Watching widescreen DVD's (1 Viewer)

[Kevin_M_E]

I have a Sony Wega 32" TV (KV-32FS100) that does 16:9 Enhanced Mode. When I watch widescreen DVD's, I know that I should have the TV use the enhanced mode, but should I also tell my DVD that my TV is 16:9? My DVD player has three settings, 4:3 letterbox, 4:3 Panscan and 16:9 Wide. Which setting should I use?

 

[Dean_D]

You are correct. When you turn on 16:9 enhanced you should make sure the DVD is set for a 16:9 TV because this is what you have set your TV to work like. 4:3 letterbox is kind of useless in my opinion when you have 16:9 enhanced on your TV. 4:3 panscan is for full screen and non-anamorphic DVDs.

 

[Michael Reuben]

4:3 letterbox is kind of useless in my opinion when you have 16:9 enhanced on your TV. 4:3 panscan is for full screen and non-anamorphic DVDs.

There's no real difference between 4:3 letterbox and 4:3 pan&scan. (The only difference is that 4:3 P&S will automatically crop widescreen DVDs that are coded for P&S on the fly -- which almost no discs are.)

If a TV set has 16:9 capabilities, the DVD player should be left in the 16:9 setting at all times. This will not affect the display of full screen and nonanamorphic DVDs.

M.

 

[Greg*go]

Another difference between 4:3 letterbox and 4:3 pan&scan on my DVD player is it defaults to whichever one you pick when a DVD has both on the same side of the disc. If my player's menu is set to Pan&Scan, and I pick widescreen in the DVD menu, it will still show me the Pan&Scan.

 

[Dean_D]

Michael:

I believe 4:3 letterbox will squeeze full screen dvds. As you said 16:9 doesn't and this is why I believe the mode is pointless when you have 16:9.

 

[Michael Reuben]

this is why I believe the mode is pointless when you have 16:9.

The 4:3 modes are "pointless" with a 16:9 monitor, because their purpose is to downconvert 16:9-enhanced DVDs for display on a 4:3 monitor. That's the only reason. Moreoever, the DVD player setting should have no effect at all on "full screen" (i.e., 4:3 non-letterboxed) titles.

M.

 

[Tim Fennell]

I'm not really getting the advantage of 16:9 here. I have a similar set to Kevin. If the dvd is widescreen the tv automatically letterboxes it for me. What does 16:9 get me?

Tim

 

[Michael Reuben]

What does 16:9 get me?

Better resolution (if the disc is enhanced for 16:9). Check the HTF Beginner's Primer and FAQ.

M.