Question about anamorphic oversqueeze on Sony 36XBR400 (1 Viewer)

[Reginald Trent]

I'm trying to determine if my TV has oversqueeze. So can someone who has corrected the problem tell me how large in inchs the black bars should be for 2.35 and 1.85 DVDs?

 

[David_D]

I think the easiest way to tell the correct height is to set our DVD player back to 4:3. Then view an enhanced DVD and measure the height. Then switch your player back to 16:9 and view the same DVD. Ideally, the height should be the same, but you can measure there and compare. (I've read about people putting sticky notes on the screen at the top and bottom of the image in 4:3 mode.)

 

[Allan Jayne]

The second best way to verify proper squeeze proportions is to find some large circular object in the movie and see that it is perfectly circular.
(The very best way is to use a circle provided for that purpose and also the overscan test patterns in Video Essentials or AVIA )
Once it is set correctly it will be right for all aspect ratios. Due to overscan, it is not possible to adjust things just by measuring the black bars.
Also look for electronic matting controls in the service menu (vertical retrace interval blanking duty cycle control). You will want the VE or AVIA overscan test pattern to make adjustmensts.
Caution: A few movies may have a small amount of squishing (anamorphism) that can only be corrected if your TV has a continuously variable squeeze. If so we can assert that they are intended by the producer to be watched with that squishing and that the third paragraph here remains true, because the DVD standard only provides for 4:3 and 16:9 without fine tuning.
Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm

 

[MikeyWeitz]

What is the best setting for overscan? Right now I have the 5 half way cut off on the top, bottom and both sides. Is this correct or should it be closer to the 10? I am using the VE test pattern. Thanx.