Non linear stretch transcoding to chromecast?

[Maboz 7]

Hi, I'm wondering if it would be possible (or maybe it's already possible?) to support non-linear stretch of 4:3 content to 16:9 when streaming to a Chromecast, that's pretty much the only feature I'm missing when casting from IOS (Server is on Windows 10).

I don't mind about smart detection of black bars or similars, only detect 4:3 content and 16:9 target and transcode in a non-linear way (sides are stretched more than center).

Edited July 1, 2021 by Maboz

[pwhodges 2012]

Emby tries to send the best quality image it can - so it generally avoids providing facilities for distorting the image, such as you are asking about.  To the best of my knowledge it can't do what you ask.

Paul

[Maboz 7]

Best quality is subjective anyway, for me filling the screen in non-linear way is better quality than black bars at the sides.

Edited July 1, 2021 by Maboz

[Carlo 4561]

3 minutes ago, Maboz said:

Best quality is subjective anyway, for me filling the screen in non-linear way is better quality than black bars at the sides.

But that's the way these are mastered on purpose by the studios because it is the best way to view them keeping the proper aspect ratio.

[Maboz 7]

Not sure why you are arguing with my taste, but for 99% of old 70/80 productions non-linear stretch gives you a perfectly fine result, and especially for anime the result on a 16:9 is better than the original. The only 4:3 content I have is those anime. Sure, there's those rare white flies where the original aspect ratio matters, but I don't own those.

[Carlo 4561]

Oh for sure.  Ones own personal opinion is really all that matters.  I was just saying the black bars are there to keep the aspect ratio "proper" to view that material the way it was mastered.

[ebr 16185]

Hi.  No, we don't do this but some TVs can (although you see it less and less these days).

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

19 minutes ago, ebr said:

Hi.  No, we don't do this but some TVs can (although you see it less and less these days).

That is, for me, a good thing. Pleas keep not doing this at all. Even if it is an option it creates the possibility of unwanted distortion being introduced and that I REALLY do not want.

Do not waste valuable programming time and energy on functionality the is only wanted by a small minority.

[Maboz 7]

32 minutes ago, Gilgamesh_48 said:

Do not waste valuable programming time and energy on functionality the is only wanted by a small minority.

Why so much toxicity? Most players have that option, Kodi has that option, some TVs have that option (but linear stretch that totally sucks), it is also an option in ffmpeg. So much for something YOU don't want, but clearly other people do.

I'm fine if developers decided to not add it, I would have paid Premiere for it. But I'm not ok with you coming to my thread begging developers to not help me, how would you feel if I'd do the same to your questions? An option disabled by default would have not caused any harm to you. But still.

Edited July 1, 2021 by Maboz

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

28 minutes ago, Maboz said:

Why so much toxicity? Most players have that option, Kodi has that option, some TVs have that option (but linear stretch that totally sucks), it is also an option in ffmpeg. So much for something YOU don't want, but clearly other people do.

I'm fine if developers decided to not add it, I would have paid Premiere for it. But I'm not ok with you coming to my thread begging developers to not help me, how would you feel if I'd do the same to your questions? An option disabled by default would have not caused any harm to you. But still.

So your opinion is all that matters? I believe that if something is requested the people ON BOTH SIDES should make their position known if they feel at all strongly.

I do not see this as request for help but rather a request for added functionality.

We can discuss the pros and cons but I will NOT be told by you or anyone else to shut up. I will, as I please, present my views on any topic I feel I want to. Neither you nor anyone else has the right or ability to tell me to shut up. You can ignore me if you wish but I will post my beliefs as I please until stopped by age or banned by the mods on this board and what I said I do not think even approaches the banning level. If anyone should shut up it is you as you seem to want to suppress other's views.

And I still think that Emby should not waste time or energy on what I believe is, at best, a fringe request. Just because it can be done does not mean it should be done.

[CBers 7451]

45 minutes ago, Maboz said:

Why so much toxicity? Most players have that option, Kodi has that option, some TVs have that option (but linear stretch that totally sucks), it is also an option in ffmpeg. So much for something YOU don't want, but clearly other people do.

I'm fine if developers decided to not add it, I would have paid Premiere for it. But I'm not ok with you coming to my thread begging developers to not help me, how would you feel if I'd do the same to your questions? An option disabled by default would have not caused any harm to you. But still.

 

7 minutes ago, Gilgamesh_48 said:

So your opinion is all that matters? I believe that if something is requested the people ON BOTH SIDES should make their position known if they feel at all strongly.

I do not see this as request for help but rather a request for added functionality.

We can discuss the pros and cons but I will NOT be told by you or anyone else to shut up. I will, as I please, present my views on any topic I feel I want to. Neither you nor anyone else has the right or ability to tell me to shut up. You can ignore me if you wish but I will post my beliefs as I please until stopped by age or banned by the mods on this board and what I said I do not think even approaches the banning level. If anyone should shut up it is you as you seem to want to suppress other's views.

And I still think that Emby should not waste time or energy on what I believe is, at best, a fringe request. Just because it can be done does not mean it should be done.

@Maboz / @Gilgamesh_48 Play nicely people.

Please be civil to each other - everyone has a valid point, even if you don't agree with it.

 

Edited July 1, 2021 by CBers

[Luke 42080]

I think you mean the aspect ratio control which currently is not available when casting. Yes it's possible to make that function available in future updates. thanks.

[Maboz 7]

Thank you, Luke and ebr.

I have been civil, I asked if it was possible to do a thing, or alternatively to add it. Nothing else. I don't like to be attacked like that, even if we're behind a keyboard, we are persons.

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

7 minutes ago, Maboz said:

Thank you, Luke and ebr.

I have been civil, I asked if it was possible to do a thing, or alternatively to add it. Nothing else. I don't like to be attacked like that, even if we're behind a keyboard, we are persons.

You should look at your own posts. I NEVER attacked anyone but I "could" make an exception if you like. You did attack me but I did not, at least yet, attack you.

And I still think it is a bad idea but it seems the powers that be overruled me and made their choice to include this functionality. I think it is just introducing another point of potential failure but the choice has been made by the only people that can make the choice so I will move on, for now.

[ebr 16185]

26 minutes ago, Luke said:

I think you mean the aspect ratio control which currently is not available when casting. Yes it's possible to make that function available in future updates

We don't currently have a non-linear form of horizontal stretch though, correct?

[Luke 42080]

42 minutes ago, ebr said:

We don't currently have a non-linear form of horizontal stretch though, correct?

It would just replicate the same options that are available when playing in the web app.

[Carlo 4561]

But that's not what he's asking for, he want non-linear scaling where the middle is stretch less and the further you get to the sides of the picture the more it's stretched.
That would have to be done on the server.

[Maboz 7]

3 hours ago, cayars said:

But that's not what he's asking for, he want non-linear scaling where the middle is stretch less and the further you get to the sides of the picture the more it's stretched.
That would have to be done on the server.

That's right. The client options may still be necessary and welcome, so that if one switches from "Auto" to "16:9", the server can detect it, and if an "Allow non linear stretch" option is enabled, it can do the transcoding.

I understand content-aware stretching is mostly made of early implementations and experiments, but it's the best option to do rescaling atm (and non-linear is a very rough version of it using a function to calculate px size based on the fact the AR should be maintained in the center of the image, where most details are present).

Edited July 1, 2021 by Maboz

[Maboz 7]

It looks like Kodi uses a glsl shader (gl_stretch) to do non-linear stretch. That's in the rendering pipeline, and I'm not sure if shaders could be easily used by ffmpeg/libav.

As I said, no is a valid answer. It seems a bit more complex than expected without a direct rendering pineline, but it may be a feature differentiating Emby from alternatives.

[Luke 42080]

I can tell you that it's not possible on the Chromecast directly and would require server transcoding.