modern OS (ie: Linux) that information is read automatically
and the graphics controller configures itself as required; there are no
aspect ratio problems at the native resolution.

On a TV (or LCD monitor running at a non-native resolution) stretching is
a user defined setting in the device. You are looking for the setting on
the device which talks about preserving the original aspect ratio.

Personally, I think stretched pictures look horrible. I always playback
using the original aspect ratio.

BTW, I don't know what it's like in the US, but here in the UK, the 4:3
aspect ratio is considered to be legacy in many respects and 16:9 is the
standard for devices and new TV productions. That means the only time I
ever encounter possible aspect ratio issues is when playing back DVDs
with old programs on them; all the modern stuff is 16:9.

> All this modern whiz-bang technology and there are ridiculous
> problems. For example, syncing picture with sound, a problem solved by
> the movie industry ca. 1930, is now a problem again. OK, I better stop
> here.
>

I agree, but the degree to which it's a problem depends on the encoders
in use. I use mencoder when I rip DVDs for playback on a portable device
and some audio codecs have major sync problems, and some have no real
problems at all.

Simon.

-- 
Simon Clubley, clubley at remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Microsoft: Bringing you 1980s technology to a 21st century world