# You wanna know how to watch that DVD? Shove it up your widescreen ass. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 9, 2004, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213 "2004-04-09T19:38:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/61 "2004-04-10T05:50:51Z")
> [@Chastain86](#): > > I hate it when mommy and daddy fight. I got $5 on daddy. Man, I had no idea DVD format choice was a moral issue. Where have I been? ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/62 "2004-04-10T05:57:07Z")
> [@Lord Ashtar](#): > > Hey now, don’t be knocking _Remo Williams_. Say huh? Did you not note that I am pissed that it received crappy foolscreen release? Dang, y’all. ---
**Author:** ![SanguineSpider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SanguineSpider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanguineSpider)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/63 "2004-04-10T06:34:39Z")
> [@Chastain86](#): > > I hate it when mommy and daddy fight. 😃 Now that made me laugh. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/64 "2004-04-10T06:58:29Z")
> [@Mikahw](#): > > Well, at least you didn’t bother to address my actual point. Good Job! Oh, I’m sorry. You had a point?.. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Time\_Like\_Tears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@Time\_Like\_Tears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Time_Like_Tears)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/65 "2004-04-10T06:59:03Z")
Ok, so… I just wanna clarify here… I purchase DVDs in widescreen…but rent them in full screen…because I only have a 13 inch TV to watch them on at the moment…and can’t see jack in widescreen mode… Does that make me one of the horsemen? ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/66 "2004-04-10T07:06:42Z")
> [@\_Deva\_](#): > > Ok, so… > > I just wanna clarify here… > > I purchase DVDs in widescreen…but rent them in full screen…because I only have a 13 inch TV to watch them on at the moment…and can’t see jack in widescreen mode… > > Does that make me one of the horsemen? Oh, my, God - you must run. It is not safe for you here. Have you not seen what the Widescreen Geeks do to fullscreen-watchers? You will surely be torn asunder. I know of a safehouse for full-screen watchers. We can get you there, but you must tell noone. And whatever you do, never divulge to a Mac User that you have a PC. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/67 "2004-04-10T07:07:44Z")
Yes, because you give the companies the impression that there’s a market for fullscreen, instead of letting it die on the vine like the blasphemy it is. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/68 "2004-04-10T07:43:44Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Yes, because you give the companies the impression that there’s a market for fullscreen, instead of letting it die on the vine like the blasphemy it is. 😉 Too late - the mob’s picked up your scent… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/69 "2004-04-10T08:27:54Z")
> [@blowero](#): > > And whatever you do, never divulge to a Mac User that you have a PC. See, I don’t think this is like that. I don’t think this is about techno-geeky nerdiness at all. Viewing films in their intended format is not like some new gadget that the geeks brag about and no one else has heard of. It’s not a gadget at all. If anything, panning and scanning is the nerdy, gadgety thing. It takes special equipment most people don’t even know exists to do those abominations. Kinda like specially designed esoteric torture devices. Which is, of course, exactly what they are. All that being said: watch whatever the hell you want-- but be aware you’re missing a bunch of the movie. What’s the difference if it’s “Ghostbusters” or “The Godfather”? Either way, every time the video pans to the _left_, you miss the reactions of the actors, or the scenery, or the sneaking villain, or whatever; occurring on the _right_ side of the screen. And **blowero–** I find it odd that you in particular would be satisfied with only part of the information. With all the eloquence and wisdom you express in various “God / No God” threads it seems ironic that you, just like a hive-brained theist, would settle for seeing anything less than the full picture. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/70 "2004-04-10T09:53:44Z")
> [@I Love Me](#): > > And **blowero–** I find it odd that you in particular would be satisfied with only part of the information. With all the eloquence and wisdom you express in various “God / No God” threads it seems ironic that you, just like a hive-brained theist, would settle for seeing anything less than the full picture. Kind of an odd sidetrack, but thanks for that nice compliment, although I don’t agree with your usage of “hive-brained”. Everyone is entitled to his own beliefs, and I certainly respect everyone’s right to hold them. I don’t think any purpose is served by ridiculing others for their religious beliefs. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/71 "2004-04-10T11:29:56Z")
> [@Mockingbird](#): > > It is so pathetic to see people voice the same bullshit we had to deal with in high school. These are the losers who compensate for their tiny non-functional dicks with red sports cars and trophy wives 20 years younger than they are. > > Cut off your nose to spite your face and watch the movie any way you fucking want. > > Some of us prefer another way. Suck it up and move on. You’re just jealous because the nerds made something of their lives while your large, fully functional dick is stuck serving them fries at Mickey D’s. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/72 "2004-04-10T11:39:29Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > I have no idea what “_pan and scan_” means. > > Please don’t hurt me. “Pan-and-scan” is the process used to convert most widescreen movies to the 3x4 aspect ratio for TV. It involves panning back and forth from one side of the frame to the other in order to see everything in the original frame. Done well, it’s not very noticeable to the casual viewer, but done poorly, it can be nauseating. Lots of people prefer having the entire original picture (especially if they have totally rad 16x9 TVs), thus the holy wars regarding DVD formats. Unlike, say, “Mac vs. PC” or “Emacs vs. vi” or even, dare I mention it, “Deep Space Nine vs. Babylon 5,” this debate has one clearly superior side. Not that it’s _wrong_ to watch pan-and-scan movies, mind you. It’s just crap, and that’s OK. People like crap. I, for example, enjoy fast food. That’s what fullscreen is. The fast food of movies. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/73 "2004-04-10T18:34:03Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > You’re just jealous because the nerds made something of their lives while your large, fully functional dick is stuck serving them fries at Mickey D’s. If it’s serving fries, I’d say it’s beyond “fully functional”! It must be downright prehensile. Back on the subject at hand (so to speak), does it make any difference if I’m not actually watching the movie when it’s on? I’ll pop in a DVD now and then just for background noise while I’m online. So, I guess I’m not seeing any of the original artists’ visions. Does that make me a bad person? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/74 "2004-04-10T20:13:56Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > If it’s serving fries, I’d say it’s beyond “fully functional”! It must be downright prehensile. Well, I had to guess, since I’ll never personally know what it’s like to have such a gigantic throbbing cock. > [@](#): > > Back on the subject at hand (so to speak), does it make any difference if I’m not actually watching the movie when it’s on? I’ll pop in a DVD now and then just for background noise while I’m online. So, I guess I’m not seeing any of the original artists’ visions. Does that make me a bad person? Nah. No point in getting worked up about it if you’re not into the visual aspect of it. (But for the best quality background noise, I’m assuming you have a full 5.1 surround system, right?! Just kidding.) I know a blind guy who has a DVD player and no TV. He just rents movies and listens to them. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/75 "2004-04-11T03:06:14Z")
I think I have this hidden envy of those who have time to go get a video and watch it. I am still trying to wrap my head around such a concept. I’m just not the type to sit still long enough. So, getting one’s panties in bunch over ‘art’ (when it’s cookie cutter entertainment) is foreign to me. Since I opened the thread yesterday, I finished work, went to dinner with my wife and kids, went to a Flyers game, cut my grass this morning, worked on my neighbor’s boat, hit the bike trail, bought some more wood, started to build some furniture, finsihed off my daughter’s doll house, cleaned my truck, painted easter eggs, hid the eggs, spent some Q.T. with my wife, watched some more Flyers playoff action, and came down to my basement which I finished, grabbed a soda from behind the bar I built, turned on the 60" widescreen to do some surfing and sat down at my PC which sits on the desk I built. I guess I am pissed because you DVDers get kind of snooty when discussing people who don’t care about aspect ratios of people doing make-believe on TV. I was raised to be exhaustingly active, productive and to enjoy tapping my own artistic abiity, rather than sitting around watching cookie cutter movie scripts. I always shook my head at the people who scurry into movie stores and get all jazzed up. Shook my head in a ‘not for me’ kinda way. But this thing you people have about being ‘smarter’ or ‘better’ baffles me. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/76 "2004-04-11T03:31:12Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > If it’s serving fries, I’d say it’s beyond “fully functional”! It must be downright prehensile. Not to mention, coated with asbestos. ---
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/77 "2004-04-11T03:32:01Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > I was raised to be exhaustingly active, productive and to enjoy tapping my own artistic abiity, rather than sitting around watching cookie cutter movie scripts. Uhh. There are cookie cutter movie scripts, but there’s a huge number of films that are original, artistic, and still a hell of a lot of fun. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/78 "2004-04-11T03:33:12Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > I was raised to be exhaustingly active, productive and to enjoy tapping my own artistic abiity, rather than sitting around watching cookie cutter movie scripts. > > I always shook my head at the people who scurry into movie stores and get all jazzed up. Shook my head in a ‘not for me’ kinda way. > > But this thing you people have about being ‘smarter’ or ‘better’ baffles me. And yet, despite your bafflement, you’re surprisingly good at it yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Algorithm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/algorithm/32/12204_2.png) [@Algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algorithm)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/79 "2004-04-11T05:50:11Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > Since I opened the thread yesterday, I finished work, went to dinner with my wife and kids, went to a Flyers game, cut my grass this morning, worked on my neighbor’s boat, hit the bike trail, bought some more wood, started to build some furniture, finsihed off my daughter’s doll house, cleaned my truck, painted easter eggs, hid the eggs, spent some Q.T. with my wife, watched some more Flyers playoff action, and came down to my basement which I finished, grabbed a soda from behind the bar I built, turned on the 60" widescreen to do some surfing and sat down at my PC which sits on the desk I built. Please, go on, in great detail! ---
**Author:** ![spectrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@spectrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spectrum)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213/80 "2004-04-11T21:20:43Z")
> [@blowero](#): > > God - I detest geeks with every fiber of my being. YOU’RE RENTING A FUCKING MOVIE FOR FUCK’S SAKE, not going to the Louvre. > > The one that really slayed me was the guy in the other thread who bitched that Pan & Scan destroyed the artistic integrity of Ghostbusters. > > GHOSTBUSTERS? \*\*GHOSTBUSTERS!!!\*\*GHOST-FUCKING-BUSTERS? You can project that that on my hairy ass, and it is what it is. > > Don’t get me wrong; I enjoyed the line “Dickless here shut off the grid”, as much as the next guy, but c’mon. > > Makes me want to start watching movies taller than they are wide, just to piss you nerds off. Comedy is just as valid an art form as any other form of cinematic endeavor. And Ghostbusters is a film that is badly maimed when viewed in foolscreen. Rietman composed some beautiful shots in that film, and they are utterly ruined by the hatched job done by the Pan & Scan makers so that the unwashed morons of the world don’t have black bars on their TVs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-wanna-know-how-to-watch-that-dvd-shove-it-up-your-widescreen-ass/239213.md?page=5)