Widescreen? Letterbox? Anamorphic? (1 Viewer)

[Rod Melotte]

ErikU brings up a question. Is there any difference in SIZE when watching WidescreeLetterboxAnamorphic?

Having a DVD player for less then a month now I have not found all the bells and whistles on my DVD player.

I watched a movie that was REALLY squeezed into my 27in Sony WEGA. I assumed this was just the first 2.35:1 movie I watched (which I find surprising).

Is there a setting where I can see 2.35:1 slightly larger?

I'm all for seeing movies how they were intended but 2.35:1 will mean we will move the couch a little closer for those movies.

BTW - the 2.35:1 was a Woody Allen movie and 1.66:1 or 1.85:1 FOR ME, would have been good enough.

 

[Bill Catherall]

Is there a setting where I can see 2.35:1 slightly larger?

It's impossible to increase the size of an image on a TV without either cropping the image or changing the aspect ratio. So the simple answer is no. If you crop the image (zoom) then you aren't seeing it as intended...which you seem to at least understand why this is wrong. If you squeeze the image to make it taller then people look taller and proportions are all wrong...which is almost as bad as zooming.
Your choices are either don't watch movies as intended (I don't like that suggestion, but it's your choice to make), move closer to the TV, get a bigger TV, or get used to it.

 

[Rod Melotte]

Thanks - I WISH we had purchased a 32in Sony Wega 6 monts ago but at the time the $$ was a stretch. If only I had known I would win a ton playing online poker and thus could afford the surround sound system.
Now I feel the need for a larger TV but can't justify buying ANOTHER one.
Perhaps I'll put wheels on the couch.
-----------------------------------
BTW - I started with $50 playing Hold'm and my hi point was $2250. Don't try it with money you CAN'T lose and also know that I was pretty good before I entered the on-ine arena. Also note that I lost $1000 last month so a new TV is not in the future with gambling money.

 

[Richard Travale]

If your 27" is only six months old you may be able to A) return it for full value on a trade-in(ask your dealer) or B) Sell it on ebay for nearly it's total worth. Or you could move it to the bedroom or sell it to a friend. I think A) might work, especially if you bought it from a dealer that values repeat customers.

 

[Michael Reuben]

the 2.35:1 was a Woody Allen movie

Must have been Manhattan. I think that's the only film he ever shot in that aspect ratio.
M.

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

Rod,
You might want to familiarize yourself with ANAMORPHIC and what it means. Everyone's replies have so far been dead on the money, however I'm guessing from how you used ANAMORPHIC in your subject and first post- it might be worth while to make sure you understand what it is and what it does/doesn't do.
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/anamorphic/welcome.html
but since it is not an anmorphic image, if you squeezed it, it would look like

-Vince

 

[Michael Reuben]

Even Manhatten, I believe, is 1.85:1.

Trust me on this, Vince: Manhattan is 2.35:1. I saw it theatrically, I used to have the LD (one of the first lbx'd discs), I now have the DVD. Allen and Gordon Willis set out to shoot an epic-scale love letter to the city, and they shot it w-i-d-e.

M.

 

[Rod Melotte]

A few corrections.

1. It was not a Woody Allen movie that was "the problem" (however - I'll get to the however a bit later).

2. It was American Beauty (what a f*ck up movie that is). It seemed REAL slim to me. More then normal and I THINK I have watched 2.35-1 movies but perhaps not. I looked at T2 last night (2.35-1)and it didn't seem SO slim.

3. SQUEEZE mode on your WEGA? Do I have that? What's it used for (I have a 27in WEGA).

4. Perhaps I mention Woody Allen (it was Annie Hall) because I thought it was a little squeezed (more then normal).

 

[Rod Melotte]

It looks to me that you cna not ACCEDENTLY put your WEGA into SQUEEZE MODE.
Link Removed

 

[Todd K]

Why would anyone use that complicated service mode method when you can just enter the normal menu and turn the squeeze on? If there something special about this other service mode squeeze trick?

Todd

 

[Michael Reuben]

2. It was American Beauty (what a f*ck up movie that is). It seemed REAL slim to me. More then normal and I THINK I have watched 2.35-1 movies but perhaps not. I looked at T2 last night (2.35-1)and it didn't seem SO slim.

The term "slim" is confusing here. Do you mean to say that the image seemed "short" from top to bottom, so that the black bars seemed unusually large?
Both American Beauty and T2 were shown in theaters and transferred to DVD at 2.35:1. They should have roughly the same aspect ratio (or "AR") on your TV.
For now, let me suggest that you do three things:
1. Go into your player's setup, and look for the setting that controls screen shape. There should be an option for "4:3 letterbox" or something similar. Confirm that you've selected that setting. This will ensure that, for now, you're seeing the films in the correct AR.
2. Read the link that Vince posted about anamorphic enhancement. You'll need to understand that a little better before proceeding further.
3. Post the exact model numbers of your TV and DVD player. There are a lot of people reading these threads, and someone will probably know exactly what features you do and don't have (e.g., a "squeeze" button).
M.

 

[Kevin Deacon]

Whenever I put the squeeze mode on the actors look like they are smashed (shorter). What's up with that?

 

[ChrisMatson]

Kevin-

It sounds like you are squeezing a non-anamorphic source. You should only squeeze DVDs that are "Enhanced for Widescreen TVs," or other anamorphic material. DVDs that are not enhanced for widescreen will appear "squished" when you apply the squeeze.

-Chris

 

[Kevin Deacon]

When I put the squeeze on while watching Pearl Harbor it looked totally unnatural (smashed).

 

[Michael Reuben]

When I put the squeeze on while watching Pearl Harbor it looked totally unnatural (smashed).

Is your DVD player set for 16:9 playback? I'm guessing it's not.
To use the squeeze mode correctly, both the DVD player and the TV have to be set appropriately. For more detail, follow the link below:
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articl...c/welcome.html
M.

 

[Kevin Deacon]

Michael, I will have to check my settings this evening, thanks for the response.

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

I have merged these two discussions on the same topic.
Rod,
Understand- that FAQ thing is a service menu function to get to the squeeze on older sets, newer sets have this function enabled from the remote or quick menu.
It's possible you could put the "squeeze mode" on- either via the normal function or the service menu (which is only for older sets which didn't offer the squeeze as a feature on the remote)- on material that doesn't need it.
When I said "accidentally" above- I meant that you could have put it on during material that doesn't need to be squeezed.
I just meant to point out it was possible either you triggered it without knowing (on sets where it is easily accessible), or you knew about it and were using it by mistake on DVDs that weren't anamorphic.
Normal 4:3 formatted programming (TV, Fullframe DVD) doesn't need the squeeze- and if you squeeze it, it will look squashed.
Non-anamorphic DVD doesn't need the squeeze- it is formatted as letterboxed without anamorphic enhnacement- if you squash it, it will be squashing material that isn't formatted to be squashed.
The only material that should be sqeezed is ANAMORPHIC DVD- and only if you player is set to 16x9 mode. The player will supply you, when you play an anamorphic DVD, with a pciture that is vertcially stretched- and you can use the squash mode to squeeze it back down to proper ratio and maintain the added resolution afforded to Anamorphic DVD.
I would recommend reading up on Anamorphic DVD.
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articl...c/welcome.html
-V

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

3. SQUEEZE mode on your WEGA? Do I have that? What's it used for (I have a 27in WEGA).

Don't know your model specifically- but most WEGA sets either can squeeze via a service menu, or via a button on the remote.
You really need to understand ANAMORPHIC DVD to understand what the sqeeze is for- so please read the digital bits guide as linked above. It should help.
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articl...c/welcome.html
Basically- your TV might have a function to squeeze anamorphic DVD into proper aspect ratio... if you were to activiate this by mistake somehow -- you might get overly squeezed items. I would guess that this probably isn't happening- but you should check into it, and understand it anyway-- ti will help you in the future.
-V

 

[Rod Melotte]

Thanks - I'm doing this all from memory (at work) and since I borrowed American Beauty I can recreate the "feeling".

It just seen that American Beauty seemed VERY squeezed (long and narrow) compared to T2 and most other 2.35-1 movies I have watched.

This COULD be just the way I was feeling and a mirage of a memory. ALL I can remember is my wife and I both saying "WOW thats a slim picture!!" I love widescreen but this seemed silly. I did not know my 27in Sony Trinitron WEGAE had a squeeze option and would not be surprised if I click the setting without knowing what it was.

Now I have ANOTHER reason to wish this day would end.

There are so many tweaks between my DVD players sound options and my reciever sound options that it's rather daunting at times to know WHAT'S BEST. NOW I have to look into the video area I LOVE THIS STUFF!!