Playback Issues - Audio/Video & Power

[FeelingDaft]

I have posted this issue a year ago but got no response so I am kick-starting it.

I am using a Roku Express+ with a Quasar 4:3  aspect ratio telly.

In the Kanopy channel I display 16:9 content correctly i.e. letter-boxed, black bars top and bottom.

However, I display 4:3 content incorrectly: it should fill the telly screen but instead is window-boxed i.e. black bars, top, bottom and both sides. So the aspect ratio is set correctly but the image size is too small.

Can anyone suggest a fix? I only use the Kanopy channel so is there another free channel with 4:3 aspect ratio content that I could test, to see if it's the Kanpy coding that is messing things up?.

I should point out that the TV displays DVDs perfectly, regardless of aspect ratio of the content

[JCBrookins]

I am also having this problem with a Roku Express+ and a Sony Trinitron monitor.  Under display options I choose 4:3 but the display remains in 16:9 no matter what.

Hoping someone has found a fix for this?  Brand new device is not working for the purpose I bought it.

[Michelle3 · Accepted solution]

Hi, @FeelingDaft.

Windowbox bars occur when there are the following different issues:

For 16:9 signals,

An image is formatted in 16:9, yet letterboxed horizontally at top and bottom sides to a 4:3 frame. To put it another way, the 4:3 frame is pillarboxed vertically at left and right sides to 16:9.

For 4:3 signals,

An image is formatted in 4:3, yet pillarboxed vertically at left and right sides to a 16:9 frame. To put it another way, the 16:9 frame is letterboxed horizontally at top and bottom sides to 4:3.

So the issue you are having with 4:3 content when set to 4:3 standard via Settings > Display type to match your 4:3 TV is probably made by the developer of the Kanopy app, not the manufacturer of your Roku model.

There is a solution. Try Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, etc. Those apps may display 4:3 content correctly.

Please let me know if any of those apps do display 4:3 content correctly on your 4:3 TV, and please show me a picture of a 4:3 video displaying incorrectly on the Kanopy Roku app.

~Jordan

[Michelle3]

Congratulations! You have tried other Roku apps that properly display 4:3 content. Please make sure to mark my previous post as a solution.

Thanks!

~Jordan

[Michelle3]

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@JCBrookins wrote:

I am also having this problem with a Roku Express+ and a Sony Trinitron monitor.  Under display options I choose 4:3 but the display remains in 16:9 no matter what.

Hoping someone has found a fix for this?  Brand new device is not working for the purpose I bought it.

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Hi, @JCBrookins.

I have a few questions about your issue.

1. Which app do you have this same problem with? 

2. What is the model number of your Roku Express+?

3. What is the model number of your Sony Trinitron monitor?

4. Why is your brand new device not working for the purpose that you bought it?

~Jordan