MacBook Pro Retina full screen video issues/not entire screen real estate full

[adeedew]

Here is something I can't seem to find anywhere online and have stumped even senior advisers at Apple. When I put any video in full-screen on my MacBook Pro retina display (YouTube, live stream, etc) There are about an half inch of a black bars or areas where the video doesn't fill in at the top and bottom of the display. Sort of like when you're watching the widescreen movie. The actual entire screen real estate does not fill with what you're watching. I also own a Mac mini through a thunderbolt display and any of the same videos on Thunderbolt Display fills the screen entirely or full of real estate of the display.
I noticed this when I tried to either do a new screen recording from QuickTime or any third-party apps that allow you to record your screen (screenflow, ishowuHD etc) the results played back of a quicktime movie clearly shows the black bar or a smaller picture within quicktime instead of a full image in the movie. Thoughts and thank you.

 

[RadDave]

Just bought a 13" MacBook Pro a month ago - measured the horizontal and vertical lengths of the screen - about 11" horizontal & 7" vertical which calculates to an approximate 1.6 aspect ratio; the standard HD aspect ratio is 16:9 or 1.78 - so, if the videos you are watching are HD aspect ratio, then black bars top & bottom would be expected - you'll need to calculate the aspect ratio on your other display.

Not sure if the above explains the issue w/ your MBP, but just a consideration.

 

[thundersteele]

Thunderbolt displays are 16:9 aspect ratio
MBPs are 16:10 aspect ratio

Since most movies are in widescreen (16:9), black bars appear on the MBPs.

 

[RadDave]

Thunderbolt displays are 16:9 aspect ratio
MBPs are 16:10 aspect ratio

Since most movies are in widescreen (16:9), black bars appear on the MBPs.

Yep - just what I said in my post, i.e. aspect ratio on the MBP is 1.6 (16 ÷ 10), but the statement 'stumped even senior advisers at Apple' in the OP's post stumps me - is our explanation that simple or is something else involved?

 

[adeedew]

Yep - just what I said in my post, i.e. aspect ratio on the MBP is 1.6 (16 ÷ 10), but the statement 'stumped even senior advisers at Apple' in the OP's post stumps me - is our explanation that simple or is something else involved?

Nope they really had no goddamn clue. Took a 45 min call to escalate to the point of wanting to sign into my screen so I can show them. Wow that was easy thanks all