PS3 Letterboxing

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augiee

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 2, 2005
Messages
235
Can anyone help me turn off letterboxing in 1080p with blu-ray disks.:confused:
 
most movies are not in 16:9 format and will not fill the screen like yur wanting
in fact of the 10 hd dvds i have i dont think any of are animorphic
so i think you're going to have to live with the "letterboxing"
 
augiee said:
Can anyone help me turn off letterboxing in 1080p with blu-ray disks.:confused:
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I don't think modern high def media sell letter box anymore. They are all anamorphic. Now if you mean get rid of the "black bars" or more specifically "stretch the picture so the fat people look thin"....then usually you have to do that on your TV.
 
Yeah, it annoys me too, but it's the "proper" widescreen format. You can tell your TV to zoom in different ways, but the picture isn't going to look quite right.
You'd think that more mindless comedies would be in standard HD 16:9 (it's not like they have a directorial vision to maintain) but so far no Blu-Ray disks I've seen are.
You'd think that after all of these years we'd have some way to get rid of those damned black bars besides using a projector, but all of these years after VHS tapes started being in letterbox, those bars are still there 2 TV generations later.
 
Domingo said:
Yeah, it annoys me too, but it's the "proper" widescreen format. You can tell your TV to zoom in different ways, but the picture isn't going to look quite right.
You'd think that more mindless comedies would be in standard HD 16:9 (it's not like they have a directorial vision to maintain) but so far no Blu-Ray disks I've seen are.
You'd think that after all of these years we'd have some way to get rid of those damned black bars besides using a projector, but all of these years after VHS tapes started being in letterbox, those bars are still there 2 TV generations later.
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Those bars are there because of the aspect ratio. It's not something they're going to "get rid of" unless they stop filming movies for the big screen or they change the ratio they display in theaters itself. Personally, I don't mind as I have a widescreen display. If you have a Bluray player, I would think you had an HDTV, and that means a widescreen display.

This topic is a little confusing to me- with Bluray you want the best picture possible, but then you want to distort/cut off/zoom the image so it fills the screen?

OP, it would be better to learn about the different aspect ratios and understand why those black bars are there. Most of the time 1.87:1 (or is it 1.78:1) movies take up the "full screen" on my set, so maybe you want to look for those. However, there aren't any "full screen" Bluray movies that I know of- they're all going to be widescreen.
 
I have 2 HDTV's - the catch is, those bars are still there. The movie's format isn't a perfect 16:9. I forget what the exact aspect ratio is, but on my 61" set, there's a solid 5" of black bars at the top and bottom of every Blu-Ray movie I've seen so far. It's not that bad, but you know he it feels like there's something "missing" in a 4:3 pan/scan image? To me, when something is letterboxed if feels the same way. If feels like those black bars are covering something up.
I understand it's because HDTV's weren't designed with movie aspect ratios in mind, but it's just a little annoying quirk.
It doesn't bother most people but it's just a gripe I have.
I'm sure the film buffs will come on here and say this and that about preserving the director's vision and whatnot, but I'll just give the layman's answer I heard in Circuit City: "You'd think if I paid $5,000 for this TV and $500 for the PS3 you wouldn't have those bars. How much does it cost to finally get rid of those?"
It's a little ignorant, but at the same time, I understand what the guy meant.
Yes, I understand why they're there, but it's just an annoyance.
 
I know a lot of people who feel this way. HDTV is not just for home theater buffs anymore, it is very mainstream now. Most of my friends watch everything stretched in some form or another in order to fill their new screen, which I can hardly stand to watch.:p Now that the only real option when buying a new TV these days is 16x9, there are only going to be more and more people buying who are used to pan and scan films on their 4x3 TV's. I wonder how long it will take for studios to start releasing 16x9 pan and scan?
 
Domingo said:
I have 2 HDTV's - the catch is, those bars are still there. The movie's format isn't a perfect 16:9. I forget what the exact aspect ratio is, but on my 61" set, there's a solid 5" of black bars at the top and bottom of every Blu-Ray movie I've seen so far. It's not that bad, but you know he it feels like there's something "missing" in a 4:3 pan/scan image? To me, when something is letterboxed if feels the same way. If feels like those black bars are covering something up.
I understand it's because HDTV's weren't designed with movie aspect ratios in mind, but it's just a little annoying quirk.
It doesn't bother most people but it's just a gripe I have.
I'm sure the film buffs will come on here and say this and that about preserving the director's vision and whatnot, but I'll just give the layman's answer I heard in Circuit City: "You'd think if I paid $5,000 for this TV and $500 for the PS3 you wouldn't have those bars. How much does it cost to finally get rid of those?"
It's a little ignorant, but at the same time, I understand what the guy meant.
Yes, I understand why they're there, but it's just an annoyance.
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I have the opposite feeling- not that they're covering it up, but that they're showing more. 4:3 is painful for me to watch. I guess I can relate though it has the opposite effect for me.

If there was just one single standard for films and for televisions it would be completely moot. But hell, that won't happen- we can't even agree on one format standard.
 
It depends on the movie as well. Pixar redoes their movies for 16x9 (see Cars when it comes out)

But most movies are shown in their OAR (Original Aspect ratio) meaning black bars.

I prefer OAR, even with the bars. IT means that you are seeing the movie as the director intended.
 
There will always be black bars on some movies because films are shot in two different aspect ratios.

1.85:1 is the most common, used in comedies and "general" movies. That will show correctly on your 16:9 TV because 16:9 is roughly 1.78:1, too close to 1.85:1 to notice much of a difference.

On the other hand, "epic" movies (blockbusters and the ilk) are shot in 2.35:1, forcing your 16:9 TVs to show black bars on the screen. Films such as Spider-Man or Star Wars are filmed in this aspect ratio.

Personally, I don't see what the big deal is. I would much rather see the movie in its true aspect ratio, whether that includes black bars or not. It's better than the alternative, which would be going back to crap pan-n-scan.
 
Rocketpig said:
There will always be black bars on some movies because films are shot in two different aspect ratios.

1.85:1 is the most common, used in comedies and "general" movies. That will show correctly on your 16:9 TV because 16:9 is roughly 1.78:1, too close to 1.85:1 to notice much of a difference.

On the other hand, "epic" movies (blockbusters and the ilk) are shot in 2.35:1, forcing your 16:9 TVs to show black bars on the screen. Films such as Spider-Man or Star Wars are filmed in this aspect ratio.

Personally, I don't see what the big deal is. I would much rather see the movie in its true aspect ratio, whether that includes black bars or not. It's better than the alternative, which would be going back to crap pan-n-scan.
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+1. Or a stretched/squished image.
 
Rocketpig said:
There will always be black bars on some movies because films are shot in two different aspect ratios.

1.85:1 is the most common, used in comedies and "general" movies. That will show correctly on your 16:9 TV because 16:9 is roughly 1.78:1, too close to 1.85:1 to notice much of a difference.

On the other hand, "epic" movies (blockbusters and the ilk) are shot in 2.35:1, forcing your 16:9 TVs to show black bars on the screen. Films such as Spider-Man or Star Wars are filmed in this aspect ratio.

Personally, I don't see what the big deal is. I would much rather see the movie in its true aspect ratio, whether that includes black bars or not. It's better than the alternative, which would be going back to crap pan-n-scan.
Click to expand...

Yep. I agree with this guy. My tv supports the 1.85 aspect perfectly. Most of the movies I buy are this ratio, however, since they do not make a movie in two aspect ratios I am forced to buy the 2.xx's. Those give me the black bars while the 1.85 fills out all 27"s of my tv.

I disagree on the filming in different ratios. If the source could all remain standard so we didn't have these damn black bars life would be nice. Some are larger than others :).
 
bboynitrous said:
Yep. I agree with this guy. My tv supports the 1.85 aspect perfectly. Most of the movies I buy are this ratio, however, since they do not make a movie in two aspect ratios I am forced to buy the 2.xx's. Those give me the black bars while the 1.85 fills out all 27"s of my tv.

I disagree on the filming in different ratios. If the source could all remain standard so we didn't have these damn black bars life would be nice. Some are larger than others :).
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The problem is that Hollywood has been using those two aspects for about 50 years. Even older epic movies such as Lawrence of Arabia were filmed in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio.

At this point, there is little to no reason to revert to one format because over half of American movies have been filmed in either 1.85 or 2.35. The damage has been done, if you will.
 
hell there are some extremely widescreen movies out there that should really piss you off.
 
Martyr said:
hell there are some extremely widescreen movies out there that should really piss you off.
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Oh yeah. My DVD version of Event Horizon literally only takes up about 1/2 of my screen. At that point I'd rather have pan and scan. At least I'm not having to squint to tell what's going on ;)
 
Domingo said:
Oh yeah. My DVD version of Event Horizon literally only takes up about 1/2 of my screen. At that point I'd rather have pan and scan. At least I'm not having to squint to tell what's going on ;)
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Uh, you either don't watch many movies or you were drunk when you watched Event Horizon. :D

Event Horizon is 2.35:1, just like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, or most any other sci-fi/fantasy movie with a decent budget.
 
Domingo said:
Oh yeah. My DVD version of Event Horizon literally only takes up about 1/2 of my screen. At that point I'd rather have pan and scan. At least I'm not having to squint to tell what's going on
Click to expand...

Rocketpig said:
Uh, you either don't watch many movies or you were drunk when you watched Event Horizon. :D

Event Horizon is 2.35:1, just like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, or most any other sci-fi/fantasy movie with a decent budget.
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He just called you out Domingo! PICS PICS PICS!!!!!!!
 
Rocketpig said:
There will always be black bars on some movies because films are shot in two different aspect ratios.

1.85:1 is the most common, used in comedies and "general" movies. That will show correctly on your 16:9 TV because 16:9 is roughly 1.78:1, too close to 1.85:1 to notice much of a difference.

On the other hand, "epic" movies (blockbusters and the ilk) are shot in 2.35:1, forcing your 16:9 TVs to show black bars on the screen. Films such as Spider-Man or Star Wars are filmed in this aspect ratio.

Personally, I don't see what the big deal is. I would much rather see the movie in its true aspect ratio, whether that includes black bars or not. It's better than the alternative, which would be going back to crap pan-n-scan.
Click to expand...
Before DVD's were even available, I was buying letterbox VHS. It sucked, because they were always more expensive. I can't stand that pan n' scan bullshit. Movies are photographed very carefully (although not always), and you can lose up to 48% of the picture with pan n' scan on a 2.35:1 camera.

I noticed you mentioned Spider-Man. You may be surprised to hear that the first one was actually shot in 1.85:1. They went up to the larger ratio for the sequels. :)

Domingo said:
Oh yeah. My DVD version of Event Horizon literally only takes up about 1/2 of my screen. At that point I'd rather have pan and scan. At least I'm not having to squint to tell what's going on ;)
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I used to have a 13-inch TV with all letterbox VHS. Now that was some serious squinting. :D
 
maademperor said:
He just called you out Domingo! PICS PICS PICS!!!!!!!
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Hahah, it's not that hard to look it up. IMDB has all that information.

It turns out that the original Star Wars films are listed at 2.20:1 and not 2.35:1. Dunno why that is, must be an old aspect ratio. The LoTR films are 2.35:1.
 
ghostchamber said:
Before DVD's were even available, I was buying letterbox VHS. It sucked, because they were always more expensive. I can't stand that pan n' scan bullshit. Movies are photographed very carefully (although not always), and you can lose up to 48% of the picture with pan n' scan on a 2.35:1 camera.

I noticed you mentioned Spider-Man. You may be surprised to hear that the first one was actually shot in 1.85:1. They went up to the larger ratio for the sequels. :)


I used to have a 13-inch TV with all letterbox VHS. Now that was some serious squinting. :D
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Good point on Spiderman. I guess I haven't watched the first one on DVD in quite some time.

BTW, SW:EpIII is filmed at 1.81:1. Damned digital shooting screws up everything because that sure wasn't the final output aspect ratio. :D
 
LOL, when I get home I'll take some pictures of Event Horizon. Not sure why it is, but the DVD is *horrendously* small.
They re-released it a few years ago as a "collectors edition" but I'm not a big enough fan to re-buy it.
On my old 27" 4:3 TV it was worthless, but it's at least better on my DLP. Still, if there's ever been a case for the ZOOM function on the TV, that DVD is it.
 
About 2.20:1, that must be an old resolution. I just looked up Star Wars, Spartacus, Lawrence of Arabia, and 2001 and they were all shot at 2.20:1.

Anything I found post early 80s appears to be in 2.35:1.
 
Mmmkay, by popular demand, here's a photo of Event Horizon (from the original DVD from the late 90's)
You'll notice that if you took the black bars from the top and bottom and combined 'em, they're nearly the size of the picture.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o259/Domingo_X/DSCN0152.jpg

It's a lousy DVD to begin with, although I do like the movie. Upscaling this one to 1080p actually even makes it look worse.

BTW - sorry about the lousy picture, but you can see the image size pretty well.
 
Domingo said:
Mmmkay, by popular demand, here's a photo of Event Horizon (from the original DVD from the late 90's)
You'll notice that if you took the black bars from the top and bottom and combined 'em, they're nearly the size of the picture.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o259/Domingo_X/DSCN0152.jpg

It's a lousy DVD to begin with, although I do like the movie. Upscaling this one to 1080p actually even makes it look worse.

BTW - sorry about the lousy picture, but you can see the image size pretty well.
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That's more than 2.35:1. Some older DVDs do not support 16:9 resolutions. Change your television from "fit to screen" to "full screen" and make sure your DVD player is set to 16:9.

I bet that solves your problem with that movie. The aspect ratio is not correct in that picture and it reminds me of what some of my older DVDs, such as the original Pulp Fiction or The Great Escape, look like on my HDTV. It's not a problem with your DVD player or your TV, it's a problem with the DVD itself.
 
It's the DVD for sure. It never has the aspect ratio anywhere on the packaging, it just keeps saying "widescreen." The date on it is 1997, so it's a pretty early DVD.
 
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