I met Joe Sixpack yesterday at Wal-Mart (2 Viewers)

[MatthewLouwrens]

I wonder why the 4:3 don't have black bars instead.. ???

Since Marc said that the 16x9 were right and the 4x3 was stretched, I would guess they had the one player set for a 16x9 picture, and the 4x3 TVs either didn't have a 16x9 setting, or that setting hadn't been set up.

Sadly, my experience is that, in general and not wanting to offend any HTFers working in electronic stores, most of the time the people working in electronic stores don't know a damn thing and just turn everything on, with zero thought. The presentation of products in stores is usually so bad I'm surprised they sell anything.

 

[Marc_Sulinski]

I wonder why the 4:3 don't have black bars instead.. ???

Well, I am assuming that there is one source component set up somewhere that provides the same image to all (or many of) of the TVs. Since the image was 16:9, it looked fine on the 16:9 sets, but was stretched vertically on the 4:3 sets. Very few 4:3 sets actually have a 16:9 mode (I think only Sony and Sharp), and these TVs did not have that mode enabled. I did go around and set a few of them, since I was trying to show one of my friends why she should get a TV that is 16:9 enhanced.

 

[Jerome Grate]

What I find funny about the Joey six packs if the fact that they are so against widescreen. Circuit City had a display a while back where it desplayed MI2 on a fool screen Sony monitor and in Widescreen format 16x9 advanced. It was hands down an excellent dislpay and comparison, but this guy stood there and literally said, "I would like the full screen, it gives you more t.v.

 

[MarkHastings]

When I see someone in any setting who is "demanding" fullscreen with the same passion that I demand widescreen, then I just leave them alone in most cases.

So true. It would be as worthless to argue with this guy as it would be to argue with the guy who is complaining at a fine Italian restaurant because they don't serve "Beef-a-roni".

 

[WillG]

Don't you think it's best to put the WS behind the P&S, this way only the truly deserved will get the WS version.

I'm not sure that is the answer, because that will just enable J6P to continue to get P&S while it would be just preaching to the choir for OAR supporters. And also, If Wal-Mart thought that their demand for WS was high they would continue to restock it after it was depleted. Wal-Mart does not really care about WS as of yet. I think they just order some Obligatory copies on new releases and once they are out of stock, that is pretty much it. If more J6P bought WS and Wal-Mart became convinced there is a demand for it, they might give OAR some more respect

 

[Jason Bell]

I think the studios are making a mistake by giving the J6P a choice on what format they want. The reason is that most J6Ps in reality dont care about formats. BUT if offered a choice between FS and PS sadly alot of them will take the PS version. If they are only offered WS they will still buy the DVD. On the other hand HT enthusiasts are more passionate about the issue and like myself will not buy any PS movie no matter how much I want the title. So wouldnt it be less expensive for the studios to only have to produce one version. I really dont think people are gonna go running back to VHS if we take away there PS.

 

[Tim Fleming]

I think the studios are making a mistake by giving the J6P a choice on what format they want. The reason is that most J6Ps in reality dont care about formats. BUT if offered a choice between FS and PS sadly alot of them will take the PS version. If they are only offered WS they will still buy the DVD. On the other hand HT enthusiasts are more passionate about the issue and like myself will not buy any PS movie no matter how much I want the title. So wouldnt it be less expensive for the studios to only have to produce one version. I really dont think people are gonna go running back to VHS if we take away there PS.

As long as 4:3 televisions exist and continue to be sold, then everyone should have the option of purchasing in either format. I get so tired of this almost elitist use of the "Joe Six Pack" term.

I would argue that there are far more non-widescreen TV owning non-HT enthusiasts out there who do NOT want widescreen presentation on their 4:3 televisions than there are HT enthusiasts who want widescreen. If my assumption is correct (and I would bet London to a brick that it is), then the studios stand to lose if they don't offer them what they want... why do people here seem to think that it is only the HT enthusiast who is passionate about what he/she is spending their money on?

 

[WillG]

As long as 4:3 televisions exist and continue to be sold, then everyone should have the option of purchasing in either format. I get so tired of this almost elitist use of the "Joe Six Pack" term.

What about during the days of VHS when there was usually no WS option and when we complained we would told to just stop crying about it by J6P

 

[ThomasC]

Is this scenario possible?

When a widescreen DVD first loads up, the consumer is given a choice: Would you like the movie to fill up the screen or view it with black bars? If the person selects, "fill up the screen", the DVD tells the DVD player to zoom in to fill up the screen. Is it possible to do that, or can the DVD not tell what the DVD player what to do?

Granted, zooming in is not the same as pan and scan, so maybe instead of seeing a person's head, you see half a head on both sides of the screen.

 

[Tim Fleming]

What about during the days of VHS when there was usually no WS option and when we complained we would told to just stop crying about it by J6P

So that makes it ok does it? I seem to recall a very useful saying along the lines of two wrongs not making a right.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Good Mark, but it begs this question...

When the first WS movie was going to be shown on TV, did the station ask the studio to crop it to 4:3 - or did the studio crop it to give the station the finger?

Glenn

 

[DaveGTP]

I never understand the black bars argument. There's already black borders, on the sides and bottom of the TV, the edges of the screen! If there weren't already bars defining the sides of the screen, wouldn't the picture go to infinity? The borders of the TV must contain the picture somehow.

I can understand the smaller picture agreement, but the black bars thing just doesn't make any sense... I just don't agree with it.

 

[WillG]

So that makes it ok does it? I seem to recall a very useful saying along the lines of two wrongs not making a right.

I'm not saying anything about 2 wrongs making a right. I just seems that you have some sympathy toward the J6P market. I'm just saying why I don't

 

[Tim Fleming]

I'm not saying anything about 2 wrongs making a right. I just seems that you have some sympathy toward the J6P market. I'm just saying why I don't

My sympathies lie with the right of choice. If there is a choice then everybody is happy... if not, then someone is always going to feel put out.

 

[Wyatt_Y]

Just gotta chime in (as I do in each such thread)...I detest anyone stereotyping ANYONE as J6P or 'stupid' or unknowledgeable when they want P&S...just as I detest anyone that thinks I'm 'stupid' for 'wasting my time' on home theater... This happens to be one of my (our - on this and other similar forums) passions.

There are fanatics about art (paintings and such)...if I like a print that doesn't capture someone's view of the 'essence' of an original am I 'stupid'...you can stick it if you think so...

We each have our passions..and we each have things that simply don't matter to us...or don't matter as much to us...I know people that wash their vehicles twice a day.

To me, those that apply derogatory labels to people simply excercising their own free will are truly ignorant.

 

[MarkHastings]

did the station ask the studio to crop it to 4:3

I can't back this up with any facts, but I would think this is the reason. The TV stations may have feared losing an audience due to presenting something that they were not used to (i.e the black bars).

 

[MarkHastings]

According to DVD Demystified:

Why do some rental stores and retailers not carry widescreen DVDs?

Some rental chains such as Blockbuster and retailers such as Wal-Mart originally carried only carry fullscreen (pan-scan) versions of movies when both widescreen and fullscreen versions were available. This infuriated many DVD fans, who could never countenance watching a non-widescreen version of a movie on DVD. There was much complaining, including an online petition with over 25,000 signatures. In early 2003 Blockbuster reversed their policy and made the following statement: “We made a decision to purchase the majority of titles we bring in on DVD in the widescreen format. We try to follow our customer preferences. As DVD becomes increasingly popular, they become more familiar with the features and with the benefits of letterboxing. They've learned it's a superior format to full-frame." Wal-Mart similarly switched to widescreen versions apparently after realizing that they sold better.

I hope this statement is correct and it's just a matter of time before Wal-Mart (along with others) switch over to Pro-OAR

 

[Malcolm R]

In the case of Wal-Mart, though, I think it's that they deigned to even carry WS, not that they'll switch to WS exclusively.

 

[Topher]

"To even carry WS"

????

I have been buying WS movies from WalMart for years, I can ALMOST always find the movie I am buying in both versions. Some people are acting like they never carry WS and if they do it is like 20/80 WS/FS. I see more like 50/50 at my mart.