Changing aspect ratios

Endpoints send and display video images and presentations in various aspect ratios, most commonly 16:9 and 4:3. Pexip Infinity will only send images and presentations in 16:9 or 4:3. If there is a difference between the aspect ratios of the sending and receiving endpoints, then the endpoint and/or Pexip Infinity may crop the image or add black vertical or horizontal borders (also known as letterboxing and pillarboxing). How and when aspect ratios are changed depends on a number of factors, but the general principles are described below.

Presentations

Pexip Infinity

In general, Pexip Infinity prefers to send presentations as a 16:9 video stream (typically 720p, or 1080p if it is enabled) for calls where the bandwidth is sufficient and the endpoint supports it. But if this is not feasible, all lower bandwidth resolutions have an aspect ratio of 4:3.

If a change of aspect ratio is required, Pexip Infinity will add black borders (in order to not remove anything important from the presentation). It will never crop presentations.

Endpoints

If the aspect ratio of the presentation image being sent from Pexip Infinity does not match the aspect ratio of the endpoint, the endpoint will typically add another border to make it fit. Generally endpoints will not crop the image.

Main video

Pexip Infinity

If required, Pexip Infinity will change the aspect ratio of main video by cropping the image (to avoid black bars in the thumbnail images).

Endpoints

If the aspect ratio of the main video image being sent from Pexip Infinity does not match the aspect ratio of the endpoint, the endpoint will typically add a border to make it fit. Generally endpoints will not crop the image.