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Jessica08

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 2, 2015
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Roll Tide
When I watch Netflix, ESPN, Hulu, and YouTube the videos don’t fill the entire screen. Or is this just an app developer thing? I would think after the 12.9” pro being out for a couple years that this would be possible, but I’m not well versed in technology, so I wanted to ask here.

TIA
 
Do you mean you have black bars on the top and the bottom? If so, it is because the screen is a 4:3 aspect ratio (assuming you're watching in landscape) and the content is (usually) 16:9 or wider. Some apps allow you to fill the screen, but that means cutting content off the left and the right side.

Most android tablets are 16:9 and are better (in that respect) for media consumption.
 
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Do you mean you have black bars on the top and the bottom? If so, it is because the screen is a 4:3 aspect ratio (assuming you're watching in landscape) and the content is (usually) 16:9 or wider. Some apps allow you to fill the screen, but that means cutting content off the left and the right side.

Most android tablets are 16:9 and are better (in that respect) for media consumption.

Also, just to point out. 16:9 screen is only good for watching videos. It’s a horrible experience if one is doing anything else other than watching videos.
 
I disagree with your opinion. :)

I’ve used many over the years and my experience in general has always been horrible. It’s too tall for comfortable usage in portrait orientation. Plus apps get stretched most of the times because of the weird aspect ratio. There’s nothing in the digital world that conforms to 16:9 ratio other than video.
 
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I’ve used many over the years and my experience in general has always been horrible. It’s too tall for comfortable usage in portrait orientation. Plus apps get stretched most of the times because of the weird aspect ratio. There’s nothing in the digital world that conforms to 16:9 ratio other than video.
I hear what you're saying. I take issue with "only" and "anything else."

The WeMo app I use to turn on and off lights or the Harmony app I use to control the media center? The reminders/notes app I use to jot things down? A video game that would have a 16:9 ratio on my television anyway? The babycam/security cam app that shoots in 16:9? The nest app? Spotify?

These apps would and do work just fine on a 16:9 or 9:16 display.

And, I could argue, media consumption is one of the biggest/most important uses of a tablet, so perhaps a tablet even *should* be 16:9. :) (I actually don't care enough to *actually* argue it, but I could.) :)
 
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I hear what you're saying. I take issue with "only" and "anything else."

The WeMo app I use to turn on and off lights or the Harmony app I use to control the media center? The reminders/notes app I use to jot things down? A video game that would have a 16:9 ratio on my television anyway? The babycam/security cam app that shoots in 16:9? The nest app? Spotify?

These apps would and do work just fine on a 16:9 or 9:16 display.

And, I could argue, media consumption is one of the biggest/most important uses of a tablet, so perhaps a tablet even *should* be 16:9. :) (I actually don't care enough to *actually* argue it, but I could.) :)

And there are plenty tablets out there with a movie-like aspect ratio. Apple thankfully sees the iPad, especially the Pro, not as a consumption but a creation/work device and I personally find this way more useful.

I enjoy 16:9 content on the big screen if it’s a movie.
 
Some games look nice on 16:9, heck they even give "fuller" art for those devices with 16:9 screens.

Still can't beat how a bigger but 4:3 screen is better to play with!
 
Do you mean you have black bars on the top and the bottom? If so, it is because the screen is a 4:3 aspect ratio (assuming you're watching in landscape) and the content is (usually) 16:9 or wider. Some apps allow you to fill the screen, but that means cutting content off the left and the right side.

Most android tablets are 16:9 and are better (in that respect) for media consumption.


Yes sorry should have specified that. I thought the black bars was because the app was designed for a smaller iPad and they just hadn’t come out with ones that work with the 12.9”. But that makes more sense what you said :)
 
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