What resolution for YouTube on Ultrawide monitors?

Hi all, first time posting here. I really need some help, I get so confused with resolution/aspect ratio etc.

I make music videos of my modular music in the studio for YouTube, and I've always been rendering for 16:9, which has been ok. But lately some people have complained about black bars all around the video in Ultrawide, and I noticed even on standard monitors I still see black bars on left/right sides when YouTube is made full screen.

So I believe I need to start using the 2.39 aspect ratio. But I also want the resolution to be at least 1440p, so that you can choose that option (2k) in YouTube playback for the best quality. For the life of me, I can't figure out what the resolution should be. I tried the preset resolution in the Project Settings > Timeline Resolution of 2048x858 (2.39) and also used that for the final render res. But that size obviously doesn't fill a 1440p screen width (I don't care about top/bottom, and actually quite like the black bars there).

I tried some test videos at 4096x1720, which seem to work well, but the file sizes are a pain to work with when all I really want is 2k maximum.

I'm shooting with a BMPCC4k, and not entirely sure the best res. to use in camera either. Will 3840x2160 (Ultra HD) be the best?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

even on standard monitors I still see black bars on left/right sides when YouTube is made full screen.

That is not possible if you're shooting and uploading in 16:9. So one or more of your claims are in error.

Either you're not shooting in 16:9. Or you're not uploading a 16:9 file. Or the monitor isn't the 'standard' 16:9 aspect.

That said, the aspect you shoot and deliver to is typically a creative choice more than a technical one. A 16:9 video will have bars left and right on an Ultrwide. A 2.39 video will have bars top and bottom on the standard 16:9 monitor. So you can't avoid bars in every scenario. Someone, somewhere will have a display that doesn't match and end up with bars.

My point is, take a step back and decide on what aspect you want to use for the video, without worrying about black bars.

Report your decision. We'll get you going.

Well 2.39 is the ratio at which I want to start doing from now on going forward. As I said, I'm quite happy with top and bottom bars on a standard monitor, and actually prefer it. So I just need to know the resolution I should be shooting in the BMPCC4k, and finally in Da Vinci to get the 2.39, which hopefully in YouTube will allow the 1440p quality option.

Thanks for your reply!

even on standard monitors I still see black bars on left/right sides when YouTube is made full screen.

That is not possible if you're shooting and uploading in 16:9. So one or more of your claims are in error.

Either you're not shooting in 16:9. Or you're not uploading a 16:9 file. Or the monitor isn't the 'standard' 16:9 aspect

My project settings were set to 2560x1440, render settings 2560x1440 (no black bars on the sides in the Da Vinci monitor screen, only top/bottom), and my monitor is 2560x1440, and yet if I switch the YouTube video in question to full screen, I have black bars on all four sides. Not sure where I've made the error..I thought if it looks right in Da Vinci, then it should be ok?

I tried some test videos at 4096x1720, which seem to work well, but the file sizes are a pain to work with when all I really want is 2k maximum.

So you want 2048 pixels maximum horizontally, 1440 pixels vertically AND an aspect ratio of 2.39? That's mathematically impossible, you only get two pick two. If you want an aspect ratio of 2.39 and over 1440 lines, your best course of action would be 4K Scope: 4096x1716

I tried some test videos at 4096x1720, which seem to work well, but the file sizes are a pain to work with when all I really want is 2k maximum.

So you want 2048 pixels maximum horizontally, 1440 pixels vertically AND an aspect ratio of 2.39? That's mathematically impossible, you only get two pick two. If you want an aspect ratio of 2.39 and over 1440 lines, your best course of action would be 4K Scope: 4096x1716

No. What I want is a resolution that is in the aspect ratio of 2.39, which is between 2k and 4k. Is that not possible? Surely there is a resolution between the two, no matter if it's not to some standard, which will keep the file size down (because I don't need 4k), but will allow the 2k/1440p HD option in YouTube for viewing. Does that make sense? Sorry if this is a stupid question, and it may well be, as I'm still learning as I go, and this stuff confuses me.

If that doesn't make sense/or isn't possible, then I suppose i'll go with the 4096x1716..

Let me just be clear again. All I really want is:

1) YouTube videos to completely fill the screen horizontally, both on Ultrawide monitors AND standard. (vertical is not important at all).
2) To be able to select the 1440p HD quality setting on YouTube for viewing.

Have you tried the extension Ultrawide Video for Chrome, I think the issue you are getting is YouTube itself is restricting the size of video when full screen

Well 2.39 is the ratio at which I want...So I just need to know the resolution I should be shooting in the BMPCC4k

Ah, very easy. The Pocket has an option called 4K 2.4:1. Use that for filming, and in Resolve use the 4096 x 1716 DCI Scope 2.39 timeline preset.

You're good to go.

Have you tried the extension Ultrawide Video for Chrome, I think the issue you are getting is YouTube itself is restricting the size of video when full screen

That's a great point, thank you! I'll look into that.

Well 2.39 is the ratio at which I want...So I just need to know the resolution I should be shooting in the BMPCC4k

Ah, very easy. The Pocket has an option called 4K 2.4:1. Use that for filming, and in Resolve use the 4096 x 1716 DCI Scope 2.39 timeline preset.

You're good to go.

Thanks, I'll try that!

I used an aspect ratio calculator and managed to come up with an in between resolution of 3440x1440 which also works and is in 2.39, though oddly enough it didn't seem to reduce the file size by all that much. I think I may just stick to 4k after all and deal with the large files.

Appreciate all the help.

Just wanted to say that's a great cover you made of The Thing.

Just wanted to say that's a great cover you made of The Thing.

Thanks so much! Couldn't resist the chance on Halloween to try that one

though oddly enough it didn't seem to reduce the file size by all that much.

File Size = Bitrate x Duration. Options like resolution and frame rate can have an impact on quality, but never file size.

though oddly enough it didn't seem to reduce the file size by all that much.

File Size = Bitrate x Duration. Options like resolution and frame rate can have an impact on quality, but never file size.

Interesting, I didn't know that! Thank you.

I'm back to square one.

It seems if I use any 2.39 resolution, although it looks great on standard and Ultrawide monitors, I cannot use end screens/cards in YouTube, as it always throws up the error 'unsupported resolution'. That's a problem, as end cards are important for me.

My other option is to go 2:1/18.9 for better viewing on phones etc, and it seems 18.9 is becoming very popular. This resolution looks great on standard monitors and phones, and looks awful on ultrawide monitors (as you get pillarbox bars, which I really hate!).

I'm just going to settle on 2.39 for now and hope YouTube start supporting it better some time in the near future.

I cannot use end screens/cards in YouTube

I consider that a bonus. Those things are sooooooooo annoying.

Either they cover the content we want to see, or you have to add extra time to the video once the real content over. Both create a bad experience for the viewer.