A compressed or standard ratio video stream on network IP cameras, either when viewing using the Web Service or through a network video recorder can usually be resolved by changing encode settings.
In the encode settings of the IPC or NVR, check to see whether the camera’s resolution is set to 720P/1080p or 1.3M/2M. 720p for example is the 16:9 ratio (1280x720), while 1.3M is the 4:3 ratio (1280x1024). If a wide angle view is desired and the video stream appears compressed in both live view and during playback, make sure the channel is set to 720p (or 1080p) and not 1.3M (or 2M).
Check the resolution of the monitor used to view the video streams. Often times the monitor resolution can affect the way the video streams appear on the video recorder's GUI or on the Web Service.
NOTE: New 6.16 firmware displays the vertical x horizontal resolution in the encode menu.