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

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Sugadaddy

Banned
May 12, 2000
6,495
0
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<< 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. >>




Yeah, that's called the 2.35:1 (or even 2.40:1 sometimes) aspect ratio... :) Widescreen TVs are 16:9, which is about 1.77:1. DVDs are usually 1.85:1 or 2.35:1.


And like someone else said, the West Wing must be filmed for HDTV, which is 16:9. The smaller black bars must be there because they're zooming in on the picture to fill more of the screen on non-HDTV broadcasts... (kinda of a half-ass Pan & Scam)

So yes it's crap, they should put the real widescreen version, like it was filmed.
 
Aves

Aves

Lifer
Feb 7, 2001
12,233
30
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<< The smaller black bars must be there because they're zooming in on the picture to fill more of the screen on non-HDTV broadcasts... (kinda of a half-ass Pan & Scam)
>>

I was under the impression that the image is merely letterboxed not Pan & Scanned.
 
S

Sugadaddy

Banned
May 12, 2000
6,495
0
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<< << The smaller black bars must be there because they're zooming in on the picture to fill more of the screen on non-HDTV broadcasts... (kinda of a half-ass Pan & Scam)
>>

I was under the impression that the image is merely letterboxed not Pan & Scanned. >>




I have no idea, but someone said the black bars were smaller than they usually are for 16x9 movies, so that's my hypothesis... :)


I don't even watch the West Wing...
 
P

pulse8

Lifer
May 3, 2000
20,860
1
81


<<

<<

<< Thats called Letterbox. Its gay. >>



And you're uneducated.

Viper GTS >>



Like you aren't. >>



What's the next comeback? I know you are but what am I?
 
Linux23

Linux23

Lifer
Apr 9, 2000
11,374
741
126


<< ``The show wasn't very successful, and some of the letters that came in to CBS were quite amusing,'' Wolf said. ``I think the best one was: `I paid for my entire TV screen. Would you mind filling it?''' >>




Why can't we take all of these people and put them on an island with 4:3 analog tv's and the rest of us who appreciates artistic talent are provided with digital HDTV's and get to see all of our favorite shows and movies in it OAR.


**sigh, I can dream can I???**
 
Aves

Aves

Lifer
Feb 7, 2001
12,233
30
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Scouzer

Scouzer

Lifer
Jun 3, 2001
10,358
5
0


<<

<< Thats called Letterbox. Its gay. >>



And you're uneducated.

Viper GTS >>


I'm sorry they don't teach the names of TV stylings in Canadian schools, a$$hole.
 
Aves

Aves

Lifer
Feb 7, 2001
12,233
30
101


<<

<<

<< Thats called Letterbox. Its gay. >>



And you're uneducated.

Viper GTS >>


I'm sorry they don't teach the names of TV stylings in Canadian schools, a$$hole. >>


I don't think he said that because you called it letterbox. More than likely it's because you said it's gay, which it isn't.
 
A

Ameesh

Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
23,686
1
0


<<

<<

<< Thats called Letterbox. Its gay. >>



And you're uneducated.

Viper GTS >>



Like you aren't. >>



hey back off bitch! no one asked for your opinion!
 
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Nefrodite

Banned
Feb 15, 2001
7,931
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sopranos is also widescreen, not small bars either. hdtv is 16x9 which isn't as extreme as panavision or cinemascope(fuzzy on names) 2.35:1. used for epic features.
 
S

Sugadaddy

Banned
May 12, 2000
6,495
0
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<<

<< Broadcast TV programs -- including just about everything at NBC -- are being shot in widescreen for eventual HDTV telecast, although most still air in standard format.


So it's shot in widescreen. If you're watching it and it's not in 16x9, then it's Pan & Scammed. >>


You are watching the widescreen image zoomed out. That's why the black bars are needed, just like DVDs
Pan and Scan is where they zoom in on the image which cuts off the sides but doesn't need black bars. >>



Zoomed out? :confused:

If the black bars are smaller (or not there at all) on a 4:3 set, then it's zoomed IN, and they cut off the sides. That's what Pan & Scan is, they zoom in on a part of the image, and it's not always the center...
 
Aves

Aves

Lifer
Feb 7, 2001
12,233
30
101
Not zoomed out, poor choice of words but what I mean is that the ENTIRE widescreen image is presented on the screen.
The reason the bars are small is because the of the ~1.78:1 Aspect Ratio which is much taller than a 1.85:1 or 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio.
When you watch ER on a regular 4:3 TV you aren't missing anything. That's the point of letterboxing, to make sure you don't lose anything.
 
D

dawks

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,071
2
81
Yes, chances are they are filming for HDTV's, which are available, and now there is an HDTV station in Seattle, with more comming around the continent soon.

Any movie you watch that says "This movie has been formatted to fit your TV screen" means that they have changed the aspect ratio to display at 4:3. Meaning that some of the sides of the movie have been cut out so it fits in the screen properly. You may be missing some parts of the movie that way, but people dont like the 'stupid black bars'.
 
Aves

Aves

Lifer
Feb 7, 2001
12,233
30
101
By the way, if you like Widescreen DVDs and don't want Blockbuster to stop renting them then check out my thread on Blockbuster trying to do just that. Sign the petition as well if you'd like.


link
 
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Nefrodite

Banned
Feb 15, 2001
7,931
0
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you know the funny thing is once we all switch over to hdtv we'll be able to watch reruns of shows at higher quality then most of us originally saw em:p heheeh
 
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LethalWolfe

Diamond Member
Apr 14, 2001
3,679
0
0
It was mentioned before, and I feel like mentioning it again ;), widescreen doesn't always mean 16*9. For example, if you compare "The Great Escape" and "Apollo 13" (viewing both in widescreen) you'll notice that the "letterboxes" are not the same size because the movies were filmed in different aspect ratios. Too many people toss around "widescreen" and "16*9" like interchangable terms, but they are not (I blame idiot sales people trying to sound like they have a clue).


Lethal
 
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SinfulWeeper

Diamond Member
Sep 2, 2000
4,567
11
81


<< 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. >>



I did not read the rest of the post because I am short on time. But you need a widescreen TV if you want to know what widescreen is.
 
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