If vMix playlist videos look letterboxed, cropped, or otherwise incorrectly framed on YouTube, first check vMix’s output shape: open Settings > Display and set Output Aspect Ratio to Widescreen (16:9) for a widescreen stream. Then confirm the master output size and stream encode dimensions use a matching aspect ratio.
Check the vMix output aspect ratio first
In vMix, open Settings from the top-right corner, select Display, and inspect Output Aspect Ratio. vMix support identifies Normal as 4:3 and Widescreen as 16:9. If your videos are widescreen but the output is set to Normal, they can appear with bars above and below. For a widescreen stream, choose Widescreen (16:9). vMix’s black-bars support article was last updated January 20, 2021.
Match output size and stream dimensions
Review the master output size
In Settings > Display, also check Output Size. vMix describes this as the master resolution to which inputs are scaled before they reach Fullscreen, Recording, External Output, or Streaming. A mismatch between source framing and the master output can therefore affect more than one destination. See vMix Display settings documentation.
Make the encoded dimensions fit the selected ratio
Check the streaming encode dimensions against the aspect ratio selected in vMix. The vMix help26 streaming guide gives 640×360 for Widescreen and 640×480 for Normal (4:3) as examples. These are documentation examples, not universal recommendations for current YouTube streams; use dimensions appropriate for your production while preserving the intended ratio.
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Find out whether one playlist item is the exception
If every input has the same framing problem, prioritize the output aspect ratio and master output size. If only one playlist item looks wrong, compare it with another item and inspect the file’s dimensions and framing. vMix describes List Input as playing lists of video, audio, and M3U playlist files as one input, but the available documentation does not establish a separate aspect-ratio setting for List Input. Checking an individual file is a diagnostic step, not a documented List Input-specific fix. See the vMix training page.
Tell letterboxing apart from cropping
- Bars above and below: This is the letterboxing case directly addressed by vMix support. Check whether widescreen inputs are being sent through a Normal (4:3) output.
- Sides cut off: vMix’s streaming guide says a custom square or vertical stream aspect ratio crops the image to fit by cutting off the sides. Check the intended output shape and source framing before choosing a crop.
- Stretched-looking image: The cited vMix sources do not establish a specific stretching cause or fix. Verify the output ratio and encoded dimensions before changing source framing.
Separate a vMix problem from a YouTube playback difference
Compare vMix’s local preview or output with the YouTube playback. If the image is already wrong in vMix, begin with the output aspect ratio, output size, and encode dimensions. If it looks correct locally but not on YouTube, confirm what vMix is encoding and consult current YouTube guidance before attributing the difference to YouTube. The vMix documentation cited here explains its own output settings; it does not verify YouTube’s current handling of mismatched stream dimensions.
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Troubleshooting checklist
- Widescreen picture has bars above and below: Check Settings > Display > Output Aspect Ratio; set Widescreen (16:9) for widescreen output.
- Several outputs or destinations look wrong: Review the master Output Size, since vMix scales inputs to it before sending them to Streaming and other destinations.
- Only one playlist item looks wrong: Compare that item’s dimensions and framing with another file; do not assume there is a List Input-specific ratio control.
- Image is cut off at the sides: Check for a custom square or vertical streaming ratio that crops the image.
- vMix looks right but YouTube does not: Verify the outgoing encode dimensions and seek current YouTube guidance; the sources cited here do not establish the platform-side cause.
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