What is with that fake widescreen crap on TV shows these days?

piku · Dec 13, 2001

I saw it first on the West Wing and then just now on ER - basically, there are these very small black bars on the top and bottom of the screen. Dont they realize that if you just add in black bars to a normal 4:3 picture it DOES NOT make it widescreen? Seriously, what is the point of this? It doesn't even look cool, because its not real widescreen - basically they are just wasting screen space, and therefore looks terrible.

crab · Dec 13, 2001

For the effect I think...

Sir Fredrick · Dec 13, 2001

I saw that on a DVD once, it was in widescreen format, and then they had extra bars across the top. Maybe it was supposed to be super widescreen. It was annoying, either way.

Aves · Dec 13, 2001

What do you mean by fake widescreen? A lot of movies are filmed full frame and then just have the black bars added.

What is the distinction between real and fake WS?

CanOWorms · Dec 13, 2001

Huh? It's widescreen. You do realize that there are several widescreen aspect ratios, right?

Aves · Dec 13, 2001

<< Huh? It's widescreen. You do realize that there are several widescreen aspect ratios, right? >>

Exactly

In fact ER has a 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio which is exactly the same as 16x9 widescreen TVs.
Not sure about The West Wing but it's probably the same.

John · Dec 13, 2001

Widescreen ownz j00

Lucky · Dec 13, 2001

<< Widescreen ownz j00 >>

or pIKU.

Obviously not thinking straight tonight!

axelfox · Dec 13, 2001

Whats wrong with your TV?

Ryan · Dec 13, 2001

I don't even notice it when I watch a show - so it doesn't bother me!

ViperMagic · Dec 13, 2001

I really dont care

Scouzer · Dec 13, 2001

Thats called Letterbox. Its gay.

fatbaby · Dec 13, 2001

yea and whats with all this "fake THX crap" too

~fat

Viper GTS · Dec 13, 2001

<< Thats called Letterbox. Its gay. >>

And you're uneducated.

Viper GTS

piku · Dec 13, 2001

No, i've seen widescreen before, and this is not it. The bars are so freaking small that they couldn't fit a full 16:9 image in there. All it looks like is a normal 4:3 picture with a couple inches of black bars added, I guess for effect.

<< What do you mean by fake widescreen? A lot of movies are filmed full frame and then just have the black bars added. >>

Then what is the point of widescreen then? Filming something full frame then simply adding in black bars to make the picture look 16:9 does not make the image a true widescreen shot.

UofI · Dec 13, 2001

ER is the bomb

Aves · Dec 13, 2001

<< No, i've seen widescreen before, and this is not it. The bars are so freaking small that they couldn't fit a full 16:9 image in there. All it looks like is a normal 4:3 picture with a couple inches of black bars added, I guess for effect.

<< What do you mean by fake widescreen? A lot of movies are filmed full frame and then just have the black bars added. >>

Then what is the point of widescreen then? Filming something full frame then simply adding in black bars to make the picture look 16:9 does not make the image a true widescreen shot. >>

James Cameron does it all the time. He shoots his films in Super 35 and mattes them for 2.35:1.
It makes it easier because you don't have to worry as much about things interfering with the shot like boom mics.
It also makes for a better VHS release since they sometimes use the original print and just open it up.
The special effects are typically done specifically in the final aspect ratio to save money.

BTW ER is 1.78:1 and 16x9 is 1:78:1

Gonad the Barbarian · Dec 13, 2001

<<

<< Thats called Letterbox. Its gay. >>

And you're uneducated.

Viper GTS >>

JC · Dec 13, 2001

What TNN does is worse....they 'squish' (sorry for the techy terminology) the screen so they can fit their lil banner at the bottom :|

Aves · Dec 13, 2001

<< What TNN does is worse....they 'squish' (sorry for the techy terminology) the screen so they can fit their lil banner at the bottom :| >>

Yeah I've seen that during Star Trek: TNG.

Good thing the DVDs are just around the corner.

Nefrodite · Dec 13, 2001

ever heard of hdtv? these popular shows are taped for hdtv, which happens to be widescreen. i have no problem with it, in the future when hdtv becomes standard old non wide/hdtv shows won't look so nice.

James Cameron does it all the time. He shoots his films in Super 35 and mattes them for 2.35:1.
It makes it easier because you don't have to worry as much about things interfering with the shot like boom mics.

i looked up titanic specs on imdb. james cameron filmed titanic in animorphic 35mm, meaning no matting. matting to 2.35.1 means massive waste of resolution.

Aves · Dec 13, 2001

<< i looked up titanic specs on imdb. james cameron filmed titanic in animorphic 35mm, meaning no matting. matting to 2.35.1 means massive waste of resolution. >>

You are correct, my bad.

Atlantean · Dec 14, 2001

Yeah it is widescreen, and it has been like that on ER for a couple years.

Looney · Dec 14, 2001

No, i've seen widescreen before, and this is not it. The bars are so freaking small that they couldn't fit a full 16:9 image in there.

Oh really?

Widescreen TV shows will expand in the fall

DaLeroy · Dec 14, 2001

<<

<<

<< Thats called Letterbox. Its gay. >>

And you're uneducated.

Viper GTS >>

>>

Or gender challenged!

What is with that fake widescreen crap on TV shows these days?

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