TV to Tablet aspect ratio

Eru

Member
Mar 20, 2013
5
0
Hey
I would like to know whats the aspect ratio of the picture that shows up on the tv when u connect a 10.1 or 9.7 tablet via HDMI. Is it the same as the tablet (16:10, 4:3) and you get black bars, or does it convert to 16:9 to fit the tv? Also do you have a choice for resolution in the DISPLAY option in android like you have on the Mini PCs and are the tablets capable of outputting true 1080p (and 24p support) or do they stay in their native resolution when connected to the tv and just upscale everything?

Thanks
 

J515OP

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jan 6, 2011
5,172
899
Hi Eru, welcome. It depends on the tablet. You need to carefully read the specs. Tablets that already have HD screens will generally output an HD signal via a micro HDMI port. This allows for a standard HD picture on your TV. There is not usually an option to adjust the resolution so the TV will adjust the picture accordingly. If your tablet isn't capable of outputting an HD signal you can generally count on scaling and/or bars depending on how you have you TV set up.

Here are examples of tow tablets with full 1080p HD output: Nexus 10 Tech Specs - Google and Kindle Fire HD - Most Advanced 7" Tablet - Only $199
 

androidjedi

Member
Jan 30, 2013
81
17
the nextway f9x outputs 1080p 50hz hd signal to the TV as well, it scales to 16:9, and its 9.7inch screen.

The Nova 10 a31 device outputs 720p 60hz signal, and its a 10.1 inch screen.

Hardware wise all a31 tablets should output 1080p to the Tv, but nova for example is limited by the firmware, if a more experienced programmer can find out what module is responsible for the output resolution that would be great.

Also fyi, the cubeu30gt, which is a 10.1 inch Rockchip dual core device, can output 1080p to the tv, and it even has the hdmi resolution in the android settings, so obviously they had enough updates to integrate that into the tablet.

Source: first hand experience.
 

Eru

Member
Mar 20, 2013
5
0
Ok guys thanks for the answers.

JP515OP
I was thinking about the Nova 10 A31, and androidjedi has accidentaly given me the right xact answer i was looking for. :) I was THIS close to buying the nova 10 but if its true that it only outputs 720p i think im gonna wait a bit. I know that there is a custom rom made by tragidy that is going around the net, so is it possible that with that installed the Nova 10 can output 1080p at 60hz? Has someone tried it yet? The actual reason why im asking this is coz i am trying to decide whether i should get a tablet or the Uhost2 Mini PC that CAN output 1080p (since i see that option in the display settings). What do you guys recommend if i were looking for the best gadget to play high bitrate 1080p videos?

androidjedi
I just looked at the cubeu30gt and it looks like a great tablet, but my dilemma is whether i should get a tablet with quad core a31, or a mini pc (or a tablet...why not) with the rockchip 3066. Like ive mentioned i will be playing large high bitrate (15mpbs and up) 1080p movies and wonder if the rockchip can handle them. The window vido n90s is also a tablet i would think about getting. The only thing that worries me is the power of the 3066 vs the a31 in playing 1080p.

PS: Also i have noticed that even though most Mini Pcs have the option "1080p at 60hz" in their menus, most of them actually simply upscale 720p. Is this the case with the Nova 10 (androidjedi?) and Uhost2?
 

androidjedi

Member
Jan 30, 2013
81
17
well with the nextway I tried playing actual 1080p movies that I downloaded, and im fairly ceratin its actual 1080p.

For me personally I download all movies in 720p, and they look just as good on a 40inch tv as the 1080p when played through my pc or ps3 which definitely doesn't simply up scale.

But yes it is possible for the nova 10 to output in 1080p 60hz, as its a generic a31 board, and all the items containing this chip will output at pure 1080p with correct firmware, as thats what the allwinner website states.

Mcbub told me that the current nova 10 batch has defective wifi (2 weeks ago), so I would recommend trying the nextway f10x, as they actually have a real website, and firmware updates are a lot more likely just like the nextway f9x with the hd screen, McBub: Low-Priced , USD 204.99, Nextway F10X 10.1 inch Android 4.1 Quad Core Tablet PC IPS 1280*800 A31 2G RAM 16GB HDMI.

And also as you said, yes mini pcs do have that option, but they are mainly dual core, so been around for a while.

as for the cubeu30gt, i personally don't like the speaker design, as its right next to the microphone on the side, so skype is useless with it, as there's constant echo and interference.
Since getting that I look for and recommend people buying tablets with speakers somwhere at the back of the tablet.

I would get the a31 or another quad core tablet, as they offer a lot more power, and fairly equal if not better battery life.
 

Eru

Member
Mar 20, 2013
5
0
actually my choice WAS between Nova 10 and the Nextway F10x, and i preferred the F10x at first, but the only reason that i kinda started to prefer the Nova 10 after some digging around forums, was coz the Nova 10 had a developer (tragidy) that has made (and said that he will continue to make) a custom rom for it that (at least in the log file) has quite a few tweaks to the firmware). As we all how how unoptimized the factory firmware for these devices is, and since i wasnt able to find anything even remotely resembling a custom or an optimized rom for the fx10 i kinda stared leaning towards the nova 10 (plus i think the design is way better than the nextway f10x). also it is said the they will be releasing 4.2 for the nova 10 (along with a custom optimized rom for it) and noone seems to even mention the f10x in the forums. so my main concern is software support coz as it seems the nova 10 has a lot more going for it in terms of fw and roms. i guess the only thing to do is wait awhile and see what happens with the firmware and rom support for these two tablets.
 

androidjedi

Member
Jan 30, 2013
81
17
Um well firstly tragidy doesn't have the Nova 10 anymore, he now has the ampe a31 device, which im fairly certain has an IPS screen, so he will still just port the old firmware files that I got mcbub to release to make it work, and as well as that he said he will try port his Rom to all tablets after getting the firmware images for them, so im sure he will eventually do one for the Nextway f10x, especially if people ask him, as the device is probably more closely related to the ampe, then the nova is, as im not sure what type of screen it has, as everyone keeps saying its "like" IPS, but its not, where nextway and ampe both state they are IPS but who knows.

Also nextway is an actual brand with actual place where updates will come from, as for Nova its a generic brand, made in the ampe factories, which Mcbub somewhere finding the original image, if not simply system dumping it themselves.

Also lastly , All tablets that have a31 chips say that they will have android 4.2 on them, the nextway will also have it, as that is simply what the allwinner home page states that it supports android 4.2, it also actually supports windows 8 for arm, so we might see some windows 8 roms pop up (fingers crossed).


So I would recommend the nextway, and yes current sources say the NOVA is defective, as I tried buying one 2 weeks ago and was given a refund for it and told they cant ship it as the wifi in the current batch is defective (or they already sold all their stock).
 

Eru

Member
Mar 20, 2013
5
0
Hmm, i havent had dealings with McBub, but the description of the Nova 10 at a couple of pages ive seen, including the one which i am most familiar with (not sure if i am allowed to name vendors here) says that the Nova10 has an IPS screen. And as far as i know the nova 10 is a no-brand version of the ampe device, so wouldnt a rom that works on an the ampe version also work on the nova 10 since its basicaly the same device? And tragidy said that he now has an original version (or something like that) of the allwinner a31 firmware that he will use to make his future roms. Not sure what this means though to be honest lol.
Now that you tell me that the current stock of Novas are defective (btw is the only the McBub stock or ALL Novas?) has certainly got me thinking again. Gah so many thing to consider....
And i checked out the Nextway webpage and the latest verion for the fw of the F10x (if the filename is can be a clue) seems to be released on 2.2.2013. So i guess thats pretty good, but i dont know if thats an update or simply the original firmware, and i cant seem to find the date when the F10X was first released to give me some clue. I guess someone who has had the F10X for a longer time can answer that.
Decisions, decisions...

BTW could you tell me whats the difference between a ROM and FIRMWARE. The way i understand it, a rom is based on a firmware, but would a tablet with a newer firmware be better than a tablet with an optimized rom of an older firmware??
 

androidjedi

Member
Jan 30, 2013
81
17
Well Mcbub are the ones who originally got the device, and reviewed it etc, and they said that the screen is not IPS, everywere I looked they say its "like" an IPS screen.
I think the image on the nextway page is the original one, but im sure an update is due soon, as the f9x that has been around for longer just received another update.

Firmware is the same Rom, its just the software that is installed on the device. Just usually in android modding, firmware is more referred to the stock factory roms, and everything else is custom roms, or custom firmware.

The actual word Rom means, something like read only memory and actually has little to do with what it means in android, google read only memory for more information if you are really interested lol.
 

Eru

Member
Mar 20, 2013
5
0
I see, you may be right about the screen coz other pages are saying its a 'capacitive touch screen' and mention nothing of IPS. Well i guess i should start thinking about going back to my first chose the F10X. Like i said software support was the number one worry-factor but since you say that the Nextway can be trusted to issue out a new FW than i guess thats someting :)
Thanks alot man, you really helped me out a lot. You too J5150P.

PS. Do you perhaps know if the F10X is able to output full 1080p at 60hz? And did the firmware of the F9X fix any major issues you had with the device?
PPS. I notice that the F10X also has one extra little slot above all other slots, that i havent seen in other tablets. Do you know what that is? It cant be the speakers, coz they are on the back.
 
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androidjedi

Member
Jan 30, 2013
81
17
Ye i havent tried the f10x, but the f9x performs well, and the update seemed to improve things in general.

As for hdmi, i don't know, but the thing is the 4k player states that it can output at high res, so its possible that if you do feed it a 1080p movie, even the nova will output at that res, and the 720p resolution is simply stock resolution for the menu, etc. I havent playing a 1080p movie on a nova 10 tablet, so im not 100% sure if it will do that, as the same would mean for the f10x as it has identical resolution to the nova screen wise.

For that port, this video (@2.50) says its a 'speaker port", maybe he means you can put one of those replacement speakers from psps or nintendo ds, but im not sure.

but here you cant even see it
Nextway - ?? F10X - ??????rk3066 ???????????

P.s if you want the new ampe a10 quad core is out as well, for a bit more money on mcbub
 
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