VLC Media Player

[Why Are You Crouching Spock?]

Hello. Some movies I have from the criterion collection have big black lines down the side at higher resolutions at the default aspect ratio. There is an option to change the aspect ratio to 16: 9 or 16: 10. The image stretches out to fill the screen at 16: 10 with 16: 9 using black bars. Does changing the original cause bad distoration or anything to the movie that shouldn't really be watched or should you just stick with the original aspect ratio? Thanks.

 

[Alistair]

It depends on the quality of the movie, really. If it's from DVD's, then no, nothing major should be noticeable.

 

[Why Are You Crouching Spock?]

It's from a DVD but it's fairly old movies from the 50's and early 60's.

 

[Troy_Parker]

Instead of clicking "aspect ratio>16.9" try "crop>16.9".

This crops out all of the black bars without stretching the picture.

 

[Why Are You Crouching Spock?]

Yea that also seems to stretch it out.
The original footage was in 4:3, rather than top and botton black bars they are at the sides.
I can set it at fullscreen, I was just wondering it it buggers the image up with distortion, apart from being slightly stretched out, I don't noticed much of a diffrence.