Widescreen

I'm still pondering that one myself.

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I've been told the purpose is so you can see things on the edges that are shown on movie screens, but are cropped out for the average square-shaped TV.

Personally, I prefer full-screen, because pyschologically I feel I'm missing out on whatever might have been in the top and bottom black sections, even though I know there's nothing missing!

love meagan

Updated On: 3/20/06 at 09:54 PM

I think the reason for the 16:9 format is so that the picture corresponds better to our natural frame of vision. We can see more diagonally then we can vertically.

i like it when the dvd comes with two versions... i watch widescreen on my laptop or my car dvd player, but regular on my tv beacause it's a small tv.

i have noticed though that some movies crop out the sides to make it full screen, but i've seen some movies like dogma where the widescreen verion has the top and bottom cut off... i noticed i ws moissing things i had seen on the full sctreen video when i watched the wide screen dvd (the scene that comes to mind is when loki is picking out a gun, and he says "this one will do" and holds up the gun... on the video you can see the gun, on the dvd, not so much.)

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i dont know if it was filmed in fullscreen, but the video was in full screen and the dvd was cropped.
beacuse if the size of movie theater screens i think everything is filmed in widescreen, but i'm not sure what the cropping was about. now that i think about it, joe dirt was cropped like that too.

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Square sets will soon be obsolete. High-Definition is what it's all about. And all High-Def sets are Wide-Screen. Within the next few years, all of the networks and cable stations will be converting to an all digital format, and relinquishing their (loaned) analog lines to the government. At that time, if you don't have a High-Def set, you'll need to buy a converter box for your existing set in order to receive a (non High-Def) picture. So, if you're in the market for a new T.V., I highly recommend a Wide-Screen with built-in High-Definition. (Not to be confused with High-Definition Ready.) At this point, it really doesn't make much sense to buy anything else. Prices continue to drop and they're becoming more and more affordable every day.

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Updated On: 3/20/06 at 10:29 PM

A good website, with some examples.

Many shows are turning to widescreen. But, they aren't cutting off any heads or hands. They are just adding more to the sides.

Type_A_Tiff - if your parents are shopping for a tv now, it's probably best to go with wide-screen. As Luscious said, wide-screen programming will start to take over with in the next few years. The same is true with next generation DVDs. They will be wide-screen, and high def. I don't know how much your parents are looking to spend, but if they want their tv to be future proof (at least for the next 10 years), they should consider one that supports at least a native 720p resolution (1080i/p is preferable).

Abba - you are correct. the good ol' shows like I Love Lucy will always be in 4:3, full-screen format.

Type_A_Tiff - within the next two or three years the price of high def. tvs will drop substancially. Plasma and LCD displays will loose ground at the release of SED (surface-conduction electron-emitter display) technology. It is slated for release just prior to the 2008 Olympics. Another promising tv tech, that just came out is LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon).

With shows that are in 4:3, you have the option to view them with black bars on the right and left, I believe. Or, you can stretch them.

wow, I didn't know that would display the picture... cool, now i know how to put up pictures.