Pan & Scan from a DVD newbie

[fraserdo]

Recently bought a cheap Dansai DVD 852 from Tescos. In the setup options there is a choice to pick Display/PS which supposedly allows a 16:9 format DVD movie to be played in 4:3 format on a normal TV. When I try this it has no effect and the movie is still seen in 16:9 with the black bands top and bottom. After phoning Tescos I have been told this will only work if the DVD movies supports 4:3 Pan & Scan and these are few and far between. Is this true? I argued that with the same DVD movie I can Pan & Scan when watching it on my PC so it must be a software issue and nothing to do with the DVD movies, is this true? Do all DVD players work like this? If so is my only option to watch them full screen buying a wide screen TV? If anyone can help can you email me at fd515043@ncr.com as I will have to decide wether I should return it or not.

[Bapapapa]

Are you a troll, mate?

THe only way you can watch WS movies, full screen on a regular TV is using ZOOM mode on the DVD player. Of course the player has to have that option and you'd lose a load of picture at the sides - a lot like an & Sca in fact.

When you are watching DVDs full screen on your PC, it ain't Pan & Scan. It's ZOOMing which is even worse. :/

You've got 3 options

Buy the 4:3 fullscreen P&S version. (Bad)

Buy a DVD player with a ZOOM function. (Even worse)

Get used to watching films in the correct ratio. (A WS TV wouldn't totally rid you of the 'black bars' anyway). (The only option, IMO).

[Chris]

Originally posted by fraserdo
Recently bought a cheap Dansai DVD 852 from Tescos. In the setup options there is a choice to pick Display/PS which supposedly allows a 16:9 format DVD movie to be played in 4:3 format on a normal TV. When I try this it has no effect and the movie is still seen in 16:9 with the black bands top and bottom. After phoning Tescos I have been told this will only work if the DVD movies supports 4:3 Pan & Scan and these are few and far between. Is this true? I argued that with the same DVD movie I can Pan & Scan when watching it on my PC so it must be a software issue and nothing to do with the DVD movies, is this true? Do all DVD players work like this? If so is my only option to watch them full screen buying a wide screen TV? If anyone can help can you email me at fd515043@ncr.com as I will have to decide wether I should return it or not.

You are not watching the full screen version if you pan&scan it. The widescreen version is the full screen version.

To use the 4:3 Pan&Scan mode the widescreen dvd must
1) Be anamorphic widescreen
2) Have 4:3 Pan&Scan vectors added to the disc (not all dvd producers have the ability to use this feature, the few that do don't bother with a pan&scan instead they just crop the picture as it would be to expensive to do a real pan&scan. No disc with 4:3 Pan&Scan vectors has a real Pan&Scan done on it)


Some players have zoom modes ie PC DVD and budget players but this normally ruins the framing of the movie)


Why do you want to crop off upto 50% of the picture ?

[fraserdo]

Thanks for your replies, I may be a troll but at least I am now a more informed troll. I don't have a problem watching the DVD's in the correct format but unfortunately the kids don't seem to be very impressed. Damn! the guy from Tesco's was correct :( . There is a zoom mode on the player but it makes the film very 'blocky' and not worth watching. I guess the kids will just have to like it or lump it.

[Bapapapa]

I may be a troll but at least I am now a more informed troll.

At least you're honest. :p

My 3 yr old doesn't give a monkey's about the 'black bars' she just concentrates on the film. :)