total media theatre in windows media center--- anyway to expand to full screen?

[jmg]

Tital says it all.. I'm using total media theatre's plug in for Home media center, and it is SEVERELY letterboxed--- like, only using the middle third of the screen. I monkeyed around with the settings, and can't seem to find any way to stretch it to the full screen... am I missing something?
Powerdvd was able to strech to most of the screen (75%), which is fine, but home media center is what I use for everything else, and I really don't want to have to keep a keyboard/mouse around.

Thanks.

[RiseDarthVader]

it's keeping the movie in its original aspect ratio. this is why https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=38161 and if you stretch the image first of all you are ruining the directors vision and second you are lowering the picture quality.

[jmg]

so how do I stretch it out?

Not trying to be a jerk-- I understand what letter boxing and pillars accomplish, but the degree of letterboxing is REALLY severe (like I said, it's using less than a third of the horizontal space of my screen). I really think this is a software issue.. the same movie (latest indiana jones) on my friends dedicated blue-ray player fills almost then entire screen-- perfectly acceptable letterboxing. On my screen, I'd rather watch the DVD version its so bad (which, by the way, does fill almost the entire screen, with some letter boxing, which further leads me to believe that some software issue is involved here. )

[dadkins]

Computer screens are usually 16:10 or 1920x1200
HDTVs are usually 16:9 or 1920x1080(or 1280x720).

16:9 = 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio.
When you play a 2.40:1 Aspect Ratio movie, it will not use all of the vertical.
This is normal and the way you really should watch it.
*IF* you zoom/stretch, you will be cutting off the sides of the movie.
That is not what you should be wanting - might be something over on the side you'll miss.

Search the forums here for Black Bars... it will all be explained.

[jmg]

I understand-- my point is that I think total media is OVER letterboxing it-- the same movie in powerdvd is nowhere near as letterboxed, and the same movie, on the same screen (my HTPC is connected to a 50" plasma), in a dedicated blu ray is not nearly as letterboxed--- I like the letter box-- love it... but not when it cuts out over 2/3 of my screen!!

Is there anything within total media that I can look at?

[dadkins]

What movie is it?
What does the back of the BD case say the Aspect Ratio is?
Your display might be able to zoom in on it... but it will be cutting off the sides when it does.

You can uncheck "Keep aspect ratio" under Video setup.

But no, TMT is not changing anything.

Got Picture?

[RiseDarthVader]

Hmm I think he is getting letterboxing AND pillerboxing. Maybe it isnt upscaling your DVDs and keeping them the same resolution which would make DVD movies apeear as a tiny rectangle in the middle of the screen.

[dadkins]

Originally Posted by RiseDarthVader

Hmm I think he is getting letterboxing AND pillerboxing. Maybe it isnt upscaling your DVDs and keeping them the same resolution which would make DVD movies apeear as a tiny rectangle in the middle of the screen.

If that's the case, then double clicking in the center of the player while running will take it to Maximize.
If the movie is 2.40:1, there will still be Black Bars.

[glogrono]

I don't have the program installed anymore, but I had the same problem when I watched my first bluray. It ended up being a setting that had to do with aspect ratio within total media theater. Unfortunatelly I don't remember what it was since I can't look at the menu.

[jmg]

by the way, there was definitly something weird going on.
When I opened up the very same movie in totalmedia theater, but went through the start menu, not from windows media center, the movie took up far more of the screen-- still letterboxed, but not a tiny littlle banner in the middle of the screen like it was in WMC.

*sigh*... bd playback in wmc is so f'n buggy...