Aspect ratio incorrect / missing

[xeromid]

First of all, thanks for your ongoing work on this core!

I have, however, discovered an issue with the video output. The aspect ratios available in the core (with adjustment via the Square Pixels option) are not correct.

The SNES has two aspect ratios: 8:7 and 4:3. This is because the development hard- and software provided by Nintendo worked with (and showed) an 8:7 ratio (the Super Nintendo's internal resolution). When the games were displayed on a TV set (on the consumer side), the image was usually stretched to fit the TV's 4:3 screens. So, while many SNES games are displayed correctly with an 8:7 ratio (e.g.: Super Mario World & Super Mario Allstars), some developers incorporated the subsequent stretching on the consumer side in their graphics, thus producing their games to be displayed correctly in 4:3. These ratios, 8:7 and 4:3, are actually quite different. They don't "roughly correspond", they need options to be displayed separately by all means.

When the Square Pixels option is unchecked, the output (on the Pocket's display, I don't own a dock) is definitely not the Super Nintendo's "native" 8:7 ratio: The image is clearly stretched horizontally. You can notice this very easily when you start Super Mario Allstars. The Mario coin shown in the beginning would be perfectly round on a correct 8:7 ratio. Just compare to the same game running on a Super Nt in 8:7 aspect ratio.

As far as I can see, with Square Pixels unchecked, the games are displayed with, or quite close to, a 4:3 ratio.

However, with Square Pixels checked, it doesn't work as 8:7 as well. Here the image is stretched vertically, almost filling the Pocket's 10:9 display. An aspect ratio not used in any games on the SNES, as far as I know.

So what needs to be incorporated are correct output options for both 8:7 and 4:3, so any game can be displayed as it is intended to.

[agg23]

Please see #36. We've already discussed this at length.

My understanding: The native SNES resolution is 8:7 (PAR). Displayed on a 4:3 CRT, this comes very, very close to a 64:49 DAR (4:3 is 64:48, where the extra 1 is accounted for in overscan). 8:7 DAR is not something that you would ever see (same with 1:1, or square pixels).

[xeromid]

Luckily in 2023 we're a step or two further from just replicating what was displayed on a CRT, as that wasn't how many games were actually made for. Just refer to the pictures on top of that thread and you'll see it makes quite a difference:

https://videogameperfection.com/forums/topic/43-87-aspect-ratio-correction-for-snes/

As you see, I think being able to incorporate a choice between 4:3 and 8:7 is very important - this is not about splitting hairs over technical details. Forcing to 4:3 only (I don't get what the square pixel option would be good for) means a slew of games are going to run clearly with incorrect aspect ratio.

Of course, for some people (see #36) it only matters what the physical consoles were, or are (I too still have my SNES from the 90s) putting out. Fine with me - stay with the one option you like. But in my view it's a must to be able to play Super Mario World in the correct aspect ratio! Just look at the tubes - it's all wrong in 4:3!

[RaspberryAlpine]

Xeromid, the core already does what you want it to do. The default aspect ratio setting is the aspect ratio a real snes would output on a 4:3 CRT. The square pixel setting is the 8:7 aspect ratio (for 256 by 224 resolution games).

[SegaSnatcher]

I concur, the core already has both options available.

[xeromid]

Xeromid, the core already does what you want it to do. The default aspect ratio setting is the aspect ratio a real snes would output on a 4:3 CRT. The square pixel setting is the 8:7 aspect ratio (for 256 by 224 resolution games).

As I have already pointed out, it doesn't. While the default setting supplies a correct 4:3 picture, the Square Pixels option does not give a correct 8:7 aspect ratio, the image is stretched vertically, slightly, but undeniably. Just check any round or square objects in 8:7 games (like, as I mentioned, the Mario coin displayed in Super Mario Allstars on bootup ), it is clearly visible. Here a correction is needed, don't you agree?

[RaspberryAlpine]

This is from the video.json file:

  {
    "width": 512,
    "height": 224,
    "aspect_w": 8,
    "aspect_h": 7,
    "rotation": 0,
    "mirror": 0
  },

As you can see the aspect ratio is indeed 8:7. If isn’t 8:7 on the Pocket’s screen then the problem isn’t with the core but with Analogue’s scaler.

[RaspberryAlpine]

This is the Super Mario All Stars boot up coin on my Pocket with the square pixels setting turned on:

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/335174299306688514/1062415967520559104/IMG_1699.jpg

The coin measures the same vertically and horizontally on my pocket.

It is possible you don’t have the latest video.json file. It is located in /Cores/agg23.SNES/video.json

[Riptides]

I can confirm I observe the same behavior as @RaspberryAlpine

[RaspberryAlpine]

@xeromid can you confirm the issue is still happening with all the latest core files, especially the video.json file?

[xeromid]

I have had the wrong video.json. You have my apologies! 😔