The Wall DVD question (PAN SCAN / LETTER BOX formats)

[Damián]

Hi

I got PF's The Wall on DVD yesterday, and when I sat down to watch it (Sony DVD player, standard non-bigscreen TV) I got the usual two black bars on the top and bottom of the screen, which I understand is to accomodate the movie to the aspect ratio of the screen on my TV.

I wanted to change things so that instead of the two black bars I got a full screen picture with the side edges falling off screen. The manual for my DVD [player] says either 4:3 PAN SCAN or 4:3 LETTER BOX can be selected, one being the 'two black bars' format and the other the one I wanted.

It also does say that some movies override the setting and just play as either one or the other, and effectively after changing the setting I still got the black bands.

So I'm wondering, has anyone else had the same issue with this disc? Also, does anyone know if there's a way to force the 'software' on the disc (that's what it is, right?) to play at whatever setting I want to?

Thanks a lot, regards

Damián

[SVL]

That setup option is useless most of the time, unless you see a squished picture (the long face effect), then you could try to use it, and it might even work;).

If you want an originally widescreen picture (with the black bars) to fill the whole screen of a 4:3 TV, you would need a standalone player with a zoom function, or a PC-based software player like WinDVD or PowerDVD.

More on the black bars here. (http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#1.38)

[Damián]

Originally posted by SVL
That setup option is useless most of the time, unless you see a squished picture (the long face effect), then you could try to use it, and it might even work;).

If you want an originally widescreen picture (with the black bars) to fill the whole screen of a 4:3 TV, you would need a standalone player with a zoom function, or a PC-based software player like WinDVD or PowerDVD.

More on the black bars here. (http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#1.38)

Thanks! :)

[Ed Bishop]

You should have bought a JVC DVD-A player. Mine has a zoom option; you can either reduce the image(windowbox)or increase the size, which for a widescreen movie would eliminate the black bars. But....as THE WALL was shot in 2:35.1 Panavision and presented that way, why would you want to mess with it? That's the full image as shot, what you would have seen in a theater. Kind of a depressing film, but I want to see all of it, especially the animated portions.


ED:cool:

[JonUrban]

The problem you are having with THE WALL is that it is NOT an anapmorphic release. In other words, it is NOT enhanced for widescreen TVs. This is a bummer. So, instead of extra video info in there to be "unsquished" with a 16x9 display device, what you have is similar to a LaserDisc. You have to blow it up to fill your screen.

Too bad, this really ticks me off about this title. Hopefully, they will redo it someday.

[JonUrban]

Ooops! I just noticed you were using a 4:3 TV. Nevermind! :D

[SVL]

As for the zoom function, there is of course a tradeoff in image quality that may be visible on a large-screen TV.

This may be similar to enlarging the size by reducing the resolution of an image on your computer; some picture editing wares use complex algorythms and a lot of memory to do that, and still the enlarged picture looks worse than the original. Same with the zoomed DVD picture on a 19" or even a 17" monitor.

That is to say, one should not expect much from a zoom option in a standalone player.

[Damián]

Originally posted by Ed Bishop
But....as THE WALL was shot in 2:35.1 Panavision and presented that way, why would you want to mess with it? That's the full image as shot, what you would have seen in a theater.

It's not so much as wanting to mess with it, it's just that the TV is not that big to begin with, and with the top and bottom bands about one and a half or two inches each, I'd prefer to lose a bit of information on the sides and be able to use the full height (and width) of the TV.

Thanks for your answers, guys.

[Bobo U2]

Originally posted by oblio98
The problem you are having with THE WALL is that it is NOT an anapmorphic release. In other words, it is NOT enhanced for widescreen TVs. This is a bummer. So, instead of extra video info in there to be "unsquished" with a 16x9 display device, what you have is similar to a LaserDisc. You have to blow it up to fill your screen.

Too bad, this really ticks me off about this title. Hopefully, they will redo it someday.

What version do you have???:confused:
from Amazon......

Technical Information
Release Information:
Studio: Sony/Columbia
DVD Release Date: December 2, 1999
Run Time: 100 minutes
Production Company: Sony Entertainment
Package Type: Keep Case


Aspect Ratio(s):
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.35:1

Just say NO to fullscreen/pan scan

[Ed Bishop]

It's a shame more DVD's don't have a pan/scan option for those who prefer it. It may not be honest to the director's intentions, but if your TV has a smaller screen, it probably makes sense. Some DVD's do offer pan/scan and correct letterboxing, but not nearly enough.


ED:cool:

[Cliff]

Originally posted by Ed Bishop
It's a shame more DVD's don't have a pan/scan option for those who prefer it. It may not be honest to the director's intentions, but if your TV has a smaller screen, it probably makes sense. Some DVD's do offer pan/scan and correct letterboxing, but not nearly enough.


ED:cool:

NEVER! ;)

Give me anamorphic, for my W/S and 27" 4:3...

[Pinknik]

Methinks I read somewhere that the pan&scan option had to be authored into the disc, so that the machine could then take scanning AND panning cues from codes on the disc. I have not heard of one such disc actually being produced.

[Rspaight]

The Wall is *definitely* 16x9 enhanced. At least the R1 version is.

Methinks I read somewhere that the pan&scan option had to be authored into the disc, so that the machine could then take scanning AND panning cues from codes on the disc. I have not heard of one such disc actually being produced.

Actually, the Criterion Collection version of The Last Temptation of Christ accidentally had that feature enabled. They ended up having to recall it and reissue a corrected version, because a lot of players had the "automatic pan and scan" mode enabled by default, and lots of people were steamed because they thought the Criterion disc they just bought was P&S.

Because that generated so much confusion, I doubt anyone will ever use this feature on purpose.

http://www.criterionco.com/asp/known_problems.asp

Ryan

[Steve Hoffman]

Pan And Scan is the devil. Some dork is choosing what part of the original image you get to see.

That's like offering a version of an album with just the left channel.

Makes no sense whatsoever.

WHAT ALSO MAKES NO SENSE is this new idea of making FAKE wide-screen by cutting off the top and bottom of a conventional picture just to give it that look. That is totally stoopid.

[Sckott]

What he said. ^^

And thanks for saying it! I wish I could convince my Dad that there's a reason for that format in home video.

[Ken_McAlinden]

Originally posted by Steve Hoffman
Pan And Scan is the devil. Some dork is choosing what part of the original image you get to see.

That's like offering a version of an album with just the left channel.

Yeah, but if there was a particularly tasty lick in the right channel, they'd switch to it and then switch back quickly. :D

One advantage of smaller TVs is that they are easier to move closer to your viewing position. That's the best way to address any resolution issue.


Makes no sense whatsoever.

WHAT ALSO MAKES NO SENSE is this new idea of making FAKE wide-screen by cutting off the top and bottom of a conventional picture just to give it that look. That is totally stoopid.

Tilt-and-scan. :hurl:

[SVL]

They rarely do the actual visible panning on P&S versions, but it still can be seen on some early DVDs. For instance, the P&S version of "A Few Good Men" has a really wide shot of several people in a room early into the film, where Tom Cruise and Demi Moore are at their CO's office to talk about the case.

On the P&S version, they actually panned really hard a few times, making it look like a TV series or something :D

[Ed Bishop]

The fact remains that sales are often lost because without a P/S option, some viewers will not buy the DVD. Some unreasonable folk are simply averse to letterboxing in any fashion(my mother, for one). As long as the proper letterboxed version is available, I could care less if the philistines want P/S, and get it. So what? Educating the masses about sound quality seems to be hopeless, why expect them to understand the various widescreen formats and why letterboxing is necessary for many films?


ED:cool:

[Ken_McAlinden]

Originally posted by SVL
They rarely do the actual visible panning on P&S versions, but it still can be seen on some early DVDs. For instance, the P&S version of "A Few Good Men" has a really wide shot of several people in a room early into the film, where Tom Cruise and Demi Moore are at their CO's office to talk about the case.

On the P&S version, they actually panned really hard a few times, making it look like a TV series or something :D
They do it a lot on native scope or 65mm films. For dialog scenes, they will more often cut between either side of a "2" shot. They try to do it in a non-jarring way, and put a lot of effort into it, but it still is a lousy way to present such a film.

Regards,