TV on DVD/Basic question....

[L.J.]

Basic question guys. I've been looking at getting some TV boxed sets and noticed that most is full screen only. Why is that?

[GMichael]

Basic question guys. I've been looking at getting some TV boxed sets and noticed that most is full screen only. Why is that?

That's how most TV was recorded. The newer stuff may be 16:9 though.

[L.J.]

That's how most TV was recorded. The newer stuff may be 16:9 though.

Thanks GM. That's what I thought. I was figuring it could be just made/adjusted/transferred into widescreen but I have no clue. I see movies in both full and wide screen versions all the time. Was the movie recorded in both formats or is there some some type of process to transfer from one format to another? Just throwing questions out there for anyone.

[paul_pci]

Exactly, that's the tv format. But I will say that I did pick up a couple seasons of X-files for real cheap, and they are 16X9. I think with new Network shows turning to HD and widescreen format that there may come a day where a lot of tv dvds will be widescreen.

[Kam]

Thanks GM. That's what I thought. I was figuring it could be just made/adjusted/transferred into widescreen but I have no clue. I see movies in both full and wide screen versions all the time. Was the movie recorded in both formats or is there some some type of process to transfer from one format to another? Just throwing questions out there for anyone.

for films (and i guess now with more shows being shot in hd as well) it really depends on the director. some actually prefer to shoot 4:3, kubrick's movies (i think with the exception of 2001) are all shot in 4:3 and a few of tim burton's as well, so if you are watching a "widescreen" of those, you're actually seeing LESS of what was shot, since they are chopping off the top and bottom since the filmmaker was framing the shot as a whole 4:3 frame.

the reverse is true in all other cases. Especially in films shot with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio which anamorphically squeezes a widescreen image onto the 35mm frame, and so when its projected, a special lens is used to stretch the image back out. these, when switched for tv, are horrendously chopped up, losing a LOT of information to fit on a tv screen. The increasingly less common format of 16:9 (or also 1.85:1 (i think?))also have the sides chopped off to show on tv, so you are seeing LESS on tv than was originally filmed in both cases. if you have hd widescreen tv, just switch back and forth between the regular broadcast and the hd broadcast to see. when shooting, the camera usually has "broadcast safe" lines on the viewscreen in which they can frame all the essential action so nothing is really lost when put on a 4:3 screen. you just get a greater vista of the scene in widescreen. also check out sports, all the action is still centered, you just get to see more on each side.

the worst case is Pan & Scan, where they digitally move around the frame to follow the action. imaging taking a 4:3 box and moving it around a 2.35:1 frame to catch everything that's going on. wooch gives a much better explanation of this than i do though. hope i didnt confuse things more!

[L.J.]

for films (and i guess now with more shows being shot in hd as well) it really depends on the director. some actually prefer to shoot 4:3, kubrick's movies (i think with the exception of 2001) are all shot in 4:3 and a few of tim burton's as well, so if you are watching a "widescreen" of those, you're actually seeing LESS of what was shot, since they are chopping off the top and bottom since the filmmaker was framing the shot as a whole 4:3 frame.

the reverse is true in all other cases. Especially in films shot with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio which anamorphically squeezes a widescreen image onto the 35mm frame, and so when its projected, a special lens is used to stretch the image back out. these, when switched for tv, are horrendously chopped up, losing a LOT of information to fit on a tv screen. The increasingly less common format of 16:9 (or also 1.85:1 (i think?))also have the sides chopped off to show on tv, so you are seeing LESS on tv than was originally filmed in both cases. if you have hd widescreen tv, just switch back and forth between the regular broadcast and the hd broadcast to see. when shooting, the camera usually has "broadcast safe" lines on the viewscreen in which they can frame all the essential action so nothing is really lost when put on a 4:3 screen. you just get a greater vista of the scene in widescreen. also check out sports, all the action is still centered, you just get to see more on each side.

the worst case is Pan & Scan, where they digitally move around the frame to follow the action. imaging taking a 4:3 box and moving it around a 2.35:1 frame to catch everything that's going on. wooch gives a much better explanation of this than i do though. hope i didnt confuse things more!

Hey Kam,

It all makes perfect sense, thanks. I've read alittle on the subject in the past but this helps alot.

Thanks everybody!