Hope someone can help.

Just bought the other half a DVD player (multiregion Toshiba) for Xmas, the book explains about changing screen sizes, standard, widescreen and letterbox.
Looking at the ratios a lot of the DVD's in the shops seem to be widescreen with no alternative format, problem is we have a "normal" ie square, telly albeit 30inch, and when we've tried to watch a couple of DVD's eg Minority Report with the player set to standard it plays in a widescreen format with massive black bands at top and bottom (when set to widescreen it's even worse). Am I missing something I assumed there would be a fit to screen option or something or do I need a new tv??

Any help/advice appreciated.

Steve

 

Is there a "Zoom" option - this can get annoying but generally changes the screen size to fit the picture.

Not all DVDs are in W/S format, but many are, as this is the way most modern televisions are going...

 

There are 3 sizes, 4:3 which is regular TV, 16:9 which is widescreen and something else which is even wider. Most US films are the even wider one which means black lines even on a widescreen TV - if viewed on a regular TV you lose something like 50% of the screen area.

Your TV should have a few options, but basically it's black lines or a chopped picture.

Al

 

If you dont want the black bars, unfortunatly you have to buy full screen 4:3 DVD's

As previously mentioned there is another common aspect ratio of 2:35:1 (or 21:9) which is roughly cinema screen ratio

and as noone makes a 2:35:1 TV we all get black bars

The different settings on the DVD player are usually for the case of Anamorphic Titles, these without a proper widescreen TV or setting, can make the image look stretched

I prefer the 2:35:1 films even with the black bars, as this is usually how the director intended you to see the film, with all the information

There are a number of films, that have had the ratio reduced so you dont get the black bars, but a lot detail is missing (like text on the screen, people apparently talking to no one, or the classic talking noses)

Steve

 

Also look out for anamorphic DVD's which automatically stretch the picture to fit the screen. Because this is encoded on the disc you don't suffer the loss of resolution like when the DVD player or the TV zooms the picture.

 

Also, bear in mind that some DVD's from (I think) MGM are two sided - and have the widescreen version on one side and the 4:3 version (F/S) on the other.

 

Can't you change some of these settings from the dvd player.
If you start it up without a cd in my sony you can access the menu.

 

Thanks to all who replied.

Mice Elf, the zoom works but like a few people mentioned you end up losing bits here and there. I'll carry on just know but a new telly could be on the cards soon, as for this anamorphic, seen it on the back of a few DVD cases I'll need to look into how all this new stuff works, I'm sure I should be getting more out of my TV & DVD player.

Cheers.

Steve

 

Ach...buy a new widescreen TV...preferably flat screen...