Blu Ray Aspect Ratio problem

toycrusier · 12-08-2007, 02:11 AM

Just bought a Blu Ray.
The first movie I watched was Spidey lll. It had the black margin top and bottom. Next I watched a regular DVD. It had the black margin on top bottom and sides.
Can anyone explain in layman's terms how I can correct this? I really get confused with the inputs and outputs of my different equipment.
I am using DirecTV, BDP-S301 Blu Ray, Sony Amp with 5 speaker surround, and a 50" Sony WEGA. Thanks

PFC5 · 12-08-2007, 02:26 AM

Your 16:9 wide screen display has an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The movies that have an aspect ratio of higher than 1.78:1 will have black bars at the top/bottom. However, many displays have over scan which is a holdover to CRT based TVs so with over scan on many models a movie with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 appears to also fill the whole screen just like a 1.78:1 movie (rare).

If you look on the back of the movie cases for the two movies you watched, they will list the aspect ratio at probably either 2.35:1 or 2.40:1, which means the picture is wider than your display. to keep the picture from being distorted, you have black bars on these movies.

I recommend you get used to them. Much of the action movies use the wider 2.40:1 aspect ratio and more of the comedies use 1.85:1. Watching these wider movies with the black bars at the top/bottom means you are seeing the WHOLE movie and not chopping off the sides by zooming it and also degrading the PQ with the zoom.

Hope this helps!

Semp1 · 12-08-2007, 03:09 AM

The black bars on the side means the DVD was not anamorphic...your problem is not the player it is the old DVD you put in....

toycrusier · 12-08-2007, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PFC5

Your 16:9 wide screen display has an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The movies that have an aspect ratio of higher than 1.78:1 will have black bars at the top/bottom. However, many displays have over scan which is a holdover to CRT based TVs so with over scan on many models a movie with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 appears to also fill the whole screen just like a 1.78:1 movie (rare).

If you look on the back of the movie cases for the two movies you watched, they will list the aspect ratio at probably either 2.35:1 or 2.40:1, which means the picture is wider than your display. to keep the picture from being distorted, you have black bars on these movies.

I recommend you get used to them. Much of the action movies use the wider 2.40:1 aspect ratio and more of the comedies use 1.85:1. Watching these wider movies with the black bars at the top/bottom means you are seeing the WHOLE movie and not chopping off the sides by zooming it and also degrading the PQ with the zoom.

Hope this helps!

Thank you very much. Good answer.

PFC5 · 12-08-2007, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Semp1

The black bars on the side means the DVD was not anamorphic...your problem is not the player it is the old DVD you put in....

I missed the bars on the side with his SD DVD in his original post. Good catch Semp1.

neilx · 12-12-2009, 11:41 AM

After doing the math, it comes out there would be about 1/4 inch bar at top and bottom with a 1.85:1 movie.
I'm getting 4 inches top and bottom on a 50"
This make sense?

PFC5 · 12-12-2009, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilx

After doing the math, it comes out there would be about 1/4 inch bar at top and bottom with a 1.85:1 movie.
I'm getting 4 inches top and bottom on a 50"
This make sense?

This thread was last posted in 2 years ago on 12/2007. You might be better to start a new thread in the future rather than bringing such an old thread back to life. Others wouldn't necessarily check the dates and know this.

If you are getting around 4" bars (with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio movie), then either you don't have the screen format setting correct on the HDTV, the disc player, or both.

Are you sure you are not watching a movie that has a 2.39:1 or 2.40:1 aspect ratio? If so then that is normal to have black bars that size.

Chris Gerhard · 12-12-2009, 03:46 PM

The black bars on the side don't always mean the DVD is not anamorphic if anybody reads that and believes it pertains to all DVD's. It only means if it is anamorphic, the aspect ratio is less than 1.78:1. Some movies, such as Rocky Horror Picture show have an OAR of 1.66:1. Of course all Blu-ray discs are formatted for 16:9 and a lot of those will have black bars on the side. With DVD, it is much rarer for programming to be formatted for 16:9 with an OAR of less than 1.78:1.

Chris

oblioman · 12-12-2009, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Gerhard

The black bars on the side don't always mean the DVD is not anamorphic if anybody reads that and believes it pertains to all DVD's. It only means if it is anamorphic, the aspect ratio is less than 1.78:1. Some movies, such as Rocky Horror Picture show have an OAR of 1.66:1. Of course all Blu-ray discs are formatted for 16:9 and a lot of those will have black bars on the side. With DVD, it is much rarer for programming to be formatted for 16:9 with an OAR of less than 1.78:1.

Chris

call me dense but just noted your pic " The Departed' in the HD DVD case. T'was worth a good chuckle.

Chris Gerhard · 12-12-2009, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oblioman

call me dense but just noted your pic " The Departed' in the HD DVD case. T'was worth a good chuckle.

It is way past time to change it. The first day I used that one was the day Toshiba made an announcement the company would cease production of HD DVD players, effectively the end for HD DVD. I had no idea what to use when that fateful day finally arrived but I looked at a list of released HD DVD's and that one jumped out at me. It has been close to two years now and several here didn't think it was the slightest funny when I started to use that avatar. I don't recall anyone else that took nearly two years to get the joke however.

Chris

markjen73 · 12-13-2009, 10:42 AM

Yes, it's an old thread but still pertinent. Just Googled BluRay Aspect Ratio and here I am!

So, Black Friday I purchased a package at Howard's in Los Angeles for $2130.00. Got a Sony KDL-52XBR9 with a separate Sony BDP-S560 BluRay player and a Sony BDV-T11 BluRay Home Theater system. I am loving it, but I am confused.

I have ATT Uverse with all the movie channels and all the HD stuff and I've been watching movies like Hellboy II, The Dark Knight, Apollo 13 etc., all on HD movie channels and these movies fill the entire screen yet they are 1080i.

I also have Up on regular DVD. This movie looks incredible through the BluRay system, fills the entire screen. Also have Ironman on regular DVD and it looks good but it has black bars top and bottom. So I'm at Fry's and I decide to get Ironman in BluRay format thinking it's going to be incredible on the new system. What to my surprise, it's got black bars top and bottom and although the resolution is beautiful I am disappointed that it doesn't fill the entire screen. I think I'll take it back, for $27.00 it just doesn't look that much different than the DVD.

I can find nothing on the BluRay Ironman case about aspect ratio.

I suppose I'm being a little obsessive. Please forgive my ignorance. Is it just me? Does anyone else feel this way?

How does ATT Uverse change the aspect ratio? What size screen do you need to fill it with a 2.39:1 ratio?

Thanks everyone.

Chris Gerhard · 12-13-2009, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markjen73

I have ATT Uverse with all the movie channels and all the HD stuff and I've been watching movies like Hellboy II, The Dark Knight, Apollo 13 etc., all on HD movie channels and these movies fill the entire screen yet they are 1080i.

That only means the movies have been cropped to fit a 16x9 screen. If the original aspect ratio for any given program is greater than 1.78:1, I want to see black bars on the top and bottom of my HD screen. If I don't see those bars, information on the sides of the frame has been cropped off to fit the screen. HBO does crop most movies above 1.78:1, Showtime does not. If you watch a movie on Showtime HD that has an OAR greater than 1.78:1, you will see black bars on the top and bottom. Actually overscan could hide 1.85:1 but even then you should see very slim bars with a properly set up HD screen. Blu-ray releases rarely if ever are cropped to fit 16x9.

For standard TV, 4:3 programming, you should see bars on the side of your HDTV.

Chris

Lee Stewart · 12-13-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markjen73

Yes, it's an old thread but still pertinent. Just Googled BluRay Aspect Ratio and here I am!

So, Black Friday I purchased a package at Howard's in Los Angeles for $2130.00. Got a Sony KDL-52XBR9 with a separate Sony BDP-S560 BluRay player and a Sony BDV-T11 BluRay Home Theater system. I am loving it, but I am confused.

I have ATT Uverse with all the movie channels and all the HD stuff and I've been watching movies like Hellboy II, The Dark Knight, Apollo 13 etc., all on HD movie channels and these movies fill the entire screen yet they are 1080i.

I also have Up on regular DVD. This movie looks incredible through the BluRay system, fills the entire screen. Also have Ironman on regular DVD and it looks good but it has black bars top and bottom. So I'm at Fry's and I decide to get Ironman in BluRay format thinking it's going to be incredible on the new system. What to my surprise, it's got black bars top and bottom and although the resolution is beautiful I am disappointed that it doesn't fill the entire screen. I think I'll take it back, for $27.00 it just doesn't look that much different than the DVD.

I can find nothing on the BluRay Ironman case about aspect ratio.

I suppose I'm being a little obsessive. Please forgive my ignorance. Is it just me? Does anyone else feel this way?

How does ATT Uverse change the aspect ratio? What size screen do you need to fill it with a 2.39:1 ratio?

Thanks everyone.

You can research what aspect ratio a movie was presented in by going to this site, typing the name of the movie in the search space at the top and hit search.

EXAMPLE:

Here is Iron Man:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371746/

Look below the cast and you will see ASPECT RATIO.

Any film that was shot in a process with an AR greater than 1.85 whill have black bars above and below it.

The 1.66 AR was used in Europe primaily thouugh there have been movies shot in 1.66 - then presented in 1.85 then transfered in 1.66 like Disney's MULAN. It was and is not a very popular AR because there were never 1.66 AR movie screens in the USA.

All blurays are presented in the original aspect ratio that a film was shown in theaters..

The fact that many HD content providers zoom a 2.35/2.39 AR movie to 1.78 so there are no black bars - that changes the framing composition that the director and director of photography used to shoot the movie.

It changes The Magnificent Seven to The Magnificent Five.

PFC5 · 12-13-2009, 02:16 PM

The physical size of our widescreen HDTVs expressed as aspect ratio is 1.78:1. That is the physical aspect ratio of our HDTVs. If something has a wider (i.e. 2.35:1/2.40:1) aspect ratio there will be bars at the top and bottom. If they cropped about 20-25% of the picture off the sides to make this fill the HDTV without bars that is how much of the movie you would lose. You can zoom it in, but the PQ will be hurt to do this, so it is best to watch it in the OAR (Original Aspect Ratio) IMO.

As was said by Chris G., HBO usually does crop the sides to fill the screen but Showtime usually shows the OAR without any cropping of the sides so there are bars at the top/bottom.

The best way to understand this is if you tried to fit 7 gallons of water in a 5 gallon jug you would lose 2 gallons of water to do it. With HBO, they are throwing out 2 gallons of water to fill the screen but with Showtime & BD you are getting all 7 gallons.

Eddie501 · 12-13-2009, 02:50 PM

I'd suggest playing around with your zoom settings before taking back the Blu-Ray disc. Most sets have a setting called wide zoom or something like that which will zoom up a 2:35 image and cut the picture off the sides to fill your screen (exactly as most of the pay movie channels do).

You're still going to be losing about 25% of the picture, but you'll have to determine if the trade off is worth it. There really isn't any other way.

But if you're getting into Blu Ray equating picture quality with a full screen, I'm afraid you're going to be sorely disappointed. Most movies are still shot for theater screens, not TV's. So while HD TV programming will typically fill your screen, the majority of movies will require black bars to retain the full width of the picture.

12-08-2007, 02:11 AM	#1
toycrusier toycrusier Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Franklin, NC Posts: 54	Blu Ray Aspect Ratio problem Just bought a Blu Ray. The first movie I watched was Spidey lll. It had the black margin top and bottom. Next I watched a regular DVD. It had the black margin on top bottom and sides. Can anyone explain in layman's terms how I can correct this? I really get confused with the inputs and outputs of my different equipment. I am using DirecTV, BDP-S301 Blu Ray, Sony Amp with 5 speaker surround, and a 50" Sony WEGA. Thanks

12-08-2007, 02:26 AM	#2
PFC5 Former Super Moderator - RIP Join Date: May 2005 Location: Mass Posts: 38,295	Your 16:9 wide screen display has an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The movies that have an aspect ratio of higher than 1.78:1 will have black bars at the top/bottom. However, many displays have over scan which is a holdover to CRT based TVs so with over scan on many models a movie with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 appears to also fill the whole screen just like a 1.78:1 movie (rare). If you look on the back of the movie cases for the two movies you watched, they will list the aspect ratio at probably either 2.35:1 or 2.40:1, which means the picture is wider than your display. to keep the picture from being distorted, you have black bars on these movies. I recommend you get used to them. Much of the action movies use the wider 2.40:1 aspect ratio and more of the comedies use 1.85:1. Watching these wider movies with the black bars at the top/bottom means you are seeing the WHOLE movie and not chopping off the sides by zooming it and also degrading the PQ with the zoom. Hope this helps! __________________ Denon AVR-887 Klipsch RP-5 Pwred Towers (mains) (525 watts peak each 12"Subs) All Klipsch RC-25(ctr),(2)SS1(surr),(2)SS1(rearSurr) Toshiba (2)HD-A20,PS3,BD35 For SACD/DVD-A Samsung HD-841 Panny 50pz80u plasma SETTINGS RCA HD50LPW162 50"DLP w/HD2+ SA 3250HD 47" LCD+Yamaha5790+HD-A1(bedroom) Harmony 680 + (2) 670s (amazing remote/support) Game room with Onkyo receiver & B&W Speakers The_Cable_Game Take the high ground and be happier PSN: PFC5

12-08-2007, 03:09 AM	#3
Semp1 Obsessed with Hi-Def. Join Date: May 2005 Location: Brooklyn. NY Age: 32 Posts: 779	The black bars on the side means the DVD was not anamorphic...your problem is not the player it is the old DVD you put in.... __________________ Panasonic TCP65VT30, Onkyo TX-NR709,Polk TSI300(Fronts), TSI100(Rears), CS110(Center), Outlaw LFM-1 Plus(Sub)

12-12-2009, 11:41 AM	#6
neilx What is HD? Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1	aspect After doing the math, it comes out there would be about 1/4 inch bar at top and bottom with a 1.85:1 movie. I'm getting 4 inches top and bottom on a 50" This make sense?

12-13-2009, 02:16 PM	#14
PFC5 Former Super Moderator - RIP Join Date: May 2005 Location: Mass Posts: 38,295	The physical size of our widescreen HDTVs expressed as aspect ratio is 1.78:1. That is the physical aspect ratio of our HDTVs. If something has a wider (i.e. 2.35:1/2.40:1) aspect ratio there will be bars at the top and bottom. If they cropped about 20-25% of the picture off the sides to make this fill the HDTV without bars that is how much of the movie you would lose. You can zoom it in, but the PQ will be hurt to do this, so it is best to watch it in the OAR (Original Aspect Ratio) IMO. As was said by Chris G., HBO usually does crop the sides to fill the screen but Showtime usually shows the OAR without any cropping of the sides so there are bars at the top/bottom. The best way to understand this is if you tried to fit 7 gallons of water in a 5 gallon jug you would lose 2 gallons of water to do it. With HBO, they are throwing out 2 gallons of water to fill the screen but with Showtime & BD you are getting all 7 gallons. __________________ Denon AVR-887 Klipsch RP-5 Pwred Towers (mains) (525 watts peak each 12"Subs) All Klipsch RC-25(ctr),(2)SS1(surr),(2)SS1(rearSurr) Toshiba (2)HD-A20,PS3,BD35 For SACD/DVD-A Samsung HD-841 Panny 50pz80u plasma SETTINGS RCA HD50LPW162 50"DLP w/HD2+ SA 3250HD 47" LCD+Yamaha5790+HD-A1(bedroom) Harmony 680 + (2) 670s (amazing remote/support) Game room with Onkyo receiver & B&W Speakers The_Cable_Game Take the high ground and be happier PSN: PFC5

12-12-2009, 03:46 PM	#8
Chris Gerhard High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 10,789	The black bars on the side don't always mean the DVD is not anamorphic if anybody reads that and believes it pertains to all DVD's. It only means if it is anamorphic, the aspect ratio is less than 1.78:1. Some movies, such as Rocky Horror Picture show have an OAR of 1.66:1. Of course all Blu-ray discs are formatted for 16:9 and a lot of those will have black bars on the side. With DVD, it is much rarer for programming to be formatted for 16:9 with an OAR of less than 1.78:1. Chris

12-13-2009, 10:42 AM	#11
markjen73 What is HD? Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 3	Yes, it's an old thread but still pertinent. Just Googled BluRay Aspect Ratio and here I am! So, Black Friday I purchased a package at Howard's in Los Angeles for $2130.00. Got a Sony KDL-52XBR9 with a separate Sony BDP-S560 BluRay player and a Sony BDV-T11 BluRay Home Theater system. I am loving it, but I am confused. I have ATT Uverse with all the movie channels and all the HD stuff and I've been watching movies like Hellboy II, The Dark Knight, Apollo 13 etc., all on HD movie channels and these movies fill the entire screen yet they are 1080i. I also have Up on regular DVD. This movie looks incredible through the BluRay system, fills the entire screen. Also have Ironman on regular DVD and it looks good but it has black bars top and bottom. So I'm at Fry's and I decide to get Ironman in BluRay format thinking it's going to be incredible on the new system. What to my surprise, it's got black bars top and bottom and although the resolution is beautiful I am disappointed that it doesn't fill the entire screen. I think I'll take it back, for $27.00 it just doesn't look that much different than the DVD. I can find nothing on the BluRay Ironman case about aspect ratio. I suppose I'm being a little obsessive. Please forgive my ignorance. Is it just me? Does anyone else feel this way? How does ATT Uverse change the aspect ratio? What size screen do you need to fill it with a 2.39:1 ratio? Thanks everyone.

12-13-2009, 02:50 PM	#15
Eddie501 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 199	I'd suggest playing around with your zoom settings before taking back the Blu-Ray disc. Most sets have a setting called wide zoom or something like that which will zoom up a 2:35 image and cut the picture off the sides to fill your screen (exactly as most of the pay movie channels do). You're still going to be losing about 25% of the picture, but you'll have to determine if the trade off is worth it. There really isn't any other way. But if you're getting into Blu Ray equating picture quality with a full screen, I'm afraid you're going to be sorely disappointed. Most movies are still shot for theater screens, not TV's. So while HD TV programming will typically fill your screen, the majority of movies will require black bars to retain the full width of the picture.

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