Black bars (1 Viewer)

[Jeff_PxR]

Why is it that DVD movies like The Princess Bride and Army of Darkness still have dark bars above and below in widescreen format on my widescreen TV when the movie is playing but do not when the MGM lion growls or at the scene selection screen?

 

[Chad R]

Because the movie's have an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, and your TV is only 1.77:1. It's a small differennce but will leave you with slight black bars. The scene selections and the MGM lion are not part of the movie (Princess Bride was released by Nelson originally and MGM only recently picked up the rights to it and the lion is tacked on) and therefore are in different ratios.

 

[Malcolm R]

As Chad says, the term "widescreen" has seemingly become a general term which is now causing additional confusion. There are many different ratios of widescreen, most of which will still have black bars on current widescreen TV's.

Black bars are your friends, embrace them!

 

[John^Lal]

1.85:1
2.35:1
are any other ratios used in movies today?
i know there are other ratios that were used by older films, but why would "widescreen" televisions be made in any other format than 1.85:1 or 2.35:1 ?

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

This is a software question- not for "movies" section.

This issue might also be an anamorphic/non anamorphic issue. I know that the original MGM release was non-anamorphic, although I'm unsure if there was a non-anamorphic Army Of Darkness release.

Some DVDs are not enhanced for 16x9 TVs, so the letterbox bars are actually encoded into the video signal. As a result, you have to use a zoom mode to see the film properly on your widescreen set.

YOu might also read the listing in the FAQ AND PRIMER "If I buy a 16x9 TV, will i get rid of black bars forever?"

-Vince

 

[Malcolm R]

are any other ratios used in movies today?

Several.

Disney frequently uses 1.66:1 for their animated features.

"Black Hawk Down" is 2.40:1

The first "Austin Powers" movie is 2.00:1

 

[Jeff_PxR]

My TV is 1.77:1 63 inch Mit and when I play 1.85:1 DVDs I should see a small black bar at top and bottom. That I understand. But I am seeing rather large black bars--of the 32 inches from top to bottom of the screen, there are 3 inch black bars above and below--this is almost 1/5 of my vertical screen. This is in regular standard mode on the TV--not stretched or narrowed or anything.This is true of Princess Bride, Men in Black, and the Universal issue of Army of Darkness--all 1.85-1 DVDs--and the PB and MIB are Anamorphic widescreen DVDs.

But the FBI warning and the scene selection screens fill my whole TV screen--no black bars.

Are these black bars--6/32 or 3/16 of my entire screen--too large? Is there some setting unknown to me that I have messed up on the DVD player???

Thanks!

 

[Dan Rudolph]

Is your DVD player set to put out a 16:9 image? Does everything appear squashed vertically? It sounds like your player is puting it out with the mattes for display on a 4:3 monitor, then your tv is stretching the output wide.

 

[Tom Vet]

I agree with Dan your HDTV should be in full and set for 16 X 9, to view wide screen movies

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

You should have no black bars with those films, it's films that are wider than 1.85:1 that will have minimal black areas. As suggested, make sure your player is out putting 16x9 rather than 4x3.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

why would "widescreen" televisions be made in any other format than 1.85:1 or 2.35:1 ?

It's the best compromise between the european standard of 1.66:1 and the north american standard of 1.85:1. That's why many 1.85:1 films are rematted to 1.78:1 on DVD... the films were filmed to be seen anywhere from 1.66:1 to 1.85:1.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Chad,
dvd's that are 1.85:1 should reveal no black areas at all on a 16x9 monitor, i'm surprised nobody has corrected you on that.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

While your TV may be set correctly, make sure your DVD player is set for 16x9 playback.

 

[Scott L]

But widescreen is 16:9, or 1.78:1. Are you saying since the difference is minor no bars should appear?

 

[Francois Caron]

dvd's that are 1.85:1 should reveal no black areas at all on a 16x9 monitor, i'm surprised nobody has corrected you on that.

Actually, if the TV's overscan is set at a minimal level, very thin black bars may still show up while playing a 1.85:1 aspect ratio disc on a 16x9 display.

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

You might want to keep your question to one area:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=128264

 

[Matt Stone]

Are the DVDs your talking about anamorphic, or 16x9 enhanced? If not, then you need to use Zoom Mode (or whatever it's called for your specific TV) on your TV. Also, as others have said, set your DVD Player's output to 16x9 in the Settings menu.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

I realize that, but that's more the exception than the norm isn't it? Every 16x9 i've ever seen had the 1.85:1 image fill the screen. What i'm saying is that it is quite normal for a 1.85:1 image to fill a 16x9 with no black area visible.

Unless your monitor is obssesivly calibrated with no overscan at all, you shouldn't see any black area on 1.85:1 material.

 

[Michael Reuben]

I have merged this thread with the one started in the Movies forum asking the same question.

M.

 

[Eugene Esterly]

are any other ratios used in movies today?

Yes. My DVD copy of The One lists an aspect ratio 2.40:1.