Question on LCD projectors and anamorphic dvd (1 Viewer)

[Nick Scott]

Hi,

I'm looking at purchasing a "budget" priced projector and was wondering if most SVGA resolution projectors can take advantage of anamorphic dvd or if only specific models like the Plus HE-3100 or the Panasonic PT-AE100 can do this. 90% of the projectors use will be for dvd watching so this would be and important point for me.

Thanks

 

[Allan Jayne]

Somebody has to scale the incoming 480p (regular VGA) to occupy a 16:9 shaped area on the projector's display mechanism. Perhaps the projector does the scaling for you, with independent vertical and horizontal size adjustments. Perhaps you are using a PC to at least scale the video if not play the DVD as well. You do not want the DVD player to do the scaling via its 4:3 downxconversion mode.
If nobody does any scaling, the 480p picture will occupy a 640 x 480 4:3 shaped space with unused pixels on all four sides.
Rudimentary scaling on the part of the projector will fill the 1024 x 768 or 800 x 600 SVGA frame but in 4:3 aspect ratio only. This is where a separate vertical size control is needed.
Before buying, experiment in the store with a regular VGA feed from a PC, see if you can stretch the picture to 16:9.
They also make anamrophic lenses that can be put on the front of the projector so a 4:3 picture on the display mechanism produces a 16:9 picture on the screen, just as theater projectors use.
Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm

 

[Chris PC]

The AE100 is a 16:9 projector and provided that you input through the projectors VGA port, you will be watching a near pixel for pixel representation of your progressive video input.