Has Anyone Else Noticed The Aspect Ratios Of Many DVDs Are Not As Advertised? (1 Viewer)

[Rain]

A good example os Lilo & Stitch which is advertised as 1.66:1 but is much much closer to 1.85:1.

I checked at WidescreenReview and they have that one measuring 1.66:1.

Are you sure that you are taking into account the windowboxing (since it is an anamorphic) disc?

I know that just by eyeball, I don't see any difference between 1.66:1 and 1.85:1 on my TV simply because of the overscan.

 

[LukeB]

The Great Escape without overscan actually measures about 2.70:1 according to most sources I've seen.

Yep, I measured the screencaps myself from the computer and it's around 2.69:1.

People getting aspect ratios that are off might not be remembering to convert from the standard 1.5:1 ratio for either fullscreen or anamorphic widescreen.

As for Lilo & Stitch, it IS around 1.66:1, but again overscan takes care of the sidebars. (Which is actually quite nice, since you're not losing any of the picture to overscan.)

 

[Andy_MT]

:b that's embarrasing. that'll teach me to take notice of reviews on DVDtalk. sorry.

 

[Adam Tyner]

that'll teach me to take notice of reviews on DVDtalk.

Awww...there are some lousy writers there, but don't let them sour you on the entire site.

Yes, I write reviews there too. No, not the one in question.

 

[Todd Hochard]

Some DVD's of older movies that are advertised as "widescreen" are anything but. The image is horizontally stretched in FULL mode, and instead requires FILL mode, which is simply the expanded version of the 4:3 NORMAL mode.

These are called non-anamorphic discs, or letterboxed discs. The packaging will be missing the key words "Enhanced for Widescreen TVs" or "Anamorphic" on the back, near the bottom.

It is somewhat of a ripoff for widescreen TV owners, as you are missing 33% vertical resolution. Instead of 480 active picture lines, you only get 360 (less, of course, with 2:35x1 films- only 240 of actual picture). It shows.

Non-anamorphic, letterboxed discs are becoming rarer (as new DVD releases, I mean), but they are out there (Abyss, Titanic, True Lies, are three that immediately come to mind in my collection). Although I will say that Titanic is probably as good as it gets, in terms of picture quality of non-anamorphic discs.

Todd

 

[David Von Pein]

Anybody measured their SNFs yet? I'm still curious about that one.

Overscan aside, I STILL should not be viewing Rear Window (a 1.66 film) in a WIDER form than my Saturday Night Fever (1.85), on the exact same TV.

Therefore, in reality, we NEVER actually get to view ANY movies in their TRUE OAR form, right? (Because of anywhere from 4% to 11% overscan?)

I'm kinda surprised that there hasn't been more talk on the Forum re. this matter, being as how everyone wants their OAR to be perfect. It seems we're losing a little bit on the sides on every DVD we pop in (albeit not very much, but still probably enough to be annoying to many pro-OAR'ers).

Then again, I guess there's nothing we can do about it, save buying an expensive Front Projection set-up. Am I understanding it right? .... FP units have NO overscan at all? Do RPTVs have any/much overscan? Or is it limited to just tube TV sets?

 

[Alex Spindler]

RPTVs can be calibrated to reduce the overscan on the set to a much nicer 4% or so, which does help the whole issue. Additionally, some discs use windowboxing to lessen the amount lost to the overscan.

Regarding Saturday Night Fever: Based on the screenshots in Ron's thread, the ratio seems like 1.77:1 based on quick eyeball ruler check. Give it a shot.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

The region 2, 2-disc Special Edition of The Great Escape has an new, anamorphic transfer, which looks somewhere in the region of 2.35-40:1, which is acceptable. It's a good transfer. 5.1 audio is good too, but there is no mono track. Extra features are excellent. Hope the region 1 edition is as good and is released soon.

Steve McQueen!


Gordy

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Should DVDs be transfered with a slight sidebar so that no picture is lost to overscan? One of the many Blade Runner Laserdiscs was transfered like this - a 2.40:1 'edge-to-edge' (ie. the entire frame) transfer with sidebars - it looked great. Think it was a Japanese edition.

In 2001: A Space Odyssey, there is that shot of the spherical spaceship that is lowered into the Moon base, yeah? To the right, there should be 3 screens visable, but on my old 21" 4:3, you only see 1/3 of the third screen - it's a great shot and the overscan - and crappy, small screen - reduce the power of the shot.

I like to see the entire frame.

Any thoughts?


Gordy

 

[RobertR]

Should DVDs be transfered with a slight sidebar so that no picture is lost to overscan?

Absolutely not!! As an owner of a front projector with zero overscan, I find the idea of LOSING 5-10% horizontal resolution just to accommodate those with poorly calibrated displays immensely abhorrent. If YOU have overscan and it bothers you, fix it! Don't compromise the quality for the rest of us.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

"Absolutely not!! As an owner of a front projector with zero overscan, I find the idea of LOSING 5-10% horizontal resolution just to accommodate those with poorly calibrated displays immensely abhorrent. If YOU have overscan and it bothers you, fix it! Don't compromise the quality for the rest of us."

Whoa! Easy on the trigger there, Bob! Notice that the word "should" came before the word "DVDs" and a question-mark close the sentance, eh?! I posed a question that I felt needed to be addressed! I'm not sure if it would be a 'good' or a 'bad' idea. But as some people have problems with ratios and overscan, then this is one possible solution. Calibration is indeed another. But can all TVs be calibrated? How much does it cost? I know that there is a guy in Scotland who does it, and I'm going to contact him when I get my new TV - not sure what brand/model I'm going to but though.

You watch the blood-pressure, eh?!

Great stuff!


Gordy

 

[Michael Reuben]

I'm kinda surprised that there hasn't been more talk on the Forum re. this matter, being as how everyone wants their OAR to be perfect. It seems we're losing a little bit on the sides on every DVD we pop in (albeit not very much, but still probably enough to be annoying to many pro-OAR'ers).

"Perfect" is relative term. How many movie theaters do you think have their screens and masking measured out precisely to SMPTE standards? Even with overscan, DVDs probably come closer to the intended theatrical display ratios than most commercial theaters do. (Those of you who still go to movie theaters regularly will know what I mean.)

M.

 

[RobertR]

You watch the blood-pressure, eh?!

Ok ok, I will (I need to anyway, since it's high). I just get a little touchy on the subject of not using the format to its full potential to accomodate others (See David Boulet's HD-DVD thread for more on this issue).

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Understood, Bob!

It is indeed best to use the format to it's full potential!

Overscan is not your fate! Use your brain and calibrate!

Quality.


Gordy

 

[Rob T]

the back of the Blade 2 cover says it's a 2.35:1 film even though it's only 1.85:1.

 

[Damin J Toell]

Then again, I guess there's nothing we can do about it, save buying an expensive Front Projection set-up.

You could also use a computer monitor.

DJ

 

[Mitch Stevens]

I am also disgusted by the amount of overscan regular TV sets can have. I have a Sony Wega, and I have done my best to reduce the overscan, but I can only get so far, because the set starts to turn into weird shapes (i.e. the geometry is off).

I heard from someone on this very forum a long while back, that you could get a DVD player that will actually zoom out the picture, little by little, so that people with overscan, can actually see the entire image. I don't remember the brand of the DVD player because it's one that they certainly don't sell where I live. In fact, every single person I know, has never heard of the brand either.

Hmmm.....I think it started with an M. Something like Malata or something to that effect.

Anyway, if they would sell that kind of DVD player here, I'd buy it in a heartbeat, so I can finally see then entire image.

 

[TedD]

How about an HTPC with Zoom Player, or TheaterTek? Either solution will do what you want.

Ted

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Mitch, that is the Malata line.

 

[Travis_W]

Take a look at New Line's Last Man Standing and you can tell it's not 2.35:1 as advertised but closer to 2.40:1, possibly more.