Why would you go with a widescreen over a bigger traditional?
#1
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
Why would you go with a widescreen over a bigger traditional?
This may sound naive, but here is the situation.
My Dad just bought a beautiful 50" widescreen Samsung DLP and it is amazing. But on normal tv, the picture is stretched. You really only notice when the camera pans, so it isn't the end of the world. But, on dvds that are widescreen, you still have the black strips at the top and bottom (although smaller). So what is the point of a widescreen if you still have black lines and your normal tv is stretched?
My Dad just bought a beautiful 50" widescreen Samsung DLP and it is amazing. But on normal tv, the picture is stretched. You really only notice when the camera pans, so it isn't the end of the world. But, on dvds that are widescreen, you still have the black strips at the top and bottom (although smaller). So what is the point of a widescreen if you still have black lines and your normal tv is stretched?
#2
DVD Talk Legend
Eventually all tv programming will be 16x9 format (HDTV).
Until that time you will need to live with tv programs that are not native hdtv.
As for the bars that is due to the various ratios for movie film. On 2:35 to 1 ratio films you will have some letterbox bars at the top and bottom.
As a side note I would be more concerned about the picture quality (you note is is great) than whether or not the image completely fills the display area.
Until that time you will need to live with tv programs that are not native hdtv.
As for the bars that is due to the various ratios for movie film. On 2:35 to 1 ratio films you will have some letterbox bars at the top and bottom.
As a side note I would be more concerned about the picture quality (you note is is great) than whether or not the image completely fills the display area.
#3
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
But....will you have the same tv when all programming is 16x9? That is my question. I have a 61" standard big screen, and the amount that I see on letterbox is similar to what he has. But it also looks like if you are going to by lcd, or dlp, you don't really have the option of a regular screen.
#4
DVD Talk Legend
But it also looks like if you are going to by lcd, or dlp, you don't really have the option of a regular screen.
But....will you have the same tv when all programming is 16x9?
Not sure I understand? Are you speaking about network programs? If you watch a non-hdtv broadcast on a native 16x9 tv you will have side bars unless you stretch the picture.
Eventually that situation will reverse itself and all programming will be 16x9 meaning those who do not have a 16x9 set will have letterbox bars. The stretch is trying to compensate for the ratio of regular tv now.
Last edited by Brian Shannon; 01-12-04 at 11:13 AM.
#5
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
Originally posted by Brian Shannon
Not sure I understand? Are you speaking about network programs? If you watch a non-hdtv broadcast on a native 16x9 tv you will have side bars unless you stretch the picture.
Eventually that situation will reverse itself and all programming will be 16x9 meaning those who do not have a 16x9 set will have letterbox bars. The stretch is trying to compensate for the ratio of regular tv now.
Not sure I understand? Are you speaking about network programs? If you watch a non-hdtv broadcast on a native 16x9 tv you will have side bars unless you stretch the picture.
Eventually that situation will reverse itself and all programming will be 16x9 meaning those who do not have a 16x9 set will have letterbox bars. The stretch is trying to compensate for the ratio of regular tv now.
#6
DVD Talk Legend
Get whichever you watch most. If the bulk of your viewing is 4x3 material then get a conventional TV of whatever size suits you. But if you watch mostly WS, get a WS TV. You can get a huge 4x3 to get the same picture area as a midsize 16x9, but most TV material is pretty obnoxious to watch on a massive screen.
#8
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
Originally posted by Steve Phillips
You don't HAVE to stretch the picture with normal TV. You can simply watch in 4X 3 mode to see the picture as intended.
You don't HAVE to stretch the picture with normal TV. You can simply watch in 4X 3 mode to see the picture as intended.
#9
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Much native-HDTV programming is 16x9, and fits the screen perfectly [CSI last week looked incredible, and Discovery is always eyecatching.] And I think it's heading more that direction [Simpsons last night was 4x3, but Bernie Mac was 16x9].
DVD's are where you get the 'black bars' due to the various aspect ratios they were filmed in. 16x9 is basically 1.78, but there are also dvd's in things up to, what, 2.35? So in order to show the correct image, there are still slight letterbox effects.
Both my cable box and my HDTV have multiple stretch settings--I usually watch 4x3 content on 'Panorama' mode, which does fill up the screen [which I'm mainly concerned about due to burn in concerns], and doesn't distort the image noticeably.
I agree, 'regular' [ie, non-digital or non-upconverted] content can look pretty bad on a bigscreen. My 'default-on' channel is VH1 Classic, and it's on Panorama setting on my 60", and it looks pretty bad sometimes. But I don't know how much of that is due to digital cable bandwidth concerns, the 'stretching' of the image, the source signal, or the source material--because HBO and Showtime, even non-HD stuff, looks very nice. Not HD quality, but noticeably better than analog.
I even play videogames on 'stretch' mode--that
in Baldurs Gate was one big, ugly mother ; )
DVD's are where you get the 'black bars' due to the various aspect ratios they were filmed in. 16x9 is basically 1.78, but there are also dvd's in things up to, what, 2.35? So in order to show the correct image, there are still slight letterbox effects.
Both my cable box and my HDTV have multiple stretch settings--I usually watch 4x3 content on 'Panorama' mode, which does fill up the screen [which I'm mainly concerned about due to burn in concerns], and doesn't distort the image noticeably.
I agree, 'regular' [ie, non-digital or non-upconverted] content can look pretty bad on a bigscreen. My 'default-on' channel is VH1 Classic, and it's on Panorama setting on my 60", and it looks pretty bad sometimes. But I don't know how much of that is due to digital cable bandwidth concerns, the 'stretching' of the image, the source signal, or the source material--because HBO and Showtime, even non-HD stuff, looks very nice. Not HD quality, but noticeably better than analog.
I even play videogames on 'stretch' mode--that
Spoiler:
#10
DVD Talk Legend
Originally posted by kvrdave
True enough, but it just "feels" wrong for some reason.
True enough, but it just "feels" wrong for some reason.
Some feel that there is a "need" to fill the entire display area with image. If the image is not made to fill the display area then there is a conflict.
Attend a good movie theater a watch the curtains moving to mask the unused parts of the screen prior to the start of the film.
At this time regular broadcast tv simply is not the correct aspect ratio to "fit" onto a 16x9 tv. Nor would a 4x6 photo print fit properly into a 5x7 frame.
#11
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: I was here but I disappear
Posts: 8,407
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Why don't you just shoot the unused part of the screen off?
Seriously, if you do decide to watch 4:3 content in 4:3 on a widescreen do a little research and make sure that model isn't overly suseptible to burn-in.
Seriously, if you do decide to watch 4:3 content in 4:3 on a widescreen do a little research and make sure that model isn't overly suseptible to burn-in.
#12
DVD Talk Special Edition
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,034
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One of the problems with a huge 4:3 traditional HDTV is that if you input a digital signal in 720p or 1080i, a lot of 4:3 TVs lock into widescreen mode. This is ok if you are feeding a digital widescreen image. You'll just end up with black bars on the top and bottom. But if the digital feed is a 4:3 image within a 16:9 frame (like most of the TV stations that broadcast their non-HD digital content), you end up with a digital image that has black bars on the top, bottom, left and right - all 4 sides.
It's not really a good idea to get a 4:3 HDTV. Either get a regular analog 4:3, or if you want to get a HDTV, make sure it's widescreen.
It's not really a good idea to get a 4:3 HDTV. Either get a regular analog 4:3, or if you want to get a HDTV, make sure it's widescreen.
#13
Cool New Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So what is the point of a widescreen if you still have black lines and your normal tv is stretched?
IT DRIVES ME NUTS, but it was expected.
The purpose of a widescreen TV is so you get the maximum benefit from watching a widescreen movie/media.
But you will get BLACK BARS because widescreen movies come in many different sizes.
Plus, even though 16x9 is native to DTV, most shows still are done in 4x3.... including the masive 4x3 library from the 20th century. You will be seeing "black bars" for a very time.
Which makes me wonder:
10 years from now... 16x9 DTVs will probobly be in 90% of homes?
Will studios convert old 4x3 TV shows to a vertical pan/scan 16x9?
hmmm
Nick
#14
DVD Talk Special Edition
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,689
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From www.widescreen.org :
Obviously there are still black areas on the 16:9 TV, but the percentage of the screen that is black is significantly smaller.
Obviously there are still black areas on the 16:9 TV, but the percentage of the screen that is black is significantly smaller.
Last edited by sdcrym; 01-12-04 at 05:03 PM.
#15
Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Corona CA
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When 16x9 sets came into fruition it was intended for HDTV viewing and it's native 1.78:1 Ratio. Since movies usually have two basic standard ratios 1.85:1 and 2.35:1 which are both wider than the standard 16x9 you will get the black bars no matter what. In 1.85:1 movies you probably don't get the black bars because of overscan.
#16
DVD Talk Legend
And that's with a 2.35:1 movie. With a 1.85:1 movie as well as native 16:9 HD programming the screen will be filled.
16:9 is a good choice because, although you will have black bars with 2.35:1 and 4:3 material, they will be a much smaller percentage of the screen than the bars seen on a 4:3 TV with 2.35:1 or 1.85:1 material.
16:9 is a good choice because, although you will have black bars with 2.35:1 and 4:3 material, they will be a much smaller percentage of the screen than the bars seen on a 4:3 TV with 2.35:1 or 1.85:1 material.
#19
New Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: NJ
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Stop over my house and catch my 65 inch HD Mitsubishi in action playing NFL playoff's in high definition or watch HBO High Def with Digital surround sound and you will know why a big screen is a must have! BTW my Mitsuibishi will allow you to watch 4:3 aspect ration programing in several formats. 4:3 with bars on side. "Stretched" where the center of the picture is normal and only the edges are stretched, "Zoom" which enlarges the pic. "Standard" which stretches whole picture. With these settings it's no problem to find one that best fits the program I'm watching! But then Again if it's not High Def, might as well pop in the DVD and sit back and watch 65 inches of pure pleasure!
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 826
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have a 61" standard big screen, and the amount that I see on letterbox is similar to what he has.
#22
Uber Member
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Overlooking Pearl Harbor
Posts: 16,232
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
The Bits reported today (Mon.) that some number crunchers at CES were predicting 50% penetration of HDTVs by 2005/6.
It seems that things have sped up quite a bit since 2002/3 when it seemed that HDTV wasn't really taking off.
It seems that things have sped up quite a bit since 2002/3 when it seemed that HDTV wasn't really taking off.
#23
DVD Talk Gold Edition
It's going to take, what was it Intel?, Intel's chip that says they will get the prices down within the year to reach anywhere near those numbers.
If that chip functions as they say then HDTV's will take off pretty quick at the $1000-$2000 prices they are talking about for picture and size similar to the $6000+ Plasma's.
If that chip functions as they say then HDTV's will take off pretty quick at the $1000-$2000 prices they are talking about for picture and size similar to the $6000+ Plasma's.
#24
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Originally posted by Randy Miller III
Hmm...I wonder if they plan on making 2.35:1 TVs in the future?
Hmm...I wonder if they plan on making 2.35:1 TVs in the future?