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What is the Aspect Ratio Detection?

Enhancing Visual Accuracy Across Screens and Formats.

Module Description

The Aspect Ratio Detection detect the Aspect Ration of a Asset.

Aspect Ration
Refers to the proportional relationship between the width and height of an image or screen. In broadcast and cinema, aspect ratio is crucial as it determines how a film or video is framed and how it appears on different screens. It is usually expressed as two numbers separated by a colon (e.g., 16:9, 4:3), indicating the width relative to the height.

How does it work?

  1. Select the Media File: Choose the media file you want to analyze.
  2. Activate the Aspect Ration Detection Module: In the left column, select the "Aspect Ration Detection" module and click the yellow "Add Module" button.
  3. Start the Analysis: You can either add more modules or begin the analysis immediately by clicking "Start Analysis"

What Parameters are available?

  • Only known aspect ratios (Checkbox): 

    Flag specifying whether to only detect aspect ratios from the list of known ones.

Note:
If you don't limit the analysis to known aspect ratios, the AI will calculate each ratio based on the content. This can result in unusual outcomes, especially if the media uses fluid aspect ratio changes as a dramatic element.

Displaying the Results:

Timeline:

The timeline, located below the player, displays the entire video runtime and the results from each module as gray bars.

  • By clicking on any of the grey result bars, you will see details such as:
    • Aspect Ration Detected
    • Timecode (TC)
    • Exact frame numbers
    • Runtime/Duration
  • Clicking on a result moves the playhead to the beginning of that result.
  • These results are identical to those provided by the API, but in a more user-friendly, graphical format. If there are multiple results, use your mouse wheel to scroll through the timeline.

Search Field:

This module does not have a search field, as it only contains more technical metadata.

    Module Section:

    On the right side of the player, you’ll see a section with detailed results for each module used in the analysis. Clicking on the module name opens a dropdown with specific parameters, useful for troubleshooting or viewing metadata.

    Results:

    Results are displayed as small buttons in chronological order, showing each Aspect Ratio detected.

    Aspect Ratio

    Here are some of the most common aspect ratios used in both cinema, broadcast and web:

    • 4:3 (Standard Television/Classic Broadcast)
      Usage: Historically, this was the standard aspect ratio for television before the advent of widescreen formats.
      Description: For every 4 units of width, there are 3 units of height. This square-ish format was popular in early TV production.
      Context: Commonly seen in older TV shows, classic films, and early news broadcasts.
    • 16:9 (Widescreen, Modern Broadcast)
      Usage: This is the standard for HDTV, digital television, and most online video platforms.
      Description: For every 16 units of width, there are 9 units of height, creating a more rectangular, widescreen appearance.
      Context: The 16:9 aspect ratio became the industry standard for modern broadcasts and is commonly used for movies shown on TV and online video content (YouTube, streaming platforms).
    • 1.85:1 (Academy Flat)
      Usage: A popular aspect ratio for many films, particularly in cinemas.
      Description: For every 1.85 units of width, there is 1 unit of height. It offers a wider view but still works well with cinema screens without needing excessive letterboxing (black bars).
      Context: Commonly used in feature films, providing a cinematic experience that is wider than standard TV but not as wide as the anamorphic format.
    • 2.39:1 (CinemaScope / Anamorphic Widescreen)
      Usage: Standard for many modern blockbuster films, giving an ultra-wide appearance.
      Description: Often referred to as "widescreen" or "anamorphic," this aspect ratio is much wider than it is tall. It allows for a more expansive, cinematic feel, filling wide cinema screens.
      Context: Frequently used in epic films and action blockbusters where directors want to emphasize a large field of vision, such as in landscapes or crowd scenes. 
    • 9:16 (Vertical Video)
      Usage: Commonly used for mobile video content, particularly on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
      Description: For every 9 units of width, there are 16 units of height, creating a vertical format ideal for smartphones.
      Context: Widely adopted in user-generated content, vertical video is optimized for handheld devices and has become the go-to aspect ratio for many social media platforms, especially for stories, short-form content, and live videos.
    • 1:1 (Square Video)
      Usage: Commonly used for social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, where square video is favored for its simplicity and consistency across devices.
      Description: For every 1 unit of width, there is 1 unit of height, forming a perfect square. This format is easy to view on both mobile devices and desktop screens without rotation or cropping.
      Context: Square video has become popular for social media posts because it takes up more screen space on mobile devices than traditional widescreen formats, making it highly effective for engagement in feeds. It’s widely used for advertisements, user-generated content, and short-form media.