Aspect Ratio Problems on Window Media Player

[RhythmDoctor]

I have a bunch of MPEG TV shows recorded at 352x480 pixel resolution (as recommended on digitalFAQ.com). The playback should be at 4:3, or 640x480. In other words, the pixels are rectangular.

On one computer Windows Media Player 9 refuses to play back these files at 4:3. The video is too tall and skinny. WMP seems unable to recognize the display aspect ratio, and will only play back at the file's aspect ratio.

On another computer, with no additional codecs or other software that I can detect, the exact same file played on Windows Media Player 9 shows up properly at 4:3 aspect ratio. This file is playing from the other computer's hard drive through the network, and it plays fine.

I tried upgrading the problematic machine to WMP10, but same problem, so I rolled back to WMP9. (For some reason I like 9 better than 10.)

Any suggestions? Please do not suggest other software. I've tried a bunch of other players, and for this I keep coming back to WMP. I just can't figure out why it plays fine on one machine, but not the other.

I also do not want to transcode to 640x480. For me 352x480 is a good compromise between quality (limited by broadcast reception) and file size, and I can burn quickly to DVD without the need to transcode. 640x480 resolution is not DVD compatible without transcoding. 704x480 or 720x480 are DVD compatible, but give the opposite problem on WMP - the picture is wider than 4:3 aspect ratio.

[Krispy Kritter]

Do you have all of the latest updates?

See if this helps: http://www.zachd.com/pss/pss.html#aspect

[RhythmDoctor]

Thanks for the GREAT information! For once, I have some information on what may be causing the problem.

Unfortunately, here's the irony: The Microsoft KB article says that SP2 will solve my problem. Well, the computer that has the aspect ratio problem (my home desktop machine) is running SP2. On the other hand, the machine that is displaying the correct 4:3 aspect ratio (my company's laptop, playing the same file through WiFi) is actually running SP1, since my company's IT department has not yet certified SP2! Interestingly enough, my company has started rolling out SP2, so it will be interesting to see if the upgrade to SP2 causes the problem.

Any ideas about this?

[johns0]

If you installed any software such as nero or ulead then its own decoder will be used to play the mpg files,use mplayer2 to play a mpg and the goto mplayer2/files/properties/advanced and see what filters are being used.

If you see any named nero or ulead etc then that prog is screwing up the aspect ratio.

[RhythmDoctor]

Sorry to sound naive, but what is mplayer2?

[johns0]

Do a search on your computer for it.

[junkmalle]

C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\mplayer2.exe

Old version of WMP.

[RhythmDoctor]

OK, I followed your direction, and it's using Roxio software to decode the video. I use DVDBuilder a lot, so I'd rather not uninstall Roxio. How can I make it NOT use the Roxio stuff, and use the default stuff instead? Is there a registry tweak I can make?

[RhythmDoctor]

I am still having aspect ratio problems, and would greatly appreciate any help you can provide.

My laptop (which plays the video at the correct aspect ratio under WMP) is using Intervideo software to decode the video. (I used MPLAYER2.EXE to verify this, as suggested above.)

My desktop (which insiste on playing the video at 352x480 under WMP) is using Roxio software to decode the video. I installed Intervideo's WinDVD4, in hopes that the Intervideo software would "take over" my system, but that did not fix the problem.

How can I force WMP to use the Intervideo MPEG2 decoder? Is there a registry tweak I can do?

[junkmalle]

I don't have any newer versions of WMP but they have a similar option:

From mplayer2.exe select View -> Options. On the Formats tab select the "Windows video file (AVI)" line. Press OK. mplayer2.exe should now be the default AVI player.

If that doesn't work open My Computer, select Tools -> Folder Options. Go to the File Types tab. Scroll down the list until you find Extension type AVI, hilite the line. Press the Change button and select the program you want to use to open AVI files. Or you can press the Delete button. This will remove the association between AVI files and any players. The next time you try to play an AVI by (double) clicking on it you will get a dialog that lets you select the program to play that type of file. Included in that dialog is a line that says something like "Always use this program to open this type of file" -- mark that checkbox and pick the player you want to use.

If even that doesn't work check the Roxio player. It may have an option in it's settings to "reclaim" file associations. That option allows the program to force itself as the AVI player if some other program takes the association away from it. Turn that setting off and repeat the above steps.

[RhythmDoctor]

Sorry, I guess I did not make myself clear. (Just in case, please read all the messages I have posted in this thread.)

The issue is not file associations. It is that Windows Media Player (version 9 or version 2) plays back the video at the wrong aspect ratio. I routinely override the file associations by simply dragging the .mpg file onto the icon of whatever player I want to use. (Different players are better for different things, depending on whether/how I want to skip around to different parts of the video, etc. So file associations do not really matter to me.

The problem I am having is that WMP (version 9 and version 2) is using the embedded Roxio video decoder when it plays back. This is what is causing the problem. The video plays fine on my laptop, which uses Intervideo's decoder embedded within the WMP container.

Although I have been able to bring up a dialog box that tells me which video and audio decoders are being used when WMP plays back MPEG2 videos, I have been unable to find any dialog box that allows me to specify a different decoder. That is what I would like to do.

[paulwilko]

I have exactly the same issue as above. Please help

Cheers

Paul