Widescreen DVD not displayed as widescreen!? (1 Viewer)

[Benjamin_M]

This is probably a simple question and I am sure a simple answer is out there so here it goes.

I have been purchasing all wide-screen edition DVDs, when possible, in anticipation of my purchase of a wide-screen HDTV. However, in the mean time I have been watching lots of wide-screen movies on my standard 27" 4x3 set. Some movies have the expected black bars at the top and bottom of the screen to display the whole wide-screen picture. However, on some wide-screen DVDs, most recently Signs, I do not get black bars on the screen so I assume that I am missing part of the picture. Does this have to do with the "enhanced for wide-screen tv's" presentation of the movie?

This is probably is related to my original question but can someone give me a quick description of what the difference between anamorphic wide-screen and enhanced for wide-screen.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Rob T]

try opening up the settings menu on the DVD player and see if 16x9 or letterbox is selected.
if 16x9 is selected then change it to letterbox.
if letterbox is selected then that is not the problem.

 

[Benjamin_M]

Would that setting explain why some widescreen DVDs are displayed with bars and other widescreen DVDs are not?

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Yes. Some have bigger black bars than other. You're seeing the ones with the bigger black bars that are still visible on 16x9 HDTVs. It would also explain why people may appear tall and skinny to you. Check your DVD player manual on how to change the setting.

 

[Rob T]

Yes.
with 1.85:1, there should be bars there and I think you got it set on 16x9 so it's stretching the image.
That's why there is still bars on 2.35:1 movies but they aren't as thick.
fix the settings and it should be fine.

 

[Benjamin_M]

I see! My DVD player thinks it is hooked up to a widescreen tv but it is not. So it is stretching the picture vertically to account for the fact that my 4x3 set is taller than a 16x9 set of comparable width.
Do all DVD players do this? This is a relatively low tech player displaying interlaced images on a non-HDTV monitor.

 

[soop.spoon]

Do all DVD players do this?

Yes.

 

[Benjamin_M]

Well that solves that. I will check that setting on the player. If this is the case and I have been watching streached images for a long time it will look very strange when viewing in letterbox

 

[Neil Joseph]

Yes, this is correct. Setting the DVD player to 16x9 mode instead of 4x3 mode (for a 4x3 display) will make 1.85:1 movies look like 1.33:1 and 2.35:1 movies look like 1.85:1 movies (approximately of course). Switching this will fix.

 

[Michael Reuben]

I am sure a simple answer is out there

Indeed there is! All of these questions are answered in the HTF Beginners Primer and FAQ, specifically:
Anamorphic DVD
Common Film Aspect Ratios
If I buy a 16x9 wide screen TV, will I get rid of the black bars forever?
M.