Aspect ratio on 4:3 footage (Yesterday channel)

[CaptMainwaring]

Hello everyone, festive greetings!

I have noticed that the Yesterday channel on Virgin Media does not display 4:3 footage in the correct aspect ratio; instead everything is stretched out to widescreen.

For example, classic viewing such as Porridge and Open All Hours are unwatchable due to the stretched out imagery.

This is an issue on both the TV and the Virgin TV Go app, but curiously the same issue does not afflict the UK Gold channel, which renders the correct format.

I recall the Sky Go app was rendering correctly just over a year ago when I last had it.

Has anyone else noticed this? It seems like a Virgin Media issue.

Thanks very much and happy 2022.

[newapollo]

Hi @CaptMainwaring 

If you go to Settings > Video Output, there is a setting called Aspect Correction Mode. The options are Full Screen, Panel, and Zoom

If you select Panel give you the correct native aspect ratio as opposed to the image being stretched or distorted to fit your TV's screen.

I seem to recall VM and Sky had the same issue with Gold HD until UKTV themselves corrected the display. They also own the Yesterday channel. 

Oddly with Gold, the +1 channel always showed the correct aspect ratio, and this may be the same with Yesterday +1.

[CaptMainwaring]

Hello Dave,

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

My settings are already fine; I’ve confirmed the Aspect Correction Mode is set to Panel.

You may be right - perhaps the issue is with the broadcaster.

I wonder if someone from Virgin Media will reply to confirm the issue and follow up accordingly for a fix?

As things stand, it’s a long stretch for Porridge.

Kind regards

[japitts]

The aspect ratio looks ok at the moment, but then it's not an "olde classic" programme being shown.

Are you only noticing this on the older shows? Because that would lend to being a broadcaster issue if so.

[CaptMainwaring]

Hello Japittes,

Yes indeed, it is only an issue on 4:3 content, so roughly anything from before 2001.

I’m hoping Virgin Media will investigate and resolve it.

Thanks

[Hayley_S]

Hello @CaptMainwaring,

Welcome back! Thanks for posting.

Due to the older programmes being filmed in 4:3 as widescreen was not a thing back then, this means the image will stretch to fit the screen. Our boxes also have in Help and Settings> Settings> Video output> Aspect ration you can adjust the picture there.

I am sorry for that.

Many thanks,

[CaptMainwaring]

Hi Hayley,

Thanks but the older 4:3 programs are only stretched if the Aspect Ratio setting is set to widescreen.

I have it set to Panel which means on most channels including UK Gold any 4:3 shows are displayed in the native aspect ratio without being stretched.

The issue I’m reporting is specifically with the Yesterday channel. The same programmes on other channels display correctly.

I would like Virgin Media to investigate and fix this issue.

Thanks 

[ozsat]

I confirm Panal is the correct setting to watch old 4:3 materal with the correct left/right borders.

I've set tomorrow's World at War to see what happens here. THere are no 4:3 programmes on before then as far as I can see.

---

@CaptMainwaring wrote:

Hi Hayley,

Thanks but the older 4:3 programs are only stretched if the Aspect Ratio setting is set to widescreen.

I have it set to Panel which means on most channels including UK Gold any 4:3 shows are displayed in the native aspect ratio without being stretched.

The issue I’m reporting is specifically with the Yesterday channel. The same programmes on other channels display correctly.

I would like Virgin Media to investigate and fix this issue.

Thanks 

---

[CaptMainwaring]

Thanks Ozsat,

I haven't seen that program but the issue definitely existed when I attempted to watch both Open All Hours and Porridge.

The same thing happened on the iPad Virgin TV Go app; same show looks correct on UK Gold but is stretched to widescreen on Yesterday channel.

Kind regards 

[Roger_Gooner]

I've seen a number of episodes of One foot in the Grave which are stretched as well.