WMP Aspect Ratio w/ Streaming Video

[Howard Knight]

Hello,

I'm trying to watch NASA "HD" with WMP (see this link:
http://www.nasa.gov/55644main_NASATV_Windows.asx). Problem is, the aspect
ratio is wrong. If you click "File->Properties" it shows 720x480 resolution.
However, it's playing it at 640x480 and the video is squished horizontally.

I'm using WMP 11.0.6002.18311.

Any suggestions?

Howard

[VanguardLH]

Post by Howard Knight
Hello,
http://www.nasa.gov/55644main_NASATV_Windows.asx). Problem is, the aspect
ratio is wrong. If you click "File->Properties" it shows 720x480 resolution.
However, it's playing it at 640x480 and the video is squished horizontally.
I'm using WMP 11.0.6002.18311.
Any suggestions?
Howard

When played in WMP11, I get 720x480. Maybe you configured WMP to squash
a video to the current/stored window size of WMP instead of making WMP
resize to the video's size.

Look under the View -> Video Size menu. Which option do you have
selected? Perhaps the "Fit Video to Player on Resize"? I have that one
deselected and instead have "Fit Player to Video on Start" selected.

[Howard Knight]

Post by VanguardLH

Post by Howard Knight
Hello,
http://www.nasa.gov/55644main_NASATV_Windows.asx). Problem is, the aspect
ratio is wrong. If you click "File->Properties" it shows 720x480 resolution.
However, it's playing it at 640x480 and the video is squished
horizontally.
I'm using WMP 11.0.6002.18311.
Any suggestions?
Howard

When played in WMP11, I get 720x480. Maybe you configured WMP to squash
a video to the current/stored window size of WMP instead of making WMP
resize to the video's size.

There's a way to configure it to squash the video?

Post by VanguardLH
Look under the View -> Video Size menu. Which option do you have
selected? Perhaps the "Fit Video to Player on Resize"? I have that one
deselected and instead have "Fit Player to Video on Start" selected.

The only thing I have checked is "100%". I tried checking the other things,
quitting and restarting. No matter what is checked or unchecked, the video
aspect ratio is 4:3.

Howard

[VanguardLH]

VanguardLH wrote ...

Post by VanguardLH

Post by Howard Knight
http://www.nasa.gov/55644main_NASATV_Windows.asx). Problem is, the aspect
ratio is wrong. If you click "File->Properties" it shows 720x480 resolution.
However, it's playing it at 640x480 and the video is squished horizontally.
I'm using WMP 11.0.6002.18311.

When played in WMP11, I get 720x480. Maybe you configured WMP to squash
a video to the current/stored window size of WMP instead of making WMP
resize to the video's size.

There's a way to configure it to squash the video?

Post by VanguardLH
Look under the View -> Video Size menu. Which option do you have
selected? Perhaps the "Fit Video to Player on Resize"? I have that one
deselected and instead have "Fit Player to Video on Start" selected.

The only thing I have checked is "100%". I tried checking the other things,
quitting and restarting. No matter what is checked or unchecked, the video
aspect ratio is 4:3.

Well, you already [indirectly] said the video was recorded at that
aspect ratio. You said you looked at the File -> Properties menu. What
does it show there for the aspect ratio?

Try the following. Start playing the video. Make sure WMP's window is
larger than the video so you have a border around it (default is black
but you can change the color under Tools -> Options -> Performance ->
Advanced). While the video is playing, drag an *edge* of WMP's window.
Not a corner but an edge. Drag the top or bottom window edge to reduce
the size of WMP's window. Reduce the height of WMP's window so not only
do you eliminate any border around the video but you also have a window
that is smaller than the current height of the video. Does the video
automatically resize horizontally to maintain the 4:3 aspect ratio?
With a reduced height, the video should reduce width to maintain the
aspect ration. Now drag the left or right edges of WMP's window (to
eliminate any border so the window is smaller than the video). Does the
video's height reduce to maintain the aspect ratio?

What's the resolution for your screen? Is it larger than the video's
size (plus the window for WMP)?

[Howard Knight]

Post by VanguardLH

Post by Howard Knight
The only thing I have checked is "100%". I tried checking the other things,
quitting and restarting. No matter what is checked or unchecked, the video
aspect ratio is 4:3.

Well, you already [indirectly] said the video was recorded at that
aspect ratio.

Again, the resolution is 720x480...That [indirectly] indicates 3:2 aspect
ratio. The video is played at 4:3 (640x480).

Post by VanguardLH
You said you looked at the File -> Properties menu. What
does it show there for the aspect ratio?

It says, "Unknown".

Post by VanguardLH
Try the following. [Lots of instructions and suggestions snipped]

_Nothing_ I've tried playes the video in the proper (3:2) aspect ratio.

Please, go check the video again and let us know if you see the same thing.

Howard

[VanguardLH]

VanguardLH wrote ...

Post by VanguardLH
Well, you already [indirectly] said the video was recorded at that
[4:3] aspect ratio.

Again, the resolution is 720x480...That [indirectly] indicates 3:2 aspect
ratio. The video is played at 4:3 (640x480).

And, again, the aspect ration of the *recording* was 4:3.

Post by VanguardLH
You said you looked at the File -> Properties menu. What does it
show there for the aspect ratio?

It says, "Unknown".

When I play the video, it shows as "4:3". The following is what I see
under File -> Properties when playing this video in WMP 11 on Win XP:

Length: 2:00:00
Bit rate: 696 Kbps
Media type: Picture
Video size: 720 x 480
Aspect ratio: 4:3
Audio codec: Windows Media Audio 9.2
96 kbps, 48 kHz, stereo (A/V) 1-pass CBR
Video codec: VC-1
Advanced Profile (WVC1)
Location: http://www.nasa.gov/55644main_NASATV_Windows.asx

For info on the VC-1 (WVC1) codec, see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VC-1
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/howto/articles/vc1techoverview.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/howto/articles/codecadvancedsettings.aspx

I have to wonder if the codecs you installed are corrupted or deficient.
You only install codecs from known sources, correct? You NEVER just
install them because some site wants you download whatever codec (which
contains code) on your host, correct? You configured WMP to *never*
automatically download codecs, right? When a site says it needs a
codec, one, you decide if you will use it on another site and, two,
decide if you absolutely need a proprietary codec at just the one site.
Rather than get whatever code they want to shove on your host, and if
you choose to install the codec, you should be going to the author's
site to obtain the codec, not get whatever a site wants to shove onto
your host.

At this point, I'd uninstall WMP and reinstall it. At one time, some
codecs came separately of WMP and you found the download at Microsoft's
site (I think that was WMP 9, or earlier) but now WMP comes with the
codecs included in the install (except for oddball ones or those
Microsoft doesn't want to support).

To uninstall, go into the Add/Remove Programs applet. Also uninstall
Quicktime (real or alternative versions) and Real players as those will
replace some codecs and usually try to steal the filetype associations.
Then reinstall just WMP 11 from:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=1d224714-e238-4e45-8668-5166114010ca

If you don't want to do the uninstall and reinstall, you could try
stepping atop the current codec(s) by installing just the codecs from:

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/windows_media_video_vcm.htm

You do so at your own risk. I don't the trustworthiness of this site or
the sources of the code they provide for download.

You never mentioned WHICH version of Windows you use. Since you
mentioned WMP 11, I assumed you are using Windows XP (home, pro, etc)
and whether the 32- or 64-bit version.

[Howard Knight]

Post by VanguardLH

VanguardLH wrote ...

Post by VanguardLH
Well, you already [indirectly] said the video was recorded at that
[4:3] aspect ratio.

Again, the resolution is 720x480...That [indirectly] indicates 3:2 aspect
ratio. The video is played at 4:3 (640x480).

And, again, the aspect ration of the *recording* was 4:3.

That may be true (not sure why it shows "Unknown" on my machine. I will
email NASA to see if they can broadcast it at the proper aspect ratio (as it
turns it, it should be 16:9). I was hoping that WMP could display it at a
given aspect ratio like many other media players do. Alas, it is becoming
clear that it's not possible.

Post by VanguardLH

Post by VanguardLH
You said you looked at the File -> Properties menu. What does it
show there for the aspect ratio?

It says, "Unknown".

When I play the video, it shows as "4:3". The following is what I see
Length: 2:00:00
Bit rate: 696 Kbps
Media type: Picture
Video size: 720 x 480
Aspect ratio: 4:3
Audio codec: Windows Media Audio 9.2
96 kbps, 48 kHz, stereo (A/V) 1-pass CBR
Video codec: VC-1
Advanced Profile (WVC1)
Location: http://www.nasa.gov/55644main_NASATV_Windows.asx

Mine shows the same except it says "Unknown" for the aspect ratio.

I have not installed any third part codec packs. I'm running 32-bit Vista
Home Premium on a laptop. I've installed the latest updates, blah blah.

I'll check WMP 12 to see if it has an aspect ratio setting. Also, I'll try
to contact NASA about their stream.

Howard