[Red Gixer]

Hi all

I have just purchase a Sony BDP S350, but on the two films that I have looked at, I can not set it up to show the film on the tv in full picture, it only showns the film in the letterbox format.

1, Is it the way the film has been recorded on the disc?

2, Any ideas on how to set it up.

I have a 32" widescreen Sony, Sky HD, Sony AV.

Mark

[kingfats]

Originally Posted by Red Gixer

Hi all

I have just purchase a Sony BDP S350, but on the two films that I have looked at, I can not set it up to show the film on the tv in full picture, it only showns the film in the letterbox format.

1, Is it the way the film has been recorded on the disc?

Yes. 2.35:1 etc ratio films will have black bars top and bottom.
All the best.

[Red Gixer]

Hi kingfats

Are all blu-ray films recorded in this format?

MArk

[kingfats]

Originally Posted by Red Gixer

Hi kingfats

Are all blu-ray films recorded in this format?

MArk

Most movies yes but a few are in 1.85:1 and TV shows like Lost,Heroes are in 1.78:1.
It's the same with DVD as well.

[Red Gixer]

Hi

On my DVD player, it allowed me to change the format, i.e wide, zoom, 4.3 etc.

Mark

[m99]

And you never wondered why everyone was so tall and slim

[YellowSphere]

There aren't any Blu-Ray players that can pan and scan within themselves. Some televisions will allow you to with their own ratio settings, but many will block it when being fed HD signals. Either that, or put up with it. Once you in the film it probably won't bother you.

[Pecker]

Originally Posted by kingfats

Most movies yes but a few are in 1.85:1

I think you're a bit wide of the mark there, KF (though admittedly this is a first ).

I'm pretty sure the majority of films are still shot in 1.85:1, and even though the number of 'scope films is rising, even if it's just overtaken 1.85:1 it certainly doesn't reduce the latter to just a few.

And historically the %age of films shot in 'scope is very small indeed.

I think the perception at these forums that most films are in 'scope is caused by the fact that most action/sfx/blockbusters are shot in that ratio.

Steve W

[Pecker]

This week's new releases at Amazon UK (UK release cinema films only):

Taken ('scope)
Burn After Reading (1.85:1)
Gomorrah ('scope)
Man on Fire ('scope)
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1.85:1)
Friday the 13th Part 3 ('scope)
The House Bunny ('scope)
Little Miss Sunshine ('scope)
Pretty Woman (1.85:1)
Open Season (1.85:1)
Open Season 2 (1.85:1)
I've Loved You So Long (1.85:1)
Nights in Rodanthe ('scope)
Pink Panther (1.85:1)
Donnie Darko (1.85:1)
Amadeus (2.2:1)
A History of Violence (1.85:1)

The rest are music titles, made for TV films, imports, etc.

That's 8 'scope and 9 1.85:1.

Steve W

[Graham N]

Originally Posted by Pecker

I think you're a bit wide of the mark there, KF (though admittedly this is a first ).

I'm pretty sure the majority of films are still shot in 1.85:1, and even though the number of 'scope films is rising, even if it's just overtaken 1.85:1 it certainly doesn't reduce the latter to just a few.

And historically the %age of films shot in 'scope is very small indeed.

I think the perception at these forums that most films are in 'scope is caused by the fact that most action/sfx/blockbusters are shot in that ratio.

Steve W

My experience is more in line with Kingfats comments.

Most of my HD DVD and Blu Ray films are in scope, even if I have bought some of the older 'rubbish' on HD. I would estimate that over 90% of mine are 'scope' films. This is the reason why I am getting an anamorphic lens and scope screen.

Cheers,

Graham

[Pecker]

Originally Posted by Graham N

My experience is more in line with Kingfats comments.

Most of my HD DVD and Blu Ray films are in scope, even if I have bought some of the older 'rubbish' on HD. I would estimate that over 90% of mine are 'scope' films. This is the reason why I am getting an anamorphic lens and scope screen.

Cheers,

Graham

Well, there you go.

My point wasn't whether person A or person B had more 'scope films in their collection, just the proportion of films released.

As I said in a thread elsewhere, if you check the aspect ratio of a film before buying it, you deserve Michael Bay.

I'll continue to enjoy glorious 'scope films like Gandhi, The Innocents an The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, alongside all those 'old rubbish' films like Casablanca, Citizen Kane and The Third Man, and sod the black bars.



Steve W

[Bald Monkey]

Are we going outside the Scope of this thread??


The OP just asked a simple question

[Pecker]

Originally Posted by Bald Monkey

Are we going outside the Scope of this thread??

You spent hours working on that quip, didn't you.



Dear OP, films released on Blu-ray Disc are almost always released in the Original Aspect Ratio (OAR), which is to say 'the shape' in which they appeared at the cinemas.

These include:

1.33:1
1.37:1
1.66:1
1.78:1
1.85:1
2.20:1
2.35:1
2.40:1

Widescreen TVs are 1.78:1. Most 1.85:1 films were actually shot at an aspect ratio of 1.37:1, but with the intention of masking off the top and bottom to make a 1.85:1 shape at the cinema. Sometimes these films are presented in 1.78:1 on Blu-ray Disc, using a little bit of the area masked off.

The various 'scope (c.2.35:1) processes began proper in 1953 - up until that time most films were 1.33:1/1.37:1. For people wanting 'widescreen on the cheap' they created the masking process for 1.85:1 soon afterwards.

Since the late '50's most films have been either 'scope or 1.85:1, thought mostly the latter.

Recently the trend has gone towards making more 'scope films, particularly for Hollywood blockbusters.

If you want to watch films in their OAR, that's how they're usually put on to a Blu-ray Disc.

Alternately, if you want to 'zoom' the picture, so as to get rid of the black bars at the top and bottom of your 'scope films, you can do it by using a video processor, but these cost a lot on money.

Alternately, a new 21:9 (2.33:1) TV has just been announced. It too costs a lot of money.

Alternately, you can buy a projector system with an anamorphic lens. These are extremely expensive, and not without their own problems.

Alternately, you can get used to the black bars, and watch the films without any of the sides being cut off.

As far as I'm aware there are no Blu-ray Discs which allow you to choose aspect ratios, and no Blu-ray Disc players which allow you to zoom the image.

How's that, BM?

Steve W

[IAN P]

That 21.9 tv was shown in the flesh on Click last week,it looked ridiculous when the guys were standing next to it.

And when you're watching 1.78/1.85 films the guy who was there stated the picture would be stretched horizontally instead of having black bars on the side.

Seems to be a poor compromise imo.

And as for 4.3 material.

[Bald Monkey]

Originally Posted by Pecker

You spent hours working on that quip, didn't you.




How's that, BM?

Not as long as you might think

Great Steve.... We arn't all Movie buffs

[MattTheBeanster]

am i missing something or couldn't the OP just change the aspect ratio on the tv to zoom?

this is how i would do it instead of in the player.......not that i ever ever would...ever

[Nic Rhodes]

Not every tv can 'zoom' though, especially on HDMI

[Rsaeire]

Originally Posted by Red Gixer

Hi all

I have just purchase a Sony BDP S350, but on the two films that I have looked at, I can not set it up to show the film on the tv in full picture, it only showns the film in the letterbox format.

1, Is it the way the film has been recorded on the disc?

2, Any ideas on how to set it up.

I have a 32" widescreen Sony, Sky HD, Sony AV.

Mark

What is the model number of the Sony 32" TV you have? If you let us know the model number, we could assist in advising whether your TV has the required options to zoom in on the image thus removing the black bars. If you're not aware already, zooming in will cut off/crop the left and right portions of the image, but if this is what works for you, far be it for me or anyone else to say otherwise.

As Nic has already mentioned, your TV may not allow you to zoom in, even if it has the option, but hopefully you may be able to.