So I bought a flat screen tv - and I'm peeved. ..

[episodic]

I thought that when you got a flat screen, it used the entire screen - no more black bars. . .

I got the 19 inch that walmart had on sale today.

Do I have to have a 'special' upconverting dvd player to get the whole screen to be used - no black bars?

 

[hx009]

Aspect Ratio

 

[episodic]

That doesn't help at all. . . when I was on a regular 4:3 tv - I had black bars. I bought a flat screen and I was thinking the black bars would go away due to the 'aspect' ratio. . . so what gives?

 

[coldmeat]

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2248444&enterthread=y

 

[theprodigalrebel]

Few movies are shot at 1.77:1. Most modern movies are either 1.85:1, 2.35:1 or 2.40:1.

 

[episodic]

Sheesh this thing is going back then. I've blissfully ignored televisions for a long time, and I figured a 19 inch flat screeen would have the same viewable pic as my 25 inch tube tv on dvd's as it was letterboxed. I thought that the whole screen was used on flat screen tv and it would be better than this. This is like having a 13 inch tv set. . .

Glad I kept the receipt. . . .

 

[jamesbond007]

Wow, seriously? What rock have you been hiding under? Just do what we did and get a projector - no more lines to bear with as you only see what you need to see.

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: jamesbond007
Wow, seriously? What rock have you been hiding under? Just do what we did and get a projector - no more lines to bear with as you only see what you need to see.

He bought a 19" LCD, from Walmart... you expect him to pony up for a pj?

 

[geno]

Originally posted by: episodic
That doesn't help at all. . . when I was on a regular 4:3 tv - I had black bars. I bought a flat screen and I was thinking the black bars would go away due to the 'aspect' ratio. . . so what gives?

You didn't do your homework. There are different widescreen aspect ratios. Many TVs will let you stretch the image slightly to get rid of the bars, but the image will be slightly too tall. The other option some TVs have will let you zoom the image, keeping the aspect ratios, losing the bars, but you also lose some of the image on either side.

 

[jamesbond007]

Originally posted by: sdifox
He bought a 19" LCD, from Walmart... you expect him to pony up for a pj?

I figured the would have been enough to alert you that I was being semi-sarcastic.

 

[Drakkon]

Originally posted by: geno

Originally posted by: episodic
That doesn't help at all. . . when I was on a regular 4:3 tv - I had black bars. I bought a flat screen and I was thinking the black bars would go away due to the 'aspect' ratio. . . so what gives?

You didn't do your homework. There are different widescreen aspect ratios.

What i don't get is why they settled on 16:9 and didn't make 2.77:1 or 3:1 TVs instead. I'd prefer black vertical bars preserving as much of the movie viewing height than horizontal ones preserving its width.

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: jamesbond007

Originally posted by: sdifox
He bought a 19" LCD, from Walmart... you expect him to pony up for a pj?

I figured the would have been enough to alert you that I was being semi-sarcastic.

You should have recommended the tv with built in dvd and vhs player

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: Drakkon

Originally posted by: geno

Originally posted by: episodic
That doesn't help at all. . . when I was on a regular 4:3 tv - I had black bars. I bought a flat screen and I was thinking the black bars would go away due to the 'aspect' ratio. . . so what gives?

You didn't do your homework. There are different widescreen aspect ratios.

What i don't get is why they settled on 16:9 and didn't make 2.77:1 or 3:1 TVs instead. I'd prefer black vertical bars preserving as much of the movie viewing height than horizontal ones preserving its width.

They set 1.78:1 as a middle ground AR since most tv shows are shot in 1.78:1 and ATSC is a TV standard so...

 

[Fritzo]

LOL at OP - that's something my dad would say.

 

[Pocatello]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
LOL at OP - that's something my dad would say.

Mine too .

 

[Shadowknight]

Originally posted by: episodic
Sheesh this thing is going back then. I've blissfully ignored televisions for a long time, and I figured a 19 inch flat screeen would have the same viewable pic as my 25 inch tube tv on dvd's as it was letterboxed. I thought that the whole screen was used on flat screen tv and it would be better than this. This is like having a 13 inch tv set. . .

Glad I kept the receipt. . . .

Like 13"? Are you seeing black bars on both the bottom AND sides of the set? If so, go into your DVD player settings and make sure it's set for widescreen/16x9.

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: episodic
Sheesh this thing is going back then. I've blissfully ignored televisions for a long time, and I figured a 19 inch flat screeen would have the same viewable pic as my 25 inch tube tv on dvd's as it was letterboxed. I thought that the whole screen was used on flat screen tv and it would be better than this. This is like having a 13 inch tv set. . .

Glad I kept the receipt. . . .

There's your problem. A little big of research goes a long way.

 

[BurnItDwn]

You could use the zoom or pan and scan options, it'll ruin the quality, but it will make the black bars go away...

 

[RFtesla]

An upconverting dvd player that does "1080p" on a 19" tv sounds fantastic.

 

[Epic Fail]

OP should lose posting privilege on a tech forum.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Originally posted by: aphex

Originally posted by: episodic
Sheesh this thing is going back then. I've blissfully ignored televisions for a long time, and I figured a 19 inch flat screeen would have the same viewable pic as my 25 inch tube tv on dvd's as it was letterboxed. I thought that the whole screen was used on flat screen tv and it would be better than this. This is like having a 13 inch tv set. . .

Glad I kept the receipt. . . .

There's your problem. A little big of research goes a long way.

Also, black bars doesn't make as much of a difference as the fact that the screens are measured diagonally. OP needed a >25" TV. Not <25"

 

[episodic]

I don't watch alot of tv. I don't have cable - just a 3 out Netflix. . . I just do not understand the following:


Ok, why does a 19 inch flat have less viewable screen real estate that my 19 inch 4:3 tv in the bedroom. Even with the letter boxing on the tube tv, there is more viewable. . . than on that small thing.


Why don't they make movies to fill the screen? It is really stupid. I accepted the argument on my normal tv - o, well I've got a different kind of tv - they have to letter box to get it to fit. . . gotcha, I understand - but ok, why do wide screen tv's have this? Do even the big 1000$ tv's do this? So you have to buy o a 40 + inch to get 30 inches of movie?

It went back with no shame and I threw my 100 pound 25 inch back up on the shelf. . .

 

[KLin]

Originally posted by: episodic
I don't watch alot of tv. I don't have cable - just a 3 out Netflix. . . I just do not understand the following:


Ok, why does a 19 inch flat have less viewable screen real estate that my 19 inch 4:3 tv in the bedroom. Even with the letter boxing on the tube tv, there is more viewable. . . than on that small thing.


Why don't they make movies to fill the screen? It is really stupid. I accepted the argument on my normal tv - o, well I've got a different kind of tv - they have to letter box to get it to fit. . . gotcha, I understand - but ok, why do wide screen tv's have this? Do even the big 1000$ tv's do this? So you have to buy o a 40 + inch to get 30 inches of movie?

It went back with no shame and I threw my 100 pound 25 inch back up on the shelf. . .

They fill the screen when you see them at the theater....

 

[BlackTigers]

Didn't you see the screen before you bought it...and realized it was going to be tiny?

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: episodic
I don't watch alot of tv. I don't have cable - just a 3 out Netflix. . . I just do not understand the following:


Ok, why does a 19 inch flat have less viewable screen real estate that my 19 inch 4:3 tv in the bedroom. Even with the letter boxing on the tube tv, there is more viewable. . . than on that small thing.


Why don't they make movies to fill the screen? It is really stupid. I accepted the argument on my normal tv - o, well I've got a different kind of tv - they have to letter box to get it to fit. . . gotcha, I understand - but ok, why do wide screen tv's have this? Do even the big 1000$ tv's do this? So you have to buy o a 40 + inch to get 30 inches of movie?

It went back with no shame and I threw my 100 pound 25 inch back up on the shelf. . .

I have a 50" SXRD. Movies filmed in some aspect ratios fill the full screen. Movies filmed in anamorphic widescreen do not. Why is that such a big deal? Different filmmakers use different film, and thusly different aspect ratios.