Userscripts.org

Just a request for an option to undo YouTube's latest change, forcing 16:9 on us for every video. I have a 4:3 screen, so now the videos are smaller, with black bars on the sides.

Here's a quick fix for those who are interested. This is on lines 1404 - 1432, from version "03 Dec 2008". The only changes were adding * 1.333 at the end of the three newH lines (marked below):

switch(aSize) {

	case "fill":
		// Fills the width available in the parent div, preserving the aspect ratio
		newW = oPlayerDivData.width;
/* ---> */	newH = newW / oPlayerData.AR * 1.333;
		break;

	case "max":

		// Fills the viewport dimensions completely, preserving the aspect ratio

		// Calculates the resize factor (factorR) as the smallest of the vertical and horizontal ratios
		// This is valid if the original video size is smaller than the viewport (at least in one dimension)
		var factorR = Math.min(vh / oPlayerData.height, vw / oPlayerData.width);

		// Multiplies the original dimensions by the factorR factor, rounded down (the rounding mustn't return a bigger number)
		// The aspect ratio is preserved
		newW = Math.floor(oPlayerData.width * factorR);
/* ---> */	newH = Math.floor(oPlayerData.height * factorR) * 1.333;
		break;

	default:
		// Multiplies the original dimensions by the aSize factor
		newW = oPlayerData.width * aSize;
/* ---> */	newH = oPlayerData.height * aSize * 1.333;
		break;

}

I'd still prefer a choice between modes, for videos individually.

Why do people say that the 4:3 movies are smaller? Youtube only increased the width, they did not decrease the height.

SlimShady posted: "I'd still prefer a choice between modes, for videos individually."

You can only change the shape of the video player with Greasemonkey, you can't change the aspect ratio of the video itself, which is what that request is about. That would require using a different video player instead of YouTube's. I think there are scripts that let you switch video players, but I don't know if those players let you change aspect ratios like that.

Jelle Mees posted: "Why do people say that the 4:3 movies are smaller? Youtube only increased the width, they did not decrease the height."

I've been using this script to show YouTube videos on my 4:3 TV screen for a good long while now. Up until this widescreen "fix" from YouTube, the player filled the entire screen - without me having to scroll around or click Fullscreen to see the entire player. It worked especially great for playlists.

Changing the script like I did gives me back the functionality I'm used to. Without it, I had to shrink the player (and the videos) down just so I could see the entire seek bar and all the buttons. I ended up having to hit Fullscreen all the time, which defeated a major purpose of this script. Plus, viewing 16:9 videos with "Fill" or "Max" would give me ugly, white letterbox borders until I clicked Fullscreen.

what are you running at, 800x600? 1024x768, which is the standard for websites, looks perfectly fine on youtube...

No offense, but I'm really not sure what you're trying to say O_o

The YouTube player is not tall enough to fill the entire screen anymore. It's a wide 16:9 rectangle now, and I want the option to change it back to the 4:3 shape it was before so it will fill my screen. My main PC is at 1280x1024, and my HTPC is usually at 1024x768. It has nothing to do with the resolution.

Hit F11 to put Firefox in fullscreen mode, which is how I browse YouTube. Now click the "Max" link below a YouTube video and see for yourself. The video is smaller than it used to be because it has to fit in a 16:9 rectangle with black borders on either side. It can no longer fill the browser window. Likewise, using a number like 2.5x to fill the screen with the video forces you to lose the buttons on the sides. My fix lets you fill the screen and still have access to the seek bar and buttons.

OH! You mean THAT kind of "fill", using the max setting... (I don't ever use it) hmmm that is a problem :P I do something similar on my dad's pc, but I don't put the browser in fullscreen, therefore the available view is in widescreen-ish already.

Well, I really don't know what to say... I can't really think of a solution to your problem.