We all know that all movies should be watched in their OAR. For that reason, we have been clamouring for years for widescreen editions of our favourite movies and "anamorphic" at that so we don't loose any definition.

But what about older movies whose OAR is 4:3?

Do you ever cheat by not playing them in their original format, by cropping or compressing them, according to the various options available on your TV?

Now, be honest!

I prefer to keep it in the 4:3 ratio because it simply looks better anyway. I can live with those gray bars on the side!

Never. I watch 4X3 material on my 36" 4X3 tube... But, on the few - rare - times that I watch a 1.33:1 on my 16X9, I let my player generate the black bars on the sides.

Although I don't have a widescreen threatre Tv yet (later this year), I do have a widescreen Portable DVD Player that I use frequently (in the car, bedroom, etc).

I always make the films fit the screen. Not necessarily older films, but any movies I have that aren't widescreen as well.

I have a 50" Toshiba 16:9 set. The Toshiba has VERY good stretch modes on 4:3 material. I just let it do its thing.

Same here. I've got the 57" Toshiba. The stretch modes on all the Toshibas that I have seen are perfect.

You guys must like to watch fat people.

When I watch a 1.33:1 movie (either on DVD or from AMC or Turner Classic Movies) on my widescreen television, I always watch it in its orginal aspect ratio, with bars on the sides.

However, for television shows, I usually use my TV's "JUST" mode, which keeps the center of the image normal and stretches the sides to fill the screen. (That sounds weird if you've never experienced this, but it actually looks pretty good because people in television shows are usually centered on the screen, and therefore they're not made to look "fat" in this mode, though the background to their left and right are stretched horizontally.)

I do this because I guess I just don't care as much about the composition and artistic integrity of television shows as I do with movies, and don't want to risk burn-in on my television by watching television shows in 1.33:1 with bars on the sides all the time.

This is one reason I'll never buy a widescreen TV...I just watch to many 4:3 TV shows and movies...and I dont really like the black bars...so when I go HDTV...its likely gonna be a 32'-36' Tube...right now my 32' Toshiba is doin just fine...

And I bet it makes Kathy Bates look like Free Willy.

I just watch mine in normal mode. Just about everything I watch on TV is in the same ratio. When the room is dark, you can hardly tell it doesn't fill the screen.

Non-issue here.
My TV is HD and has a 4:3 screen. I can set the aspect ratio to 16:9 for anamorphic discs (set my DVD player to 16:9 TV). The only drawback is that the TV doesn't automatically change A/R when the disc does, but it's pretty obvious when the movie starts and I need to switch.

-AC

One of the reasons I went with a 4X3 TV with 16X9 enhanced mode. I get the better resolution of anamporphic DVDs and still get to watch regular TV and 1.33:1 movies with the whole screen.

I know many people don't like to generate bars on their widescreen TVs because they fear burn in. Thats one of the reasons I stayed away from a rear projection TV.

I stretch mine on my Toshiba 57" too. you can not see any difference in the pic. no one appears fat.

I will never watch a 4X3 movie or TV show on DVD in stretch mode. The black side bars are no big deal to me.

If I'm just watching CNN or American Idol, then sometimes I will stretch, but never for a program with a plot!

I stretch on my 50" Toshiba as well. They have a fairly unique way of filling the 16:9 screen with 4:3 material, which is one of the major factors why I bought a Toshiba. From what I read when I was looking into what to buy, the center of the image is not stretched at all. The sides are then stretched to compensate, and a very small portion is taken off the top and bottom. There is simply no downside to stretching on Toshiba units as far as I'm concerned.

Now my uncle has a Mitsubishi unit, and I want to gouge my eyes out whenever I see any 4:3 material stretched on his unit. I'm very picky about video quality, and Toshiba has absolutely mastered the art of stretching to fill 16:9 screens.

I've got a 57H83 Toshiba. I always stretch, it just looks better.

Absolutely! I have a 65" Mitsubishi HDTV, and I always:
- use the stretch mode on 4 x 3 (like Friends Season 6 which I'm watching as I type, as well as older films)
- use the expand mode on non-anamorphic widescreen films.

And I don't give a damn what anyone says about OAR, both of these options look great!

I have the Hitachi 57S500 and the stretch mode on it is fantastic. Most of the 4x3 I watch is through that.

I never use stretch mode on DVDs. I do for regular cable in order to avoid burn-in, but I hardly ever use my TV for that anyway.

I also have a 65" Mits and I do use the stretch mode on broadcast
television as well.

I do not alter the OAR on DVD films and do not use expand for it.

I started this thread because I am tired of the hypocrisy of mostly non-owners of widescreen TVs who are ready to swear on the Bible that they never - or never would - stretch a 4:3 film to fit a widescreen. I am doint it right now on the Criterion edition of The Rules of the Game and I couldn't live without it. It gives most 4:3 films , including GWTW, a definitive majesty.

Most of the posters are talking about the "Theater Wide 1" mode on Toshiba rear-projection TVs, a very successful arrangement. I own a Toshiba 40" rear-projection widescreen TV myself and I think this viewing mode is a work of art. Other posters seem to imply that Hitachi and Mitsubishi models are doing a comparable job.

My TV/DVD player arrangement (both Toshiba) doesn't generate black bars on the side, just white empty space that changes hue with the content of the picture and looks "just awful", according to one visiting pundit. I am not concerned with burn-in in 4:3 mode, but maybe I should if I got a DVD player that generates black sidebars. Does anybody have an actual experience of burn-in from the vertical black bars on a rear-projection widescreen TV in 4:3 mode?

I have a 65" MItsubishi and I use the stretch mode. It is just simply too distracting to have the light gray bars down the sides, and the TV does a pretty decent job in my opinion.

For me, it's all a bunch of bad choices. I absolutely love my widescreen TV, and I'm in nirvana watching widescreen DVDs, but the price to be paid is when watching 4:3 stuff. I will admit that I usually stretch it, but I don't like it. My TV only generates the gray bars for 4:3 DVDs, and I just find that too annoying. I"ve actually bought a swath of black felt to make my own little curtains so I can watch 4:3 in its original ratio, but I haven't actually set that up yet.

I usually watch HiDef for broadcast TV, so that keeps everything OK and has black bars instead of gray.

I have a "65 Mitsubishi and a Jaton all region player that has X-Y scaling. I can fit the picture anyway I choose, it's a great feature to have for anyone who owns a widescreen TV. No black bars EVER! If I want to watch the film in its original OAR, it's my choice. "BRILILANT!!!!"

I use my Toshiba 57H93 and use its stretch modes, they are great, hardly Noticable actually...