Playback Aspect Ratio Inconsistency Error May 2019

Plex Players Smart TVs
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1

Server Version#:1.15.4.993
Player Version#:<Samsung Smart Hub 2.012>
Player Version#:<Web 3.97.4>

I’m trying to pin down and resolve an issue with playback using Plex DVR on my Synology DiskStation.

Info:

Using Plex DVR, some recordings are 480p and others are 480i, so it would seem that the Plex DVR is deciding which format, though I see nowhere to set it to one format or the other in the settings, and I had not configured such choice.

I also have MP4 recordings from other sources which indicate 480p or simply “SD”.

Issue:

During playback, some of these 480p/I/SD recordings will fill up the whole screen on my TV, while others will be centered and not fill the screen(leaving black space on sides and above/below the video). This occurs on both the Smart TV and on two Windows 10 computers both using the Web App’s player.

I’ve found some older threads regarding this issue, however the fix/update has seemingly long since been released, and perhaps not for my TV. My TV states that I have the most current version of the app installed(v. 2.012 for Samsung Smart Hub). This thread has images that are representative of my issue: https://forums.plex.tv/t/samsung-smart-tv-aspect-ratio-is-wrong-with-plex/221485/36

So, I’m unsure of how to solve this issue and request some support.

2

Fills entire screen during playback:
Recorded using Plex DVR on Synology 1019+

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<MediaContainer mediaTagVersion="1555951837" mediaTagPrefix="/system/bundle/media/flags/" librarySectionUUID="########" librarySectionTitle="TV Shows" librarySectionID="2" identifier="com.plexapp.plugins.library" allowSync="1" size="1">
<Video title="The Demise of the Debutante" librarySectionTitle="TV Shows" librarySectionID="2" updatedAt="1556863195" addedAt="1556845262" originallyAvailableAt="2019-05-02" duration="3600128" grandparentThumb="/library/metadata/188/thumb/1556845262" thumb="/library/metadata/190/thumb/1556863195" year="2019" lastViewedAt="1557099882" viewOffset="95000" parentIndex="7" index="4" summary="Father Brown uncovers secrets, hypocrisy and murder at a finishing school for young ladies." contentRating="TV-PG" parentTitle="Season 7" grandparentTitle="Padre Brown, Detetive" parentKey="/library/metadata/189" grandparentKey="/library/metadata/188" titleSort="Demise of the Debutante" type="episode" librarySectionKey="/library/sections/2" guid="com.gracenote.onconnect://episode/EP017254570074" grandparentRatingKey="188" parentRatingKey="189" key="/library/metadata/190" ratingKey="190">
<Media id="195" duration="3600128" videoProfile="main" origin="dvr" mediaGrabStatus="complete" mediaGrabDevice="device://tv.plex.grabbers.hdhomerun/########" mediaGrabBeginsAt="1556859600" channelIdentifier="022" optimizedForStreaming="0" videoFrameRate="NTSC" container="mpegts" videoResolution="480" videoCodec="mpeg2video" audioCodec="ac3" audioChannels="2" aspectRatio="1.78" height="480" width="704" bitrate="6755">
<Part id="195" size="1809642692" duration="3600128" key="/library/parts/195/1556863193/file.ts" videoProfile="main" optimizedForStreaming="0" container="mpegts" requiredBandwidths="3671,3671,3671,3671,3671,3671,3671,3671" packetLength="188" deepAnalysisVersion="3" file="/volume1/TV Shows/Padre Brown Detetive (2013)/Season 07/Padre Brown Detetive (2013) - S07E04 - The Demise of the Debutante.ts" exists="1" accessible="1">
<Stream id="402" index="0" height="480" width="704" bitrate="3091" requiredBandwidths="3097,3097,3097,3097,3097,3097,3097,3097" displayTitle="480i (MPEG2VIDEO)" streamIdentifier="256" scanType="interlaced" refFrames="1" profile="main" pixelAspectRatio="40:33" level="8" frameRate="29.970" colorRange="tv" closedCaptions="1" chromaSubsampling="4:2:0" chromaLocation="left" bitDepth="8" anamorphic="1" codec="mpeg2video" streamType="1"/>
<Stream id="404" language="English" index="1" bitrate="383" requiredBandwidths="384,384,384,384,384,384,384,384" displayTitle="English (AC3 Stereo)" streamIdentifier="257" codec="ac3" streamType="2" samplingRate="48000" audioChannelLayout="stereo" languageCode="eng" channels="2" selected="1"/>
<Stream id="405" language="Español" index="2" bitrate="191" requiredBandwidths="192,192,192,192,192,192,192,192" displayTitle="Español (AC3 Stereo)" streamIdentifier="258" codec="ac3" streamType="2" samplingRate="48000" audioChannelLayout="stereo" languageCode="spa" channels="2"/>
<Stream id="403" index="0" bitrate="3091" requiredBandwidths="3097,3097,3097,3097,3097,3097,3097,3097" displayTitle="Unknown (EIA_608)" streamIdentifier="256" codec="eia_608" streamType="3" embeddedInVideo="1"/>
</Part>
</Media>
<Extras size="0"> </Extras>
</Video>
</MediaContainer>

Also Fills Entire Screen On Playback:
Set Top DVR recording, later recorded to DVD, and later still ripped from the DVD to MP4, and now resides on the media server

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<MediaContainer mediaTagVersion="1555951837" mediaTagPrefix="/system/bundle/media/flags/" librarySectionUUID="########" librarySectionTitle="Other Videos" librarySectionID="5" identifier="com.plexapp.plugins.library" allowSync="1" size="1">
<Video title="Disc 0004 Thirteen Ghosts (19--) 1h22m08s" librarySectionTitle="Other Videos" librarySectionID="5" createdAtTZOffset="0" createdAtAccuracy="epoch,local" chapterSource="media" updatedAt="1556868597" addedAt="1556841962" originallyAvailableAt="2019-05-02" duration="4933429" art="/library/metadata/129/art/1556868597" thumb="/library/metadata/129/thumb/1556868597" year="2019" lastViewedAt="1557101092" summary="" type="movie" librarySectionKey="/library/sections/5" guid="com.plexapp.agents.none://########?lang=xn" key="/library/metadata/129" ratingKey="129">
<Media id="129" duration="4933429" videoProfile="main" has64bitOffsets="0" audioProfile="lc" optimizedForStreaming="1" videoFrameRate="NTSC" container="mp4" videoResolution="sd" videoCodec="h264" audioCodec="aac" audioChannels="2" aspectRatio="1.85" height="346" width="348" bitrate="463">
<Part id="129" size="285579091" duration="4933429" key="/library/parts/129/1556839629/file.mp4" videoProfile="main" has64bitOffsets="0" audioProfile="lc" optimizedForStreaming="1" container="mp4" requiredBandwidths="480,468,468,468,468,468,468,468" deepAnalysisVersion="3" file="/volume1/Other Videos/########/Stream Optimized 0001 to 0050/Disc 0004/Disc 0004 Thirteen Ghosts (19--) 1h22m08s.mp4" exists="1" accessible="1">
<Stream id="257" height="346" width="348" bitrate="296" requiredBandwidths="320,308,308,308,308,308,308,308" displayTitle="SD (H.264)" streamIdentifier="1" refFrames="4" profile="main" pixelAspectRatio="20:11" level="40" hasScalingMatrix="0" frameRate="29.970" colorTrc="bt709" colorSpace="smpte170m" colorRange="tv" colorPrimaries="smpte170m" chromaSubsampling="4:2:0" chromaLocation="left" bitDepth="8" anamorphic="1" index="0" codec="h264" default="1" streamType="1"/>
<Stream id="258" bitrate="167" requiredBandwidths="161,161,161,161,161,161,161,161" displayTitle="Unknown (AAC Stereo)" streamIdentifier="2" profile="lc" index="1" codec="aac" default="1" streamType="2" samplingRate="48000" channels="2" selected="1"/>
</Part>
</Media>
<Extras size="0"> </Extras>
</Video>
</MediaContainer>

Fills screen horizontally but not vertically:
Set top DVR recording, later recorded to PC as MP4 using video capture cable, now resides on media server

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<MediaContainer mediaTagVersion="1555951837" mediaTagPrefix="/system/bundle/media/flags/" librarySectionUUID="########" librarySectionTitle="Other Videos" librarySectionID="5" identifier="com.plexapp.plugins.library" allowSync="1" size="1">
<Video title="Spring in Park Lane" librarySectionTitle="Other Videos" librarySectionID="5" createdAtTZOffset="0" createdAtAccuracy="epoch,local" updatedAt="1557064464" addedAt="1557058580" originallyAvailableAt="2019-05-04" duration="5716983" art="/library/metadata/367/art/1557064464" thumb="/library/metadata/367/thumb/1557064464" year="2019" lastViewedAt="1557064457" viewCount="1" summary="" type="movie" librarySectionKey="/library/sections/5" guid="com.plexapp.agents.none://########?lang=xn" key="/library/metadata/367" ratingKey="367">
<Media id="284" duration="5716983" videoProfile="high" has64bitOffsets="0" audioProfile="lc" optimizedForStreaming="0" videoFrameRate="NTSC" container="mp4" videoResolution="480" videoCodec="h264" audioCodec="aac" audioChannels="2" aspectRatio="1.78" height="480" width="720" bitrate="2470">
<Part id="284" size="1764824535" duration="5716983" key="/library/parts/284/1556994734/file.mp4" videoProfile="high" has64bitOffsets="0" audioProfile="lc" optimizedForStreaming="0" container="mp4" hasThumbnail="1" file="/volume1/Other Videos/########/Spring in Park Lane.mp4" exists="1" accessible="1">
<Stream id="722" language="English" height="480" width="720" bitrate="2240" displayTitle="480p (H.264)" streamIdentifier="1" refFrames="3" profile="high" pixelAspectRatio="32:27" level="31" hasScalingMatrix="0" frameRate="29.967" colorTrc="smpte170m" colorSpace="smpte170m" colorRange="tv" colorPrimaries="smpte170m" chromaSubsampling="4:2:0" chromaLocation="left" bitDepth="8" anamorphic="1" languageCode="eng" index="0" codec="h264" default="1" streamType="1"/>
<Stream id="723" language="English" bitrate="229" displayTitle="English (AAC Stereo)" streamIdentifier="2" profile="lc" languageCode="eng" index="1" codec="aac" default="1" streamType="2" samplingRate="48000" channels="2" selected="1"/>
</Part>
</Media>
<Extras size="0"> </Extras>
</Video>
</MediaContainer>
3

Does not fill the screen, black “borders” on all sides
Recorded with Plex DVR and resides on media server

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<MediaContainer mediaTagVersion="1555951837" mediaTagPrefix="/system/bundle/media/flags/" librarySectionUUID="########" librarySectionTitle="TV Shows" librarySectionID="2" identifier="com.plexapp.plugins.library" allowSync="1" size="1">
<Video title="Episode 4" librarySectionTitle="TV Shows" librarySectionID="2" updatedAt="1557010825" addedAt="1557010801" originallyAvailableAt="2014-02-19" duration="3601025" grandparentTheme="/library/metadata/335/theme/1557010825" grandparentArt="/library/metadata/335/art/1557010825" grandparentThumb="/library/metadata/335/thumb/1557010825" parentThumb="/library/metadata/336/thumb/1557010825" art="/library/metadata/335/art/1557010825" thumb="/library/metadata/337/thumb/1557010825" year="2014" rating="7.7" parentIndex="1" index="4" summary="The war is nearly over, but Fleming is convinced the Nazis are hiding nuclear plans and that the British need to find them before the Russians. Finally, Fleming is granted permission to go to Germany to attempt to retrieve the plans. He succeeds in tracking down the documents, but comes face to face with The Werewolves (renegade German soldiers who will die before giving up the cause). Back in London, celebrations are underway, but the arrival of peace also means wartime relationships will have to be reassessed. Will Fleming and Ann finally find a way to be together? Moreover, with the war in its final throws, Fleming’s days in Naval Intelligence are numbered – what other ways will he find to channel his ingenuity and imagination?" parentTitle="Season 1" grandparentTitle="Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond" grandparentKey="/library/metadata/335" type="episode" librarySectionKey="/library/sections/2" guid="com.plexapp.agents.thetvdb://########?lang=en" grandparentRatingKey="335" skipParent="1" key="/library/metadata/337" ratingKey="337">
<Media id="268" duration="3601025" videoProfile="main" origin="dvr" mediaGrabStatus="complete" mediaGrabDevice="device://tv.plex.grabbers.hdhomerun/########" mediaGrabBeginsAt="1557007200" channelIdentifier="474" videoFrameRate="NTSC" container="mpegts" videoResolution="480" videoCodec="mpeg2video" audioCodec="ac3" audioChannels="2" aspectRatio="1.33" height="480" width="704" bitrate="2298">
<Part id="268" size="1034598404" duration="3601025" key="/library/parts/268/1557010801/file.ts" videoProfile="main" container="mpegts" requiredBandwidths="4391,4000,2984,2339,2339,2339,2339,2339" packetLength="188" deepAnalysisVersion="3" file="/volume1/TV Shows/Fleming The Man Who Would Be Bond (2014)/Season 01/Fleming The Man Who Would Be Bond (2014) - S01E04 - Episode 4.ts" exists="1" accessible="1">
<Stream id="665" index="0" height="480" width="704" bitrate="2106" requiredBandwidths="4199,3808,2792,2213,2213,2213,2213,2213" displayTitle="480i (MPEG2VIDEO)" streamIdentifier="256" scanType="interlaced" refFrames="1" profile="main" pixelAspectRatio="10:11" level="8" frameRate="29.970" colorRange="tv" closedCaptions="1" chromaSubsampling="4:2:0" chromaLocation="left" bitDepth="8" anamorphic="1" codec="mpeg2video" streamType="1"/>
<Stream id="667" language="English" index="1" bitrate="192" requiredBandwidths="192,192,192,192,192,192,192,192" displayTitle="English (AC3 Stereo)" streamIdentifier="257" codec="ac3" streamType="2" samplingRate="48000" audioChannelLayout="stereo" languageCode="eng" channels="2" selected="1"/>
<Stream id="666" index="0" requiredBandwidths="4199,3808,2792,2213,2213,2213,2213,2213" displayTitle="Unknown (EIA_608)" streamIdentifier="256" codec="eia_608" streamType="3" embeddedInVideo="1"/>
</Part>
</Media>
<Director id="252" tag="Mat Whitecross" filter="director=252"/>
<Extras size="0"> </Extras>
</Video>
</MediaContainer>

Also does not fill the screen, black “borders” on all sides
Also recorded with Plex DVR and resides on media server

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<MediaContainer mediaTagVersion="1555951837" mediaTagPrefix="/system/bundle/media/flags/" librarySectionUUID="########" librarySectionTitle="TV Shows" librarySectionID="2" identifier="com.plexapp.plugins.library" allowSync="1" size="1">
<Video title="Ancient Super Ballistics " librarySectionTitle="TV Shows" librarySectionID="2" updatedAt="1556942426" addedAt="1556942401" originallyAvailableAt="2008-02-11" duration="3601029" grandparentArt="/library/metadata/261/art/1556942426" grandparentThumb="/library/metadata/261/thumb/1556942426" parentThumb="/library/metadata/262/thumb/1556942426" art="/library/metadata/261/art/1556942426" thumb="/library/metadata/263/thumb/1556942426" year="2008" rating="7.0" parentIndex="4" index="3" summary="Since the first time a rock was thrown in anger, mankind has endeavored to deliver larger, deadlier payloads further and faster. ANCIENT DISCOVERIES reveals how the science and technology of ballistics — a seemingly modern, cutting edge technology — actually dates back thousands of years to the ancient world. Using state of the art forensic techniques and the world's leading firearms experts, this groundbreaking show reveals the accuracy, power and range of ancient bullets, rockets and bombs." parentTitle="Season 4" grandparentTitle="Ancient Discoveries" grandparentKey="/library/metadata/261" type="episode" librarySectionKey="/library/sections/2" guid="com.plexapp.agents.thetvdb://########?lang=en" grandparentRatingKey="261" skipParent="1" key="/library/metadata/263" ratingKey="263" lastViewedAt="1557100888" viewCount="1" viewOffset="220000" contentRating="TV-PG">
<Media id="228" duration="3601029" videoProfile="main" origin="dvr" mediaGrabStatus="complete" mediaGrabDevice="device://tv.plex.grabbers.hdhomerun/########" mediaGrabBeginsAt="1556938800" channelIdentifier="126" videoFrameRate="NTSC" container="mpegts" videoResolution="480" videoCodec="mpeg2video" audioCodec="ac3" audioChannels="2" aspectRatio="1.33" height="480" width="720" bitrate="5864">
<Part id="228" size="1527583660" duration="3601029" key="/library/parts/228/1556942401/file.ts" videoProfile="main" container="mpegts" requiredBandwidths="3324,3324,3324,3324,3324,3324,3324,3324" packetLength="188" deepAnalysisVersion="3" file="/volume1/TV Shows/Ancient Discoveries (2003)/Season 04/Ancient Discoveries (2003) - S04E03 - Ancient Super Ballistics.ts" exists="1" accessible="1">
<Stream id="530" index="0" height="480" width="720" bitrate="2740" requiredBandwidths="2977,2977,2977,2977,2977,2977,2977,2977" displayTitle="480i (MPEG2VIDEO)" streamIdentifier="256" scanType="interlaced" refFrames="1" profile="main" pixelAspectRatio="8:9" level="8" frameRate="29.970" colorRange="tv" closedCaptions="1" chromaSubsampling="4:2:0" chromaLocation="left" bitDepth="8" anamorphic="1" codec="mpeg2video" streamType="1"/>
<Stream id="532" language="English" index="1" bitrate="192" requiredBandwidths="192,192,192,192,192,192,192,192" displayTitle="English (AC3 Stereo)" streamIdentifier="257" codec="ac3" streamType="2" samplingRate="48000" audioChannelLayout="stereo" languageCode="eng" channels="2" selected="1"/>
<Stream id="533" language="English" index="2" bitrate="192" requiredBandwidths="192,192,192,192,192,192,192,192" displayTitle="English (AC3 Stereo)" streamIdentifier="258" codec="ac3" streamType="2" samplingRate="48000" audioChannelLayout="stereo" languageCode="eng" channels="2"/>
<Stream id="531" index="0" bitrate="2740" requiredBandwidths="2977,2977,2977,2977,2977,2977,2977,2977" displayTitle="Unknown (EIA_608)" streamIdentifier="256" codec="eia_608" streamType="3" embeddedInVideo="1"/>
</Part>
</Media>
<Extras size="0"> </Extras>
</Video>
</MediaContainer>

Does not fill the screen, black “borders” on all sides
Recorded to set top DVR, then to DVD, and finally ripped to MP4, currently resides on media server

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<MediaContainer mediaTagVersion="1555951837" mediaTagPrefix="/system/bundle/media/flags/" librarySectionUUID="########" librarySectionTitle="Other Videos" librarySectionID="5" identifier="com.plexapp.plugins.library" allowSync="1" size="1">
<Video title="Disc 0068 Dracula Prince Of Darkness (19--) 1h32m49s" librarySectionTitle="Other Videos" librarySectionID="5" updatedAt="1556868652" addedAt="1556841941" originallyAvailableAt="2019-05-02" duration="5575170" art="/library/metadata/14/art/1556868652" thumb="/library/metadata/14/thumb/1556868652" year="2019" summary="" type="movie" librarySectionKey="/library/sections/5" guid="com.plexapp.agents.none://########?lang=xn" key="/library/metadata/14" ratingKey="14" lastViewedAt="1557097940" viewOffset="61261" createdAtTZOffset="0" createdAtAccuracy="epoch,local" chapterSource="media">
<Media id="14" duration="5575170" videoProfile="main" videoFrameRate="NTSC" container="mp4" videoResolution="480" videoCodec="h264" audioCodec="aac" audioChannels="2" aspectRatio="1.33" height="480" width="352" bitrate="395" has64bitOffsets="0" audioProfile="lc" optimizedForStreaming="1">
<Part id="14" size="275305067" duration="5575170" key="/library/parts/14/1556841415/file.mp4" videoProfile="main" container="mp4" requiredBandwidths="465,450,450,450,450,450,450,450" deepAnalysisVersion="3" file="/volume1/Other Videos/########/Stream Optimized 0051 to 0100/Disc 0068/Disc 0068 Dracula Prince Of Darkness (19--) 1h32m49s.mp4" exists="1" accessible="1" has64bitOffsets="0" audioProfile="lc" optimizedForStreaming="1">
<Stream id="27" index="0" height="480" width="352" bitrate="228" requiredBandwidths="304,290,290,290,290,290,290,290" displayTitle="480p (H.264)" streamIdentifier="1" refFrames="4" profile="main" pixelAspectRatio="20:11" level="40" frameRate="29.969" colorRange="tv" chromaSubsampling="4:2:0" chromaLocation="left" bitDepth="8" anamorphic="1" codec="h264" streamType="1" hasScalingMatrix="0" colorTrc="bt709" colorSpace="smpte170m" colorPrimaries="smpte170m" default="1"/>
<Stream id="28" index="1" bitrate="167" requiredBandwidths="161,161,161,161,161,161,161,161" displayTitle="Unknown (AAC Stereo)" streamIdentifier="2" profile="lc" codec="aac" streamType="2" samplingRate="48000" channels="2" selected="1" default="1"/>
</Part>
</Media>
<Extras size="0"> </Extras>
</Video>
</MediaContainer>
4

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