Why do I still have black bars with a widescreen TV?

Diamond Ace

I'd imagine it would have to do with the format (anamorphic vs. flat lens) of the theatrical release... something in anamorphic is going to be wider than something that was presented on a flat lens.

I'd rather have a wider screen that uses the native anamorphic aspect ratio of 2.39:1, and have black bars on the left and right when I watch something in 1.85:1, but that's just me.

Nikopol

It´s not just you, but there are too few like you, sadly. If you´re interested in this, you can set up a display like this with a front projector and an anamorphic lens (it´s called CIH, Constant Image Height). I dream of going that way some day.

and btw, welcome to HDF

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Diamond Ace

Thanks for the welcome

I'm new to HD (in fact, I don't own anything HD-related except an Xbox 360, but I plan to purchase some next week), but I have a background in cinema.

dhfleming

Bottom line: It's because no one can get their crap together and operate on the same page. You'd think they would have designed HD to have the same aspect ratio as the movies they hope you'll watch, right? That would be the simple, and smart, thing to do. Well obviously you'd be wrong.

gracious

What I am concerned about is will the black lines damage the display, any burned image issues? I am able to use the "format" button on my DTV remote to toggle to differently resolutions, but it is a pain when you switch to other channels and have to switch it back. I just leave mine on "Native" and let it be what ever it is. So, do I have any concerns with burned images on my display with the black bars?

speedythecat

Is it my imagination or is the current "trend" in dvd movies 2.35:1 and 2.40:1 more than it was a few years back? Here's why I ask, I had the Blockbuster Movie pass this last month and watched exactly 45 movies in the period that ended yesterday. Almost all new releases and almost every single one of them 2.35 or 2.40:1. Yet, let me pull one of my 400 dvd movies from my bookcase, most of which are 3 years old or older and many (seemingly most) of them are 1.78:1 or 1.85:1.

I bought a 32" Sony LCD a couple of weeks ago and one of the main reasons was that I was sick and tired of seeing the bars on my crt tv and wanted to fulfill my dream of one day owning a widescreen tv. I mean, I have been buying dvd movies since the year they came out only in widescreen just waiting for the day to come. Well, the day came and I still have black bars on the screen most of the time while watching dvds now. Sucks. LOL

I mean, it really is no big deal. I agree if the movie is good enough who's paying attention to something like that, but still...... Just kinda disappointed. Especially since it seems as though all the best movies use 2.35:1

borromini

I've been collecting DVDs since 1998 and the % of 2.35:1 films seem about the same. I've long ago forgotten the bars.

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Diamond Ace

It's not really anything to do with DVD... it's the film studios. These days, movies are getting released in their native (theatrical) aspect ratio more and more, so if a film was originally shot in anamorphic scope (2.35:1), it'll be released on DVD in that ratio as well.

My TV has a 1.85:1 (theatric flat) aspect ratio, so all those show up on my screen with black bars. I usually mess around with my TV displays to stretch the image and fill up the whole screen; it doesn't look too bad that way, and is usually favorable to the black bars.

BrianO

Actually it's almost always 1.78:1 (16:9), although I have seen a few oddball models. 1.85:1 movies only fill the screen on a 16:9 TV because of the overscan built into the TV. If there was no overscan, then even a 1.85:1 movie would show narrow, but barely noticeable, black bars. (The image would fill 96% of the height of the screen).

Scottnot

Excellent tutorial with supporting photos is here:

http://www./news/show/764

High-Def FAQ: Why Don't the Black Bars Go Away?
Fri Jul 13, 2007 at 03:25 PM ET
Joshua Zyber, High-Def FAQ

Good To Go KC

Scott-

The link doesn't work for me (I thought maybe if I took the / away from after the www. but it still is broken.

Scottnot

Yea, this forum does that to some links, not sure what the reason is. Maybe some copyright thing???

Option one: insert (without quotes) "highdefdigest" between "www." and "/news"

Option two: google Joshua Zyber, black bars; it should be the second hit.

Option three: enter the link www dot highdefdigest dot com slash news slash show slash 764

Good To Go KC

Thanks, good reading.

moby22

Truth is, the 16:9 format of HDTV is really a trade off, the aspect ratio of regular TV is usually 4:3 and for movies to be displayed, the right and left sides usually had to be chopped off considerably, cutting down the viewing area from the film; (you know, that is where you get that message that the film has been formatted to fit your screen).

Well, while some screens in theatres have been cut down in size, a typical aspect ratio for film is 20:8. HDTV allows the complete, unchopped viewing of either film or a TV show (ie: 20:8 or 4:3) to be displayed on the screen with reasonable resolution. Just with 20:8 you will get bars at the top and bottom of the screen, with 4:3 you will get bars on the right and left sides of the screen.

Hope this info helps.

Scottnot

The aspect ratio of "regular TV" is always 4:3.
For wide format movies to be displayed; either the sides were chopped off or black bars were placed at the top and bottom of the screen creating a "letterbox" view of the content.

Curious, where did the 20:8 come from? That would be an aspect ratio of 2.5:1.
I can find no reference to any film material at that aspect ratio, and even if it exist, it is certainly not "typical" for film.

Since the 1950, two primary standards have been used for most movie production:
Basic Widescreen: Has an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 (most common)
Scope Widescreen: Has an aspect ration of 2.35:1 (less common)

HDTV allows "complete, unchopped viewing . . ." on a 16:9 (1.78:1) HDTV, given the following conditions:
Original 4:3 material: bars will be placed on the sides. (pillar box)
Original 1.85:1 material: will display "full screen"
Original 2.35:1 material: will display with bars on the top and bottom (letter box)
However, depending on how the original material is "formated for television" it is not uncommon for some content to appear with bars on both sides as well as top and bottom (window box).