[rykios]

You know that option to minimize black bars, user can choose up to 20% scale.
The bad thins is that (of course) scale is vertical, so the image does get distorted.
For users that prefer NO black bars (like me) the 20% option results in a visible distortion of shapes (especially noticeable in actors faces shape) AND does not get rig of black bars completly.
What i have to do when i watch such a movie, is keep minimize to 10 up to 15% and then MANUALLY add some ZOOM to the whole picture, sacrificing a little bit of the frame edges BUT gaining a reasonable vertical stretch that does not bother that much AND no black bars at all.
 
My suggestion and request would be to add a tick box below the minimize bars option, that will also add zoom alongside with vertical stretch, when the format of the movie will cause black bars.
The idea is to add an EQUAL amount of zoom that user chooses.
The item added in the settings menu could look like this:
"Also add zoom to minimize black bars [ ] "

In practice, if selection box it ticked, when user sets a number ie 13%, then 13% of vertical scale will be applied and also 13% zoom

PS:  Many thanks for all your GOOD work guys

[Klojum]

I'm still curious what the problem of black bars is? Apparently some people see them as dangerous black holes that will devour everyone who's watching the screen.
Whenever possible, I use the Vertical Shift to move the video to the top of the screen, and keep the lower black section for displaying subtitles.

Videos come in various aspects. Mostly from 4:3 to 16:9 to 21:9. The same applies to monitors.
If you want to shove a different type of aspect ratio onto your TV/monitor, you will get black bars. It's not rocket science.

The simplest "cure" IMO is to change the display to 'zoom', the video aspect is not changed, and you then save that setting for all videos in the Video OSD.
You'll lose a bit of video info on two sides, but that's the trade-off for not having to fiddle into percentages for every other video in your media collection.

[tjay260476]

The simple reason for those black bars is that 16:9 was chosen for HD content was that a 4:3 signal and ‘CinemaScope’ could both showed the FULL image at the right aspect ratio, although both sizes have black bars where the is no image, this is a ‘feature’ and not a ‘bug’

Zooming in, you are loosing parts of the image, and possibly something that the director viewed important.

16:9 is a compromise, as with any screen ratio you go for, you will simply not please all of your video footage all of the time, watch the curtains in the cinema, not the red ones, the black ones that cover the sides of the screen.... especially between adverts, trailers and the feature.

Do a Google search on aspect ratio history.

@Klojum nice hack! Will do that on my PJ now!

[rykios]

@Klojum &  @tjay260476  really dont know why u r yelling at me guys
Wrong person...
Maybe go yell at those people who "shoved" ( to use one of your own words) in KODI Settings>Player a weird thingy called "Minimize black bars"

[tjay260476]

This is an issue that comes time and again.

We are not yelling, just stating why they are there.

Personally, I blame the 'Pan and Scan' debacle of the 50's 60's and 70's, where TV companies would hack away at a films ratio to 'fill the screen' by taking a 'Cinemascope' ratio and shoving it in a 4:3 ratio. It now means that the general population think a TV screen should have the enitre canvas used.

I'm assuming it is in the kodi settings, because it's a standard 'feature' found in most media players.... I perssonally see it as a 'bug', as it is cropping the canvas. But thats my own personal opinion.

[jjd-uk]

For users that prefer NO black bars (like me) the 20% option results in a visible distortion of shapes (especially noticeable in actors faces shape) AND does not get rig of black bars completly.

The setting should allow for black bars up to the 2.35:1 ratio movies to be completely eliminated.

Using a standard widescreen 16:9 Full HD TV with 1920 x 1080 pixels as an example then an movie of ratio 2.35:1 equates to 1920 x 864 pixels so the picture height of 864 divided by the available height 1080 gives 80% which is why there's 20% the picture height can be increased by.

Where this will fall down is for anything with a ratio of more than 2:35:1 such as 2.39:1 or 2.4:1 but those movie ratio formats are much rarer.

If you insist on interfering with the original intent then whatever you do will result in a highly compromised picture, it's then a matter of which compromise you can live with which is why it's left to users to do their own adjustments, as an acceptable compromise for one person maybe totally unacceptable to another.

[rykios]

Guys, please read again my first, i do say "this (existing kodi feature) is a feature for users who PREFER....."
I thought it was always clear, its a matter of preference. thats why this setting exists in all players ( AND exists in KODI too) - Certainly not a bug

But, since it came up so strongly in this discussion, let me tell you this: Me personally, i have 2 reasons to eliminate all black. apart from the issue of personal preference, i have a practically zero-width bezel screen and a 200 LED back-light installation, controlled by Hyperion software... I do tell you the result is MAGICAL (for me) when there is a zero black border. But, (again) this is a matter of personal liking, i am not expecting you to believe or disbelieve, approve, agree, or disagree and argue about it LOL

Now, back to our topic This post is NOT whether Kodi should have a currently existing setting or not, the topic is if there is a possibility to improve the existing setting.
Any thoughts on the topic always welcomed

[tjay260476]

The issue here, is that some of us on the forum are purists when it comes to aspect ratio - and as you can see it's a touchy subject. Just be thankful we are not a bunch of Hollywood directors - or this thread would have gone really messy!

It's not having a go, just pointing out why they are there in the first place, which then should give you, or the next reader a more informed choice on whether or not to remove the black bars - as you mentioned personal preference, and lets bear in mind - Google and us forum users will only see the title of the thread!

Personally, you have found a way that suits you to get the pcture you want, this might not work for someone else. Now, as kodi is database driven, local or otherwise, Kodi remembers the setting for each movie. So you should be able to do your picture ajustments as you seem fit on a movie by movie basis.

Really it's probably one of those cases on would it be one too many setting for the average user, and is it worth a dev putting this type of setting in, in his spare time, and that is the reality of the situation.

[Tennyten]

On my setup I initiated zoom inside the video to 1:09 and set for all videos. Gives the perfect big screen movie feel on black bar content. Problem is on full screen aspect ratios they are zoomed in slightly too much so I manually put it back to 1:00. 

If there was an option to zoom by aspect ratio, that would perfect things for me.