Image is smaller than it should be

[MadSupra354]

If HD DVDs appear fine and sharp on TV why does it look stretched on PC? Here is an example of the same frame in Family Guy in different sizes. Here's what it looks like at 50% (Note all the images where deliberately resized to 720p from 1680x1050)

As you can see, it looks sharp and clear. Now look at it at 100%

You can't really see it, but it starts to look stretched. Now in fullscreen (1680x1050)

Now it looks stretched. How can this look fine at 720p on TV and terrible at about 800x600? Is there a way to fix this?

 

[Tomrdiedrich]

What player are you using for playing the dvd? Have you checked the ratio settings in the player?

 

[MadSupra354]

What player are you using for playing the dvd? Have you checked the ratio settings in the player?

I'm just using Windows Media Player. How would one check the ratio setting?

 

[Tomrdiedrich]

I would try using a more funtional player such as VLC. It is freeware and plays just about everything. Then when using it right click and in the menu go to video i believe then ratio. Media player has given me trouble in the past. When I switched to vlc that cleared up a bunch of my problem right away. Give that a try and post back.

 

[Sardonicus]

Do you have the monitor set to it's highest resolution?
HD looks best when the resolution is set to the highest your monitor will allow.

 

[MadSupra354]

Do you have the monitor set to it's highest resolution?
HD looks best when the resolution is set to the highest your monitor will allow.

Of course

 

[Sardonicus]

Do you have the monitor set to it's highest resolution?
HD looks best when the resolution is set to the highest your monitor will allow.

Of course

The reason why I asked was because you mentioned 800x600.

 

[MadSupra354]

I run the player window at different sizes.

 

[Mike Connor]

They only look "stretched" if something is not set up correctly.

If you take a "snapshot" of HD video, then it is about half the size. The video itself however looks perfect.

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[MadSupra354]

They only look "stretched" if something is not set up correctly.

If you take a "snapshot" of HD video, then it is about half the size. The video itself however looks perfect.

Regards....Mike Connor

The video looks stretched either way. I don't have a full-HD monitor, and I'm not sure if the newer series of Family Guy is 1080p, but it looks stretched when I changed the sizes of the player [Small-Medium-Large] as you can see in the last image, it looks very stretched.

 

[Zepher]

They look the same to me. I took the 2 larger images into Photoshop and they are the exact same aspect ratio.

 

[MadSupra354]

Yea, I agree. In the images, they look fine but the last one gives you an idea.

 

[fseal]

Are you talking about looking scaled? As in it looks blurrier as if it's been scaled up? (Streatched ususaly refers to a change in aspect ratio and the ratios look the same to me in all three)

Is this a DVD or a blueray?

DVDs are only 720x480 pixels (Widescreen or standard) There is no such thing as an "HD" DVD. (Well there was that HDDVD format that died...)

If you scale them up larger than 480 pixels high, they will get blurry... Computer montiors are WAY sharper than TVs and so you can see the sharpness change a lot better than on the TV.

 

[Zepher]

Are you talking about looking scaled? As in it looks blurrier as if it's been scaled up? (Streatched ususaly refers to a change in aspect ratio and the ratios look the same to me in all three)

Is this a DVD or a blueray?

DVDs are only 720x480 pixels (Widescreen or standard) There is no such thing as an "HD" DVD. (Well there was that HDDVD format that died...)

If you scale them up larger than 480 pixels high, they will get blurry... Computer montiors are WAY sharper than TVs and so you can see the sharpness change a lot better than on the TV.

Actually, you will notice it more on a larger HDTV since the pixels are already spaced further apart.

 

[Tomrdiedrich]

I was unaware you were not using the old HD DVD format. Also unaware that your monitor was not HD. Watching a regular DVD on a 800x600(or worse) monitor is not going to hold up to crisp, clear, pure HD video. It does look blurry if one is use to blu-rays and such. Judging from you uploaded screenshots it looks like normal dvd quality 480..

If your tv is 720. That is 1280x720. It is a better screen than 800x600. which is essentially 600i. But playing a 480 dvd should not matter. Unless your tv has a better Dynamic Contrast Ratio than your pc monitor. Reason why manufacturers are giving you the ratio now. The main picture difference between a top end lcd and a low end lcd.

I also used photoshop to measure the screenshots. They are in the same aspect ratio for sure.

I guess I am confused now on what the problem is??

 

[MadSupra354]

I'm running a normal DVD, and thanks everyone for the information.