Recommendation for DVD player with full screen zoom please.

[mabuk]

Hello,
I still have an old 4:3 crt (waiting for LCD to be any good) and would like a DVD player to zoom a 2.35:1 film to approximately 16:9, just to make the image a more reasonable size.

I have a Pioneer 696 which unfortunately only zooms a small section of the screen. I do know that the xbox360 has a 10 stage full screen zoom, but I wouldn't want to use this as they have the slight design flaw in that they tend to melt with prolonged use (+ very noisy).

Any suggestions for a DVD player with an incrementle full screen zoom would be most appreciated. (Price up to £150).

Thanks,
Mark.

[Ron240]

The best advice anybody could give you...although you probabbly do not want to hear it, is to stop struggling on with outdated technology.

Had you said you were presently using a widescreen CRT, then that would have been fair enough, but 4:3.

I cannot understand why you are not willing to upgrade, but perfectly willing to watch DVD's and miss a significant part of the picture.
LCD is already good at the moment, but will undoubtedly get better yet.

[Pincho Paxton]

Have you ever looked to see if your DVD player has a 4:3 Full Screen setting. All of my old DVD players had a 4:3 setting, and it was better than zoom, because it didn't pixelise the screen... Look in the setup menu for display settings.

[Ron240]

Originally Posted by Pincho Paxton

Have you ever looked to see if your DVD player has a 4:3 Full Screen setting.

Yep, it does.
Pioneer DV-696 has 3 settings - 4:3 Letter Box, 4:3 Pan & Scan, and 16:9 Wide.

The best option for the original poster(but not best in reality)would be 4:3 Pan & Scan.

[mabuk]

Firstly, thanks for the replys. I have previously tried the 4:3 pan and scan option to no effect.

I am looking to get a new TV, but my viewing for the next few years will be SD hence my desire to stick with my 11(!) year old CRT (having fiddled with the deflection coil and geometry settings many years ago). I have looked at many widescreen CRT's, LCD's and plasmas but they tend to have major problems. All I want is for the new tech. to be an improvement. Will probably wait for LED or a much faster LCD.

A lot of old (or new American TV (curb your enthusiasm)) is still 4:3 which suits my TV fine, and I watch Freeview/Sky in 16:9 which still looks fantastic.

I just think that 2.35:1 is a ridiculous shape for human eyes/brains (although I suppose it's fine for Lions used to spending their days looking for movement on the horizon). Blade Runner is 16:9.

Thanks.