QT files are not being played at the right height on laptop - why?

have you tried if it's just the view... go to View->Actual Size

Does anybody know why?

QT X based apps (QT X Player, recent versions of iMovie, iTunes, etc., represent "modern" media players which disply videos according to the file's embedded "aspect ratio" setting unlike older QT media apps like QT 7, QT 7 Pro, GarageBand, etc., which employ user manual scaling to user selected aspect. For the file to display correctly in all media players both settings must be correctly set. Usually this is not a problem unless a user employs workflow that changes or loses one of the settings or manually modifies one of the settings through a lack of understanding. For example, many novice users override default settings for anamorphic recodings because they want the output display to match the encoded dimensional matrix rather than display at the original aspect ratio. Another problem can be the physical trimming of files rather than "by reference" trimming of source files in some versions of iMovie. In addition, some legacy file types (e.g., AVI) may improperly handle aspect ratios during some edit/conversion workflows. (These three workflows alone probably account for over 98% of the QT aspect related problems encountered by users.)

What should I do?

That depends on whether or not you actually have a problem, which player you are using, whether on not you want to correct all settings, and what software and/or workflows you have avaialable.

1) Determine whether or not you have a problem: Do your files play correctly—i.e are circular objects actually round, do people appear abnormally short and fat or tall and skinny, etc. during playback? Videos can come in many different aspect ratios which the most common likely the being 4:3 (1.33:1), 1.65:1, 16:9 (1.78:1), 1.85:1, 2.35:1, and 2.40:1. Thes files can be encoded using either anamorphic or letterbox/pillared strategies. Thus, you must first determine if they are in their original/proper aspect ratio or one that needs correctling.

2) If the files need correction, you need to determing what must be corrected—the aspect ratio setting, scaling, or both. This, together with the software you have available, as well as, your personal choice of playback strategies, may limit you to a particular workflow or set of workflows.

Basically, I am saying you need to determine if you need to do anything, and if so, your must then decide how you want tp do it. Once you have decided what must be done and how, we can begin to detail a specific process to accomplish your particular goals. Unfortunately, this is the point where many novice users need to do a bit of research or ask any number of questions if they not already familiar with the terms used up to this point. If you are an experienced user who is already familiar with the previously mentioned concepts, then please provide specific information regarding the anamorphic/non-anamorphic nature of your problem, the current and target aspect ratio and/or display scale values you wish to achieve, as well as, final strategy (anamorphic/non-anamorphic) you wish applied.

Actually, there is no problem with the original files.

Since I do not know how you came to this conclusion or if it is correct, my first thought is, "Show me the proof." I.e., post a captured image of the "Inspector" window for the player you are currently using. This will tell me which QT player you are using, whether the display is controlled by scaled dimension or aspect ratio settings, whether the file was encoded anamorphically or non-anamorphically, and whether the encoded aspect ratio matches the current display aspect ratio. It won't tell me the true aspect ratio of the video but a look at people and objects in a single video frame will normally disclose whether or not the display aspect is reasonably close or not.

If I import them in say Final Cut Pro, I can see them properly...so it's only the Quick Time on our laptops that display the clips wrong.

This isn't really helpful since FCP has settings that allow the user to both change and scale display dimensions and aspect ratios. QT 7 Pro will allow you re-scale the aspect ratio of a display but not alter its encoded aspect ratio while QT X will allow you to resize the display scale but only in reference to its encoded aspect ratio. Neither will allow you to display a file at dimensions greater than your current video card settings (i.e., where actual dimensions are greater than screen display resolutions for the encoded aspect ratio). In a similar manner, "fit" and "fill" option availability will also depend on the device/player and available screen resolutions/aspect ratiios which you have yet to indicate for either platform previously mentioned.

The full length of the screen, but not the full height... Do you have any advide on how to get the settings done? I looked into the QT settings and coulnd't find the right button/panel...

As previously stated, the first step is to determine if the files are being displayed correctly—i.e., at their correct aspect ratio for the allowable display space available for the current screen resolution available on the platforms being used for viewing. For instance, are you viewing in the full screen mode, or with menu bar being displayed and/or with the dock in or out of active display. These settings plus the video card screen resolulution will determine the maximum number of viewing pixels available fort the display height. Once the scale height is set by the QT player, then QT app will scale the display width to what it believes is correct display setting. If the aspect of the display is correct for the scaled height and width, then the file is being displayed correctly at the maximum display height available and there is nothing wrong and nothing to be corrected either in the file or the media player other than your desire to play a file at dimenensions larger than available for your display. (I.e., this is equivlent to saying you want to display a 52 inch diagonal picture on 32 inch HDTV—"it ain't gonna happen."

On the other hand, if the aspect ratio is incorrect for the maximum display height available for the app, system, and platform being used for viewing, then all of the other things I mentioned come into effect with regard to correcting the embedded display settings within the file.

Example: If i take an anamorphically encoded 1440x1080 (1920x1080) file and display it on my monitor set to a resolution of 2560x1440, then I can display the file at its "actual" display size (1920x1080) or even scale it to 2560x1440 (Full Screen Display mode) but if I reset my monitor to a 4:3 aspect resolution of 1600x1200, then I cannot play the file at its actual 1920x1080 display resolution since its width is limited to 1600 pixels and when the 16:9 aspect ratio is applied to the 1600 pixel display width, the display height is limited to 900 pixels in a "Fit to screen mode."

If your source file was recorded at 1920x1080, then the file's aspect ratio is 16:9 (1.78:1). However, your 1280x405 screen size implies that either the file is now being displayed in the "Fit" mode with a changed aspect ratio of 3.16:1 (1280x405) or that you are viewing the file in the "Fill" mode which chops off the top and bottom of your 1280x720 (1.78:1) display. (I.e., the "Fit" mode will scale the display at its current aspect to fit within the available display area and yet allow you see the entire display area as a "scaled view at the correct aspect while the "Fill" mode scales the video to fill your entire screen even if this means losing the top/bottom or left/right portions of the display area when the monitor resolution aspect ratio and video display ratio are not the same.)

Therefore, if your file is correctly formatted as you claim, use the "Command-F" QT shortcut to view the file at its largest available dimensions at the correct aspect ratio on any platform and using either the QT X or QT 7 player. (Don't forget to set the QT 7 "Full Screen" preference.)

You have a definite editing workflow problem. My guess is that the file was originally recorded as an anamorphic encode (possibly a 1440x1080) and exported at some point with the width reset to 1920 but still in an anamorphic rather than non-anamorphic mode which reset the aspect ratio to display the 1920x1080 re-encoded file with a display resolution of 3413x1080).

If you own a copy of the Subler app, then you can reset the embedded aspect ratio setting in this file without having to re-export the edited project or this file as a non-anamorphic (squatre pixel) file or re-exporting the project using in its original anamorphic settings.

FOLLOW-UP:

Had planned to wait until the original poster decided which work flow best suited his needs in correcting the display problem discussed above. However, as that individual has not responded further, I decided to demonstrate the work flow I would recommend in case others have similar problems. The easiest way to fix a file incorrectly encoded anamorically is to use the Subler app. For the purpose of this demonstration, I purposely transcoded a sample HD file using HandBrake to the the same anamorphic settings used by the op here—a 1920x1080 (3413x1080) file.

File as displayed by the QT X player in the "Fit to Screen" mode on a 2560x1440 resolution monitor.

Same file as displayed in the QT 7 player in the "Fit to Screen" mode on a 2560x1440 resolution monitor. Since this monitor has twice the OPs screen width, the file displays at twice the width and height of the OP's posted image but retains the same incorrect display aspect ratio.

Opening the file in the Subler app, you can see the file was encoded to a "Normal Size:" 1920x1080 matrix with a QT 7 "Scaled Size:" (default display size) of 3413x1080 and with a QT X "Aspect Ratio:" (default change to display width) of 3413:1920 (1.78:1 aspect ratio incorrectly applied when user changed the original encode width to 1920 but neglected to turn off anamorphic encoding) which changed the actual aspect ratio to 3.16:1 based on the retained original height of 1080.

To correct the display dimensions for this particular in both the QT X and QT 7 players, the user simply deselects the "Preserve Aspect Ration" box and changes the "Scaled Size:" width setting to the width the user wants displayed by default in the QT 7 player and changes the "Aspect Ratio:" width to the width to be displayed by default in the QT X player.

File as now displayed by the QT X player on my monitor after being saved by the Subler app.

File as now displayed by the QT 7 player on my monitor after being saved by the Subler app.

As you can see, the file now plays correctly in all media player apps. Since the display settings for both apps now equal the the encode matrix dimensions, you will note that the file is now considered to be non-anamorphic by both media apps. The primary advantage of this work flow is the ability to correct the display settings for both QT 7 and QT X players without have to re-encode any of the M4V container data.