6.5.13 Bug - Playback of HDTV Recordings Has Bad Aspect Ratio - HD200 & HDMI

[FreshOne]

After installing 6_5_13 BETA on the server, all my HDTV recordings (both 1080i and 720p) are now displaying vertically squished on my HD200 when played back in Extender mode. There are black bars on the top and bottom of the content, even though the recordings are HD 16x9 broadcasts. The HD200 is connected via HDMI to my HDTV.

The same HDTV recording files play back with the correct aspect ratio (they have no black bars on top and bottom) when played back on the HD200 in Standalone mode.

Changing the Aspect Ratio from Source to Fill makes the content display normally and fill the entire screen, but this has to be done every time you playback any HD material.

NOTE: I did upgrade the firmware on the HD200 to the 20090403 version BEFORE upgrading the server. But after upgrading the firmware I played back several HDTV recordings in Extender mode and they played back normally. It was only after applying the 6_5_13 upgrade to the server that this issue started.

I already filed a BETA bug report, but just wanted to make potential upgraders aware of the issue.

RESOLVED - HD200 had Aspect Ratio set to 4:3. I cannot explain this, as I have NO 4:3 TVs, and I am very sure I had already set the Aspect Ratio to 16:9 on the HD200 while in Extender mode.

[rerooks]

Yes. I have the same problem.

[FreshOne]

Originally Posted by rerooks

Yes. I have the same problem.

I am curious if you are using HDMI as well ????

I am pretty sure I had the same issue in 6_5_12 beta, but only with component cables (HDMI was fine).

[rerooks]

I use component cables.

[rerooks]

Let me correct myself, it is on 6.1.12. I am going to upgrade to 6.1.13 tomorrow.

[adamwh]

I'm not having any problems with recordings (HD and SD) and aspect ratio, but I'm still having problems with ripped DVDs playing back correctly. The Dvds are ripped to Video_TS folders. I have source set as default aspect ratio, and I get 4:3 dvds stretched to fill the 16x9 frame, and 16x9 dvds are squished vertically. It takes a cycle through the aspect ratios back to source to get 4x3 showing correctly, but menu item highlights don't take into consideration the new size and are offset as if the frame were still 16x9. I have to set 16x9 dvds to Fill to display properly. And unfortunately none of it is remembered when it changes titles (as in titles on the same disc, such as from menu to main program). The aspect ratio of the same dvds played back through SageTV on the server computer display and switch correctly when set to source.

This is an HD200 connected via HDMI and set to 1080p with no resolution switching.

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by adamwh

I'm not having any problems with recordings (HD and SD) and aspect ratio, but I'm still having problems with ripped DVDs playing back correctly. The Dvds are ripped to Video_TS folders. I have source set as default aspect ratio, and I get 4:3 dvds stretched to fill the 16x9 frame, and 16x9 dvds are squished vertically. It takes a cycle through the aspect ratios back to source to get 4x3 showing correctly, but menu item highlights don't take into consideration the new size and are offset as if the frame were still 16x9. I have to set 16x9 dvds to Fill to display properly. And unfortunately none of it is remembered when it changes titles (as in titles on the same disc, such as from menu to main program). The aspect ratio of the same dvds played back through SageTV on the server computer display and switch correctly when set to source.

This is an HD200 connected via HDMI and set to 1080p with no resolution switching.

You say "default" aspect ratio, do you mean "Source"? and how are you setting yor aspect ratio? Are you doing it while playing back a DVD?

[adamwh]

Originally Posted by paulbeers

You say "default" aspect ratio, do you mean "Source"? and how are you setting yor aspect ratio? Are you doing it while playing back a DVD?

I've set "Source" as the default aspect ratio in the aspect ratio menu. When playing back a DVD, it thinks it's in Source, but the aspect ratio is not correct. Pressing the aspect ratio button on the remote cycles next to Fill which fixes 16x9 DVDs. Cycling around back to Source fixes 4x3 DVDs although with the aforementioned menu highlight mismatch. And the changes all revert when it plays the next title on the disc (ie, going from menu to main feature, or from episode to episode on a multi-episode disc).

All other media seems to be displaying correctly without adjustment of the aspect ratio.

[gplasky]

Have you confirmed you are running tje latest beta firmware on the hd200 (20090403) and the latest version on the server (6.5.13) ?

Gerry

[adamwh]

Latest firmware and server version. Updated both on Saturday.

[adamwh]

Just tested out the dvd playback in standalone mode on the HD-200 with the same result, so I'm going to try backtracking the firmware (I skipped over a few to the current one) this evening.

[Texas-Hansen]

Any one have any luck fixing this issue?

I noticed it last night on a DVD, where during playback it would randomly switch back and forth between a letter box style screen and full screen...even though the Aspect Ratio was set to Source. I'm running a HD200 with beta firmware 20090403 0 and my SageTV Server software is beta V6.5.13 via HDMI.

Thanks

[reggie14]

Is there an update on this issue? I think it's a firmware issue, not a server issue. I'm running a H200 on the release version of SageTV 6.5. It worked fine until I updated the firmware to 20090403. After doing that I noticed standard definition TV was horizontally stretched when I had the AR set to source, and widescreen HD TV was vertically compressed. I think its sort of like the H200 thinks I had a 4:3 TV hooked up. I checked the settings and made sure it was set for a 16:9 TV. I'm connected via component cables, which might be relevant based on other comments here. Right now I'm rolling back off of the beta firmwares to see if that helps.

Update: Sure enough, rolling back to the latest release version of the firmware resolved the issue. Is Sage aware of this issue?