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Please help a Newbie with format question!

#1
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9/5/09 at 8:43pm
  • Joined: September 2009
  • Post Count: 1
I am in the proces of installing my first home theater in a dedicated room which has a 106" wall mounted screen.

I will be using an LG BD390 player, a Sony STR-DA5400ES Receiver, and a Panasonic PT-AE3000U projector.

I will be using the theater for 90% watching DVDs or Bluray and about 10% games on a PS3.

A friend of mine who is no expert (but still knows more than I do) just told me I might be in trouble because my screen is a 16x9 format and most movies are in 2.35 to 1???  He said that 16x9 is for watching HDTV which I will not be doing.  Help!

Am I going to need a different screen???  What will happen when I play my DVDs?  What is going to happen when I try to play Bluray?

I hope this isn't a question you have to answer 10 times a day and if it is I appreciate your patience.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

-Rick  
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#2
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9/5/09 at 9:01pm
  • Joined: August 2000
  • Location: Southaven, MS
  • Post Count: 4,540
Your projector is a native 16x9 format so you want a 16x9 screen.  Movies come in formats from 4x3 (1.33:1) to 1.85:1 (a little wider than 16x8 or 1.78:1) to 2.35:1.  For anything narrower than 16x9 you will have black bars on the sides.  For anything wider than 16x9 you will have black bars on the top and bottom.

If you want to fill your screen on everything then you need a 2.35:1 ratio screen ($$$$$), a special lens that goes in front of your projector ($1,000+) and a motorized set of curtains that automatically adjust with the aspect ratio ($$$$$$).  It's not cheap.  Do like the rest of us - just watch the movie and ignore theblack bars.

-Robert
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