Yes, that’s one way to get the bars. Maybe I was reading more into this then actually stated but I took it that a lot of content was displaying this way (didn’t actually say that however). To me this type of content is limited these days and I’d be surprised if it made up a significant portion of the library to worry/complain about.
I guess we need more info.
It does not have both. Usually its the top/bottom or left/right bars.
Should Plex at least have the features that is available in VLC?
I am not talking about all 4 sides, in most cases its Top/Bottom black bars.
I am saying that people should be given the option to decided if the want the black bars or not.
Why is the basic aspet ratio adjustment or a fit to screen(not zoom but fit to screen) not in the settings in plex?
Seem like a very basic feature that is the standard even with free software.
Got ya. Yes that’s just something you will need to get used to. The movie/show has a different aspect ratio then your TV.
This used to bug me a lot early on. I darkened the area around my first HD TV so I didn’t notice it as much. Basically created an illusion of not being able to see the black bars. Now it’s just “typical” as I’ve become used to it.
I keep upsizing TVs so it bothers me less and less as my TVs grow in size. Once I hit 75" it really didn’t bother me much at all anymore.
BTW, what new TV did you get?
So you want to chop off the left and right sides of the picture just so all the pixels on your screen light up?
FWIW, most of the widescreen TVs I’ve had came with an aspect ratio toggle (stretch, fill, auto, etc). Why spend $5000 on a TV without this feature that you seem so keen to have?
I have to vote on something that should be obvious common sense? Look at Popcorn hour media tanks, look at VLC, and other video players and streaming boxes. Its the standard way that video players are done.
Do you have to vote on a car having round wheels instead of square blocks?
I speak for the common man who wants to actually use 100% of this TV screen not some snob hollywood producer who decides to film in a weird aspect raitio that looks like garbage any normal flat screen TV.
Everyone is asking like its all or nothing. That we all have to do it or none of us can do it.
Just put an option for it and you can even have it off by default.
However I spent like a hour looking for it last night after installing plex on my new TV and was shocked I could not find it.
Come to think about it, may have tried plex a number of years ago but ended up uninstalling it. Now I remember why, it was because of the lack of aspect ratio control and basically a " fit to screen " option that I have with my other devices.
Do a Focus Group with a test setup and show people the letter box with the black boxes on the top/bottom then show them something in full screen and I bet you that a majority of people will want it full screen.
I seriously doubt it. But it’s time for me to move on…
Hi Brian,
I get that you’re upset, something is clearly not working at optimum capabilities. This could be a plethora of things; SmartTV app settings, the type of device you’re using, etc. For example, I have a 4K ready TiVo Bolt and the PLEX app worked fine with most of my content, but there were a handful of movies and various TV shows that produced the same issue that you came to the forums with. I was unable to find a solution to the issue on my Bolt, and considering that I don’t have a SmartTV yet, I had to find another device to watch on. Enter PS4.
Since I’ve been using my PS4 for my PLEX content, the issue hasn’t happened. So, if you cannot find a specific solution in the settings for the app, the device you are using to stream your content, try and see if the functionality of the app meets your needs on another device.
In the future, try to take a few deep breaths and really compose yourself before shitting on a really, REALLY good product like PLEX. These folks have been very good to us over the years and the devs work extremely hard on the services and applications they provide. Best of Luck with troubleshooting your issue.
Truly,
Dan Solo
Actually you don’t speak for the common man using Plex.
Most of us want to experience the video as it was produced and the way the director filmed it in all it’s glory regardless of aspect ratio.
We want it to look the same as if we saw it in a movie theater. Nothing removed or cropped or stretched or anything else.
If it was shot grainy or shot dark (think batman) we want to watch it this way as it was envisioned, directed and produced.
Now if you’re talking older content that hasn’t been redone then that may be another story. There are many older shows and movies that don’t look bad stretched a bit horizontally and clipped vertically to fit your screen but it’s “hit or miss”. It’s best to play with the media itself (a copy) to get it to look the best for you.
But I think you’ll find that most people viewing modern media will want to see it AS IS regardless of bars so they experience it the way it was produced. I know I do.
Plex isn’t trying to be VLC. No more than a Honda Civic needs to be a Jeep Wrangler. VLC is a Swiss army knife of playback. I’m sure there are hundreds of features VLC has that you don’t care about at all. They are two different things. Plex is not trying to have a million buttons like Kodi or VLC. The only reason I mentioned VLC is so others here stop acting like you are a crazy person for wanting it.
Yes, if you actually want it. What is “common sense” to the bunch of folks who were arguing with you originally is not to zoom/crop/stretch or other wise alter a movie.
To be clear I am not trying to convince you that your want is a good idea or a bad one. You want what you want and that is fine.
Options are over rated. And those bars are there because the director wanted them there (or your tv isn’t the right aspect ratio for the content). Like I said, watch some YouTube videos on the subject and educate yourself, these ratios are often used with purpose (as I’ve already stated)
And there are still movies that use the academy ratio (standardized ratio used since the 30’s). For example, First Reformed (2018) did.
If you really want “no black bars” you should have took that $5000, bought a projector and shone it on a wall, then you wouldn’t have noticed.
Sorry this topic did derail a bit.
p.s. I suggest you use TV’s zoom feature if you want to see it full screen.
