DivX DVD Rip, windows media player problem

[soneman]

Hi, I'm having a slight problem playing DivX AVI files that I've personally ripped from a DVD myself.

What keeps on happening is whenever I try to play a DivX AVI file that I've created from DVD, Windows Media Player plays the AVI file with 2 black borders on the left and right hand side of the video. I tried playing it in another DivX player called Zoom Player and here there are no black borders on the left and right of the video. The black borders are VERY noticeable whenever I switch to full screen mode in Windows Media Player. But, in Zoom Player, the full screen mode has no black borders to the left and right of the screen. Whats going on?

I mean every other DivX AVI file I try to play that I got from friends or downloaded, plays WITHOUT the black borders on the left and right side of the video.

Do I need to download the latest Windows Media Player or something like that? I've got Windows Media Player for Windows XP version 8.00.00.4477, Windows XP Home, 2Ghz Processor, 256 Mb RAM, 40GB HDD, installed SLD Codec Pack version 1.5. Hope that info helps. (I can't upload a screenshot of the problem as I don't know how to take a screenshot of a video file).

A quick reply will be much appreciated.

[Suntan]

Play the video in Zoom, then right click on the picture (to bring up the control pannel) and click on aspect ratio. Is it set to "Disabled (fit to screen)"? If so switch it to "Source Aspect Ratio". Do you get the black bars on the sides now? If so your video is encoded narrower than 4:3. If not, I don't know what the problem is.

-Suntan

[soneman]

There is no control panel in Windows Media Player! I've already tried the zoom function in Windows Media Player before but in full screen mode I still have the same problem. It plays perfectly fine in Zoom Player though. I just wanted to know if it was my Windows Media Player thats causing the problem?

[Suntan]

Let me rephrase the first part of that first sentence: "Play the video in Zoomplayer, then right click on the picture..."

Zoomplayer will automatically fit the video to screen. Go into the aspect ratio control of Zoomplayer and set it to source to see if it is your video or not.... On second thought, If you have already discovered Zoomplayer, why are you still waisting time with WMP? There are reasons why everyone around here thinks it is omplete crap.

-Suntan

[soneman]

So you think I should ditch Windows Media Player?

[monzie]

So you think I should ditch Windows Media Player?

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES ....................................etc

Just forget FOREVER WMP....dont EVER think about it EVER again.

As for Zoomplayer..press the letter 'I' on your keyboard when playing any video file and up will pop the video info (the AR resolution fps etc)..now stretch zoomplayers video box to match the res and AR of the file...this will imediately pinpoint any errors...ensure aspect ratio is turned OFF (set to DISABLED)....you could also match the file info from 'I' and then change the preset to the AR then play fullscreeen.

Zplayer is a superb tool, it makes wmp look silly/stupid/bloated/pointless/junk in comparison (which, of course, it is).