[Funkd]

Strange, eltoppo had the same PM issue. Yeah I currently have a script that toggles to the usual 16:9 view on a key press but its a bit messy. I could easily modify the xml that controls the on screen options during playback to move when a key is pressed as opposed to reverting back to the full 16:9 skin. Both are an option though. I will take a look at Confluence over the weekend maybe. How far did you get?

Regarding the a-lens I was wondering about that too. Would it manage to stretch the kodi skin vertically?

[AEnz]

Ok I have tried it out on my Macbook Air (1440*900) and it looks just like the thing I have been waiting for. I need to try it out in my theater though. Cant wait.

[Funkd]

Cool, hopefully it works as well on your projector

[AEnz]

Regarding my own progress on modifying the confluence skin I would rather not get too much into it. I ended up moving som parts of the coverflow and all the GUI controls over the playing movie. I the used the 16:9 setting on my projector when navigating the settings. Also it was done on XBMC 13.2. I have trouble getting smooth 23.976hz on newer versions. I use windows 7 on my HTPC.

With an a-lens things are different, more complicated. Must people use a scaler with these setups. Some have a fixed lens and some have a slide. If you do not want to use a scaler and want kodi to do everything, the GUI (and everything else) needs to be squeezed horizontally.
I used to have an a-lens, but I am no longer a fan of that solution, though I do see some benefits.

[Funkd]

Put it up on GitHub now :

https://github.com/Funkd/ScopeNox

Download master then use 'Install from Zip'

[Funkd]

Did some messing around with Confluence tonight and it's not too bad. Have the main menu and most of the video views done. I ran phils script to convert it from 720 to a 1080 skin. Seems ok so far.

[Funkd]

Confluence : https://github.com/Funkd/ScopeConfluence

Its a work in progress. Think most of the Movies and TV Show parts are done. Settings screen etc still to be done yet.

In both skins I've added the option to toggle a scope overlay. This would add scope bars to 16:9 content so it wouldnt spill on to the screen. Someone mentioned it would be useful for movies that switched aspect ratios throughout the movie (Interstellar etc). Its part of the on screen display (play, pause etc). Just a plain text button for now.

[AEnz]

Still have not had a chance to enjoy it in my theater, but it looks terrific. Best news in my basement for a long time.
I did not see the scope overlay though. Nice feature if it works well. Had to run Interstellar trough handbrake and crop it. Then there is the Hunger Games and Batman and Tron...
Is there a way to switch skin to have multiple aspect ratios? Must be with some kind of shortcut.

[Funkd]

The scope overlay is in now. I added a button this evening that might look better (instead of a text button). As follows :

Without the scope bars :


Menu, see 2.35 button top right :


The result with scope bars on :



The only downside I can see to this is if there are hardcoded subtitles in the movie at the bottom.

Regarding switching skin aspect ratios I have it working but its a messy way by executing a script and renaming the folders so I'm still looking into that. You can have a 1080i folder and a 21x9 folder and can edit the addon.xml file but it requires a kodi restart to take effect.

[RockerC]

Put it up on GitHub now :

https://github.com/Funkd/ScopeNox

Download master then use 'Install from Zip'

Confluence : https://github.com/Funkd/ScopeConfluence

Its a work in progress. Think most of the Movies and TV Show parts are done. Settings screen etc still to be done yet.

@Funkd, these look great, can't wait to get a anamorphic lens and screen for my projector later this year. Can't try yet but thank you for working on skins for Kodi in these aspect ratio!

Any chance that you will be submitting this new "Ultra Widescreen" 21:9 aspect ratio part for Confluence as a patch to default skin in master Kodi for mainstream inclusion anytime soon? I think that skins for these new aspect ratios will gain greater acceptable it it was included with the default Confluence, and then knowledge about it might spread faster too.

Question though is if it is not actually 21:9 (2.33:1) aspect ratio which is the industry standard today for this as that is what is used on "Ultra Widescreen" televisions and monitors?

The consumer devices are marketed as either "21:9" or "Ultra Widescreen" in the United States, and none the marketing mentions the older 2.35:1 or CinemaScope/Scope formats. All consumer television and monitor devices marketed as "Ultra Widescreen" today use the 21:9 aspect ratio format standardization, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/21:9_aspect_ratio

Will you please also consider creating new forum threads for each of your skins with clear titles ("Ultra Widescreen" / "21:9 aspect ratio") so that progress per skin is easier to follow?

[Funkd]

@Funkd, these look great, can't wait to get a anamorphic lens and screen for my projector later this year. Can't try yet but thank you for working on skins for Kodi in these aspect ratio!

Any chance that you will be submitting this new "Ultra Widescreen" 21:9 aspect ratio part for Confluence as a patch to default skin in master Kodi for mainstream inclusion anytime soon? I think that skins for these new aspect ratios will gain greater acceptable it it was included with the default Confluence, and then knowledge about it might spread faster too.

Question though is if it is not actually 21:9 (2.33:1) aspect ratio which is the industry standard today for this as that is what is used on "Ultra Widescreen" televisions and monitors?

The consumer devices are marketed as either "21:9" or "Ultra Widescreen" in the United States, and none the marketing mentions the older 2.35:1 or CinemaScope/Scope formats. All consumer television and monitor devices marketed as "Ultra Widescreen" today use the 21:9 aspect ratio format standardization, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/21:9_aspect_ratio

Will you please also consider creating new forum threads for each of your skins with clear titles ("Ultra Widescreen" / "21:9 aspect ratio") so that progress per skin is easier to follow?

Hi RockerC,
It sounds like you might be looking for something that is in a true 21:9 resolution like 2560x1080 (See BigNoids new Aeon Nox thread for 21:9). The mods I am doing is to make the skins work for those of us who zoom our projectors. So our projectors are outputting 1920x1080 and we zoom in so the black bars are off screen and the image fills the screen. The Kodi skin is still 1920x1080 but has bars above and below and has all the gui reformatted and repositioned inside the black bars.

Once I get the skins done fully (having issues getting a way to test PVR at the minute) I might see about how I can make it an add on or whatever for the official skins through Kodi.

So in short this is really for people with zoomed projectors. I dont know how anamorphic lens' would work with it as the lens requires the interface be stretched. Using the skin on a 21:9 TV would probably have bars at the top/bottom and left/right (unless tv stretchs 16:9 to 21:9). The easier solution was to leave it within the 1920x1080 format instead of moving to 1920x800 (which I might try sometime but would take longer)

[Funkd]

I added a thread in confluence yesterday (http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=229073). Doesnt seem to be as much of an interest as I thought there would be initially doing this, maybe there are less people with 2.35 screens than I thought But I was initially doing it for myself anyways. I think calling it 2.35 will catch the eye of people with scope screens whereas using 21:9 might confuse people who are using 21:9 TVs

[RockerC]

I dont know how anamorphic lens' would work with it as the lens requires the interface be stretched. Using the skin on a 21:9 TV would probably have bars at the top/bottom and left/right (unless tv stretchs 16:9 to 21:9). The easier solution was to leave it within the 1920x1080 format instead of moving to 1920x800 (which I might try sometime but would take longer)

Yes I was referring to having a CIH (Constant Image Height) skin format which output using CHP (Constant Height Projection) / CHD (Constant Height Display), thread title says "CIH".

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/J...ction/2798

Yes using an anamorphic lens does require the interface to be stretched, the resolution is still only 1080p (1920 x 1080 resolutions) but the pixels are stretched horizontally.

And yes Kodi does support stretching the image/pixels horizontally for true anamorphic output.

http://www.zuggsoft.com/theater/prism.htm
http://www.projectorcentral.com/235_home_theater.htm
http://www.highdefdigest.com/blog/panamo...ta-review/

Using a projector with anamorphic lens really the only way to fully enjoy Ultra Widescreen resolution in full resolution and see all pixels when on a lower projector budget.

This way you get Kodi to output the video without letterboxes and there is no need to zoom so that the black bars are shown outside screen to fill it like you do now.

Having a such "stretched" skin you could of course also have Kodi automatically upscale to displays that use a 2560x1080 resolution or downscale to 1920x800.

Yes zooming is easier and cheaper, but an anamorphic lens will give you a brighter picture that uses the projectors entire pixel panel with no light spill off the screen.

Tip is to google for "anamorphic projector lens" (or "cheap anamorphic projector lens") to find both affordable inexpensive DIY, kits, or complete commercial solutions.

[Funkd]

Yeah I have read all about anamorphic lens' in the past when getting my equipment but the cost was too much after doing up the room and getting all the other gear so I went with a zoomed setup. Brightness isnt an issue for me, as the room is total darkness and the projector brightness is still lowered in settings. I've also looked at the DIY options but didnt try them as I am happy with the setup I have at the moment and the picture is fantastic. Don't get me wrong, if I had plenty money I would get an anamporphic lens and all the rest.

[RockerC]

But if you use a CIH skin like BigNoid's new Aeon Nox skin with 21:9 (or 2.35) aspect ratio in Kodi and output 1080p to a native 4:3 or 16:9 television, should Kodi not then automatically scale it and add letter-boxing black bars top and bottom if you just calibrate the video output for pixel ratio adjustment?

http://kodi.wiki/view/Settings/System#Video_calibration...

Kodi's skin engine should be able to handle the skins scaling itself, or? There should really be no need to make custom skins that have built-in black bars letter-boxing even if you are zooming.