We just bought a new TV. It is this model. (We didn’t buy it from Crazy Eddie, but it is the same model). Anyhow, with the more rectangular screen I thought we’d be able to watch DVDs with out the letterboxing. The aspct ratio is 16:9. So I tried with a few different DVDs: Terminator 2, The Abyss, Shrek…and they all still had black bands at the top and bottom. Is this normal? Can anyone explain in non-technical terms why we are still getting the letterbox look? I thought the picture would fill the whole screen.
Check the manual for your DVD player. There should be something in it about changing the output to 16:9.
Not all “widescreen” formats have the same aspect ratio. I believe that one (Cinemascope?) is more than 2:1. Even on a 16:9 screen, that format would still have black bands at the top and bottom.
Is the image distorted in any way? Is it using the full width of the screen?
If you’re getting the right ratio image, and it’s filling the screen as much as it can, then it’s behaving correctly. The idea of a widescreen TV isn’t to eliminate black bars completely so much as to give a larger screen image for you to view.
You need a DVD (the disk itself) that was created for ‘anamorphic widescreen’ (or just anamorphic). If your DVD was recorded with this feature it should say so on the box (The Fifth Element is one such DVD that I know does this). DVD’s that do this can take advantage of your 16:9 ratio sets. Anything else and you’ll have to futz with the picture by maybe setting the DVD player for 4:3 letterbox playback and then have the TV expand the picture to fill the screen (just one possible method).
I’m not sure but I think the DVD player might also need to support the anamorphic format but I’ll need to check on that. I know you need a specific enhancement in your DVD player to do Progressive Scan which offers a much crisper image on an HDTV than non-progressive scan images.
Okay, there are two things you’ll have to do - First, the DVD player will have a setting for output device aspect ratio - set this to 16:9 instead of 4:3. Then, your TV should have a setting for whether the source material is 4:3 or 16:9. Set that to 16:9 as well. That should do it.
Your TV should also have a ‘zoom’ mode for letterboxed, non-anamorphic DVD’s that will blow the image up to full screen size. However, this may introduce scaling artifacts, and non-anamorphic DVD has 33% less resolution than anamorphic.
Finally, make sure you are using the right inputs. If your DVD player has component video outputs, use it. This will get you the best quality picture. The next best is S-video, and finally composite out.
The problem is the aspect ratio of DVDs. No DVDs that I have ever seen or heard of are produced in the 16:9 aspect ratio, which translates as 1.77:1. They are either 1.33:1 (normal TV), 1.85:1, or, more commonly, 2.35:1 (anamorphic widescreen).
Hope this helps.
Yes, HDTV & DVD aren’t quite the same. Some day there are going to be hdtvdvd’s (is that a new word?) I hope 
But the amount of data would be pretty high.
Here are the specs on that tv from that link:
“51-inch Hi-Scan 1080i? HD Capable 16:9 Aspect Ratio Screen Projection TV. (Y/PB/PR), (1080i, 480p, 480i), features a Hi-Scan 1080i? Chassis, DRC?-Multi-Function, CineMotion? Reverse 3-2 Pull Down Technology, Multi-Image Driver-X? (MID-X?) Circuitry, and New 3D Digital Comb Filter Circuitry. Other features include: Advanced Pro-Optic? System; RM-Y909 Remote Commander® Remote Control (TV/VCR/Digital Satellite System/DVD/Cable); MICROFOCUS? CRT; MICROFOCUS? Lens System; MICROFOCUS? Lens System; Built-in High Contrast Protective Screen; BrightView? Dual Component Screen; High Contrast Lenticular Screen; First Surface Mirror; Auto White Balance; Dynamic Picture Processor; Dynamic Focus? Circuitry. W/H/D 47 15/16” x 51 1/2" x 24 7/8"
Just to clear up some misstaements that are being thrown around on this thread, “anamorphic” does NOT refer to the size ratio of the picture. You could have an image that was 2.35:1 that was anamorphic, and one that was not. 2.35:1 does not = anamorphic.
Anamorphic refers to the method of producing a piece of media so that that more data is packed into the image. That means that when you do expand the image to fit your 16:9 set, you still get excellent resolution. In non-anamorphic media, the image may get grainer with expansion.
You can find a good discussion about widescreen issues here: http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/anamorphic/
Here is another thread link with similar information.
Thanks folks. I think a big part of my problem is the confusing terminology used by the TV/DVD/media people. The salesman at the store said that “DVDs would fill the whole screen”, but I guess they will say anything to get a sale.
Actually, I didn’t say that Anamorphic == widescreen. You can have a widescreen image by simply letterboxing a normal 4:3 image, or you can do it by ‘squeezing’ the image when it is stored, then re-expanding it to a wide aspect ratio on playback. That’s what anamorphic video does, which is why you get higher resolution.