"16:9"ready DVD's: only,who cares,never

Elizabeth,

I have the opposite problem. I recently bought a 3:4 RPTV because almost all my cable channels are broadcast in that format, and I used to only buy DVDs that included full-screen versions -- which are in the minority nowadays. But now I have found that setting my DVD player's menu to 16:9 on DVDs with only widescreen versions stretches out the picture vertically, which fills up more of my screen but looks a little odd on some scenes. Still, I think I prefer it that way to the usual 16:9 Band-Aid presentation. I hate all these A/V format changes because you never know what new changes are lurking just around the corner.

I to am a widescreen nut and dream of the day when a 42" plasma widescreen will grace my home theatre room taking the place of my 32" xbr. If I accidentally buy a movie that is not widescreen. (recent example 102 Dalmations). Then it's back to the store for the correct copy or none at all. I also check the audio quality and will spend a little more for DTS. If not possible then will except DD5.1 as a close second.

Give me an anamorphic transfer, or give me...nothing...I'll just wait for the special edition, thanks. I don't have a very large screen by some standards (35"), but I still much prefer watching movies in their original aspect ratio (1.85:1 or 2.35:1 or whatever). And not just that, I want all my DVD's to have an anamorphic video transfer. Almost all DVD's released today are able to display a "widescreen" or "letterbox" version of the movie encoded on them. These widescreen versions preserve the original aspect ratio of the film. (That's the least you should expect.) But that should not be confused with an "anamorphic transfer". DVD's with such a transfer benefit from additional lines of resolution that are viewable when displayed on a 16:9 screen (as are found on HDTV's). You can spot these DVD's by checking their specs at online retailers or by checking their cases for terms like, well, "Anamorphic transfer" or "Enhanced for widescreen/16:9". It's important to note that not all "widescreen" DVD's have such a transfer, so you need to check to be sure. Some DVD titles have been rushed to market without this enhancement of the video resolution. This is sometimes corrected down the road when the DVD is rereleased in a special edition. DVD's with an anamorphic video transfer will still look quite respectable on the HDTV's we'll all own one day.

I am new to the 'serious' side of home theatre. Is there a good resource for me to learn the FACTS about all of these formats? I realy hope that I'm not stuck with white paper and marketing materials for the truth on this confusing subject. As for my choice in DVDs, I havn't really given it much thought ... until this thread. Thanks for a new detail to be obsessive about.

In some store a 16;9 TV may have a widescreen movie that is NOT enhanced... Then you have the 4:3 gray sidebars, AND the widescreen black bars top and bottom. Trust me, you WILL care if you see that. (only more expensive 16:9 TVs can alleviate the double cropping, cheap ones: it's a crime..)

Thanks for that extra info Elizabeth. I saw that in a showroom not to long ago. Didn't pay much attention at the time. But now I see what your getting at. I think I'd have a heart attack if I got the set home and saw that side cropping on one of my widescreen movies. Slingshot if you have questions just ask them people like us love to talk about this stuff. I for one am equally long winded on this subject. For starters build a H/T system in your house you will learn much a long the way. Here is a couple tips. Make sure your DVD player and pre are DTS compatable. Buy DTS audio movies for the best sound quality. Go with a high end center channel speaker.

I buy about one DVD a week, and ever since I got my 55" Mitsubishi I now look like a nut in the video store as I scour the find print on the back of the DVD. With most of the new stuff they advertise anamorphic as a feature (oh thank you hollywood). With the old stuff, well, you have to either find a review of the disc, or search for it in the fine print on the back--and sometimes even that is not correct. Trust me, anamorphic widescreen is the way to go. Whatever TV format comes about later on does not matter. We're talking about movies, and movies today and for the foreseeable future will be in the widescreen format. DTS sound, the best by far, but sometimes the DTS discs sc@w you out of the extra features, so beware. Happy viewing.