[BigBellyBilly]

is there a way to get the true width resolution of the tv being used?

at present, on my w/s pal tv, i get 720x576 reported on the xlcd and in the scripts, regardless of whether i've set it (xbmc and ms dash and tv) to 16:9 or 4:3.


if you switch xbmc skin rez it reloads a new skin according to size. how can we in a pyhton script detect the correct width ?

all i can think of is;
a) load xbmc default background.png
b) check its dimensions
c) load custom background skin (16:9 or 4:3) determined by previous dims

is there a way of exposing the true resolution from python ?

thanks

[Nuka1195]

16x9 pal and 4x3 pal use the same resolution.

[BigBellyBilly]

normally 16:9 and 4:3 are different resolutions, so its a limitation of script windows from xbmc then ?

i'm guessing here: but is it cos 720x(576/480) is the window size given by xbmc for scripts to run in upon initialisation ?

i would be nice to be able to take advatage of the extra space that wider/higher rez screens can show.

[pike]

listen to nuka, he's right...

[BigBellyBilly]

yes, sure. i was just after a futher explanation as to why its always the same rez for scripts ...

[pike]

resolution ( actual width ) will always be the same regardless of what... as long as you understand this

you want python to be aware that xbmc is in widescreen mode (like skins are) ?

[BigBellyBilly]

well, i was going to load a background skin that was better suited to tv ratio. but if scripts only ever have same width (720) theres no point.


wouldnt it be better if xbmc initiated a window, to run scripts in, that was of the same rez that xbmc was running in at?

is this a change thats possible - devs , anyone ?

[Nuka1195]

both 16x9 pal and 4x3 pal are the exact same resolution 720x576.

but pm iii does have different background images for different aspect ratio's.

maybe you could use the settings.xml to determine what aspect ratio you're in and then select the proper background.

edit: check out choke's forums, there's a thread describing how to strech or shrink the image for different aspect ratios. choke's skinning support forum

[solexalex]

are you sure wide screen have the same width ??

[Nuka1195]

this isn't scientific, but, look in cvs at pm iii media folder and compare 4x3home.png to 16x9home.png. you'll see they're the same resolution. the 16x9home.png logo will appear stretched.

edit: if you have a widescreen, take a snapshot and see what resolution it is. (not hi-def modes)

[jmarshall]

yes, they're identical. ( and this is scientific :p )

the difference is the pixels are stretched more horizontally in 16x9 modes.

cheers,
jonathan

[BigBellyBilly]

actually, i dont think they are identical. if you look very closely the 16:9 image is taller - this is more ovbvious in the logo.  
i believe this has been done this way to compensate for the streatching a w/s tv will do, which will make them identical in appearance once displayed.

(nb. by taller i mean taller within the same rez of 720x576.)

all this just proves that xbmc is always 720 width regardless of tv ratio. shame.

[pike]

you talk like there a way around it, please get into your skull that this is how tv standards (4:3 ws 16:9) work

[BigBellyBilly]

warm and friendly... :talktohand:

[Bernd]

of course the signal send to the tv is always 720x576 physically but not logically.

some video sources like my xbox or dvd player, if configured right, send an anamorphic 16:9 picture.
my tv indicates that by switching to a special mode called auto 16:9. i think its one pin on the scart plug that toggles that.

wouldn't that mean that even if the signal is physically 720x576 the software/scripts need to distinguish between normal and 16:9/anamorph?

so it could load a different background image just like xbmc does with skins.

bernd