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iOS 15 breaks HBO Max app

B

BobSc

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Original poster
Mar 29, 2020
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iOS 15 broke HBO Max app on all my devices: iPhone 12 Max Pro, iPad Air 4, and iPad Mini 6. Many 2.35 aspect ratio movies are appearing in 1.85 (tall and skinny) ratio with poor resolution. And on my Apple TV running tvOS 15, a similar thing happens with HBO Max. Most 2.35 movies start at 1.85 and then after a few minutes goes to its correct 2.35 ratio.

HBO Max is now largely useless because of this.
 
CTHarrryH said:
Haven't noticed that issue with my iPhone on IOS 15
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Do me a favor if you can. Watch "Pale Rider". It's a 2.35 ratio movie. Does it have top and bottom black bars or are the people thin and tall? Thanks.
 
BobSc said:
Do me a favor if you can. Watch "Pale Rider". It's a 2.35 ratio movie. Does it have top and bottom black bars or are the people thin and tall? Thanks.
Click to expand...

I turned on Pale Rider (great film) and there are black bars and the aspect ratio is correct. Maybe try deleting the app and reinstalling it?
 
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DMG35 said:
I turned on Pale Rider (great film) and there are black bars and the aspect ratio is correct. Maybe try deleting the app and reinstalling it?
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Thanks so much for checking. This is very strange as I see the incorrect ratio on three different devices and my Apple TV and it started with iOS 15 on all devices, so it can't be the app itself. If I access and sign into HBO Max via Safari, the same movie is in it's correct aspect ratio. I'm completely stumped.

Edit: Just tried something. I downloaded the movie to my iPad and then played it back and it is the correct 2.35 ratio. Is it a problem with the real time streaming viewing as opposed to playback of the recording? If so, then why is it happening on all my devices?
 
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Another observation. Using Pale Rider again, when displayed on one of my devices, the ratio is incorrect. But if I Chromcast the movie to my Sony TV, the aspect ratio is correct. I just don't understand that I seem to be the only one experiencing this and it's on all my devices.
 
And yet another observation:

If while watching this movie, I turn off the iDevice, then turn it back on and the movie is still showing, the movie then is in it's correct aspect ratio.
 
BobSc said:
Thanks so much for checking. This is very strange as I see the incorrect ratio on three different devices and my Apple TV and it started with iOS 15 on all devices, so it can't be the app itself. If I access and sign into HBO Max via Safari, the same movie is in it's correct aspect ratio. I'm completely stumped.

Edit: Just tried something. I downloaded the movie to my iPad and then played it back and it is the correct 2.35 ratio. Is it a problem with the real time streaming viewing as opposed to playback of the recording? If so, then why is it happening on all my devices?
Click to expand...
I just checked it and the characters are thin and tall - not sure I would have really noticed it if this thread hadn't existed..
 
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Hmm I'm not signed up for HBO Max yet, was planning on signing up to start watching GOT....now I hope it works on my Apple TV!
 
andyw715 said:
Hmm I'm not signed up for HBO Max yet, was planning on signing up to start watching GOT....now I hope it works on my Apple TV!
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It should work. On my Apple TV, some 2.35 ratio movies will start with the incorrect 1.85 ratio (which makes everything taller and slimmer) and then self correct to the 2.35 ratio with thicker top and bottom bars (as it should be).

On iDevices with picture in picture (ipad), if the movie is distorted, the easy way to fix it is to close HBO Max (swipe up) which will result in PIP, and then expand the PIP window back to HBO Max, and ratio will be corrected.
 
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BobSc said:
iOS 15 broke HBO Max app on all my devices: iPhone 12 Max Pro, iPad Air 4, and iPad Mini 6. Many 2.35 aspect ratio movies are appearing in 1.85 (tall and skinny) ratio with poor resolution. And on my Apple TV running tvOS 15, a similar thing happens with HBO Max. Most 2.35 movies start at 1.85 and then after a few minutes goes to its correct 2.35 ratio.

HBO Max is now largely useless because of this.
Click to expand...
Yup! I noticed right away, as well. I'm glad you posted. I hope they fix it, soon; otherwise, I will definitely drop the subscription.
 
Not seeing these issues with HBO Max on my Apple TV or iPad Air 4, both on 15 (or whatever the latest ATV version is).
 
I’ve been seeing this intermittently since earlier iOS 15 betas. One temporary fix is to go PiP and go back to full screen.
 
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