16:9 Anamorphic Mode Help on Sony Wega (1 Viewer)

[Andrew Signore]

I have a Sony KV32FS16 Wega TV which has a 16:9 Anamorphic mode feature. Whenever I turn this on it takes a already letterbox movie and squishes it more, distorting the picture. I must be missing something here. Can someone please explain how/when to use this feature?

 

[Dave Bennett]

A few things you must check.

First, in the setup menu of your DVD player, set the TV type to 16x9.

Second, insure the DVD you're watching is 16x9 enhanced(also referred to as anamorphic or enhanced for widescreen tvs). Not all DVDs are. It should say somewhere on the back of the case.

Third, I've heard some Wegas oversqueeze the 16x9 picture even when setup correctly. It's an easy fix in the service menu.

If the first two things are done and it still looks squished, then you may have to adjust it in the service menu or have a tech do it if you're not comfortable fiddling with it. Good luck.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Yes, Andrew, do exactly what Dave says: adjust your player to output to a 16:9 device. Also, remember that your particular WEGA must have its 16:9 circuit engaged manually. Make sure you've done that as well.

(Regarding the terminology: the television does not go into an "anamorphic mode," but simply a 16:9 mode. So-called "anamorphic" widescreen DVDs are simply encoded to output their 480 lines of resolution into a 16:9 window. Perhaps the more appropriate term for the studios to put on the back of those boxes is "16:9 encoded." There is no anamorphic compression involved--not in the sense that true anamorphic lenses used in cinematography and cinema playback. It's an unfortunate term that soon became widespread.)

 

[Allan Jayne]

Engage the 16:9 squeeze mode only when it makes the picture look better (better proportioned).
Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm

 

[Mark Hobbs]

Why would activating the 16:9 mode change the proportions at all?

To the original poster: changing my DVD player to 16:9 mode solved that problem for me.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Again: Set the player's output to 16:9; when playing a 16:9-encoded (aka, "anamorphic") DVD, set the television to 16:9 mode in the user menu. Two things will happen: Your image will be properly proportioned, and you will use all your set's available scanning lines. Since the scanning lines are closer together in the 16:9 mode, the resulting image will appear smoother and more filmlike--the best you will see short of a progressive-scan image. Hope this helps. JB

 

[Andrew Signore]

Thanks - changed the setting on my dvd player and it did the trick.