Sony FD WEGA TVs: what is"16:9 Enhanced Mode (V-Compression)"?

[Twiller]

Hi...

Many of the newer Sony WEGA TVs are advertised as having a feature called "16:9 Enhanced Mode (V-Compression)". What exactly is this? The salesperson I spoke with didn't have a clue. I assume it has something to do with the wide-screen format that some DVD movies can be seen in. Is that right? Do you need a specific type of DVD player to make use of it? Is it something that's proprietory to Sony stuff, or do other brands also have this feature?

Thank you,

Twiller

 

[kgraeme]

TV screens have resolution just like computer monitors. When you play a widescreen or anamorphic DVD on a traditional TV the image uses fewer lines vertically. The fewer lines, the less resolution. So even though the anamorphic DVD is 640x480 squeezed vertically to 16:9, you aren't getting an actual 480 lines of vertical resolution on a normal TV, you only get about 336 with the other 144 being wasted on the black bars.

Enter vertical compression (or raster squeeze or V-Coompression or whatever people want to call it). On TVs that support this, the black bars of a widescreen image are truly dead space. The scanlines on the TV are compressed down from the 4:3 format to the 16:9 format. This means that you get the full 480 lines vertical resolution, giving better picture clarity.

A good group to talk to about this stuff is over at digitaltheater.com. I know the Sony Wega you mention isn't the only TV capable of vertical compression, but off the top of my head I can't recall what others have it. It's rather new, and likely to become outmoded when true 16:9 TVs become more commonplace.

 

[Boogak]

Excellent description of anamorphic squeeze