I was trying to find out what all of the different zoom modes are designed to do for MPLay. Right now I use my Roku for all of my video playback. I have a projector with a 92 inch 16 x 9 screen right now but am thinking about getting a 2.35:1 aspect ratio screen instead. I am a bit lost on how the Roku/Mplay would fit into this scenario (if at all). If I went with this screen wondering if I would need to get a lense of some sort and then use one of the Roku's zoom modes. Anyone right now using the Roku/Mplay on a 2:35 Constant height setup?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Darin

I haven't, and I wonder how well such a setup would deal with 1.78:1 broadcast stuff? Me, I think I would stick with a 16x9 (1.78:1) fixed screen and just deal with the black borders above and below. I hate that less than I hate black bars down the sides (which would be required for 16x9 content on a 2.35:1 CH screen).

I'm not sure how MPlay's zoom modes would impact your scenario?

For me, the appeal is watching 2.35 aspect ratio movies. They would be the same height as the 16:9 movies, just wider. My screen would be exactly the same height as I now have, just about 15 inches wider on each side. 2.35 aspect ratio movies like gladiator, Lord of the Rings, etc.. are seen just like the movie theater....same height but just wider. To rid the screen of black bars it needs masking. If a 16:9 screen, there needs to be masking of the top/bottom on a 16:9 screen and on a 2.35 screen, the sides need masked for 16:9 content. I agree that a screen with masking the "black bars" does look much more impressive.
As for the Roku, I was wondring if it can vertically stretch 2.35 content to remove the black bars. The projector I am getting does not do this (JVC RS1). Then all I need is a lense to stretch it to fit a 2.35 screen. No zooming would be required. Does the Roku have a mode to stretch 2.35 content to remove the black bars? I don't want to have to buy a scaler to do this.

Hope that makes some sense what I am trying to do....

Darin

I see what you are asking now.

I have a 16:9 720p LCD RPTV. I played some 2.35:1 content (SW Ep 1, SW Ep2). I paused the playback and toggled through the zoom modes. Mplay Zoom mode 0 it is "proper" in aspect and has black bars top and bottom. Mplay zoom mode 3 it is "stretched" vertically to fill the screen both horizontally and vertically and appears to have lost no horizontal content.

I think mode 3 will do what you seek as long as your projector or it's lens can optically expand the horizontal.

Side note: Mplay zoom mode 6 appeared to do the opposite, maintaining the horizontal but compressing the vertical. So you could take the opposite approach and go fixed width and optically compensate 16:9 height with projector or lens.

I believe you could use MPlay's folder settings to have 16:9 and 2.35:1 content in different folders with different default zoom modes and then you wouldn't have to futz with changing the zoom during playback (increased WAF factor perhaps???).

Hope this helps.

Thanks for your thoughts. That sounds like it will do exactly whenat I need if I get a lense. Since right now I justuse the roku to what all my content I wouldn't need to purchase a scaler.

Thanks again.

Dairn