DVD widescreen PAL and 604

^xRun^ · Post by **^xRun^** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 6:51 pm

Will the 604 play WMV files encoded as 720x576 anamorphic widescreen 16x9 files encoded at 2mbps in the correct aspect, or do I need to encode 720x408 square pixels to get the correct aspect?

parkerc · Post by **parkerc** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 6:02 pm

It would depend on the codec/version used to encode the file(s) in the first place.

I suggest you just give it a go - just load it on to your Archos and try to play it - it'll soon tell you if the codec is supported or not..

If not then, you'll need to re-encode it..

^xRun^ · Post by **^xRun^** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:07 pm

Getting my 604 in the mail tomorrow, so I'll try then. I have been prepearing some files for it, but not sure if it takes 720x576 anamorphic widescreen.

RyFish · Post by **RyFish** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:21 pm

^xRun^ wrote:...not sure if it takes 720x576 anamorphic widescreen.

From my tests, it doesn't. Or rather it will play them, but won't stretch them horizontally to the correct aspect ratio. I'm not sure if this is just an accidental ommision from Archos or not.

^xRun^ · Post by **^xRun^** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 8:36 pm

If its an omission, then it could probably be rectified with a firmware upgrade. Hope Archos is reading this, cause when they say DVD quality I expect that to go for widescreen too.

parkerc · Post by **parkerc** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 12:45 am

My understanding is that the Archos will play a .Vob file encoded to that resolution admittedly to do that you need the approriate plug in (MPEG 2 that has to be purchased) .

Checking my Archos I have Pirate Of The Carribean on at 720x440 (DIVX) which I recall I had to tweak the resolution when I encoded it from the DVD, either way it seems to cope with it pretty well

tompe · Post by **tompe** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 12:36 pm

^xRun^ wrote:If its an omission, then it could probably be rectified with a firmware upgrade. Hope Archos is reading this, cause when they say DVD quality I expect that to go for widescreen too.

It plays DVD resolution. It would be a bit silly to compress an anamorphic film vertically and adding black borders because then you loose information. And if you stretch it horisontally you get a resolution that is bigger than the DVD resolution. Most screens or TV:s can resize it themselves.

^xRun^ · Post by **^xRun^** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 1:14 pm

It plays square pixels, so my anamorphic widescreen videos come out square, so I reencoded to 720x408 MPEG2 at 2Mbit VBR which is 3 pixels higher than true 16x9, but to comply with most codecs both width and height of the videos must be a multiple of 8 pixels.
Everything plays nice, and everything works.
Happy camper

amk · Post by **amk** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:16 pm

I thought 720x480 was the max resolution?

I encoded one file to more than 480 and it wouldn't play that? Are you sure 576 is supported?

I'm not sure about VOBs, the one I tried was avi. Though I do have the cinema plug-in.

AMK

^xRun^ · Post by **^xRun^** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:27 pm

In the PAL setting it supports up to 720x576 square pixels, anamorphic are played as square pixels.

amk · Post by **amk** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 4:00 pm

^xRun^ wrote:In the PAL setting it supports up to 720x576 square pixels, anamorphic are played as square pixels.

So if I put a 720x576 avi on and change the settings to PAL it will not complain about the resolution?

What do you mean anamorphic pixels will play as square pixels?

AMK

^xRun^ · Post by **^xRun^** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 6:36 pm

If your player support PAL, like mine (UK model bought in Norway), it'll let you play up to 720x576, I think 25 frames/sec max at that setting.

720x576 Anamorphic (wider pixels) 16:9 plays as 4:3 square pixels, so people and objects look taller and thinner than they should. Had to encode to 720x408 to get good 16:9 aspect ratio on the archos.

amk · Post by **amk** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:02 am

^xRun^ wrote:If your player support PAL, like mine (UK model bought in Norway), it'll let you play up to 720x576, I think 25 frames/sec max at that setting.

720x576 Anamorphic (wider pixels) 16:9 plays as 4:3 square pixels, so people and objects look taller and thinner than they should. Had to encode to 720x408 to get good 16:9 aspect ratio on the archos.

All players support PAL and NTSC so region doesn't matter.

It definitely didn't play; my setting was probably PAL, I'll check if it plays in NTSC.

AMK

amk · Post by **amk** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:11 am

amk wrote:
^xRun^ wrote:If your player support PAL, like mine (UK model bought in Norway), it'll let you play up to 720x576, I think 25 frames/sec max at that setting.

720x576 Anamorphic (wider pixels) 16:9 plays as 4:3 square pixels, so people and objects look taller and thinner than they should. Had to encode to 720x408 to get good 16:9 aspect ratio on the archos.
All players support PAL and NTSC so region doesn't matter.

It definitely didn't play; my setting was probably PAL, I'll check if it plays in NTSC.

AMK

Sorry I meant my setting was NTSC; I'll try PAL now.

AMK