DVD error?

[PaulWright]

I was just wondering if this was normal, or if it was my DVD. The fact that it shows on multiple DVD'S on both my analogue TV and PowerDVD make me suspect that its normal, but I just worry a lot.

What i'm showing below is that at the bottom of the DVD there is a half line. I am not too good with AV stuff, so I think you guys will be able to help

(Please let me add that it is not the colour that is bothering me, it is how there is a half line.)

http://www.avforums.com/forums/attachments/home-cinema-pcs/131128d1248804207-dvd-error-normal-dvd.png

Thanks
Paul

[broadz]

Don't even know what "half line" means. Is it like half a hole? When does a line become half a line? Surely it's a line - just not as big as another line? Is it the height or the length which dictates that it is only half a line rather than a line?

And more importantly - is there a similar line (or half line) at the top of the picture as well as at the bottom? Because if so - the usual term is horizontal bars - then this is perfectly normal for movies which are wider than the screen you are watching them on. It is known as the letterbox effect. It is a means of making sure that the full width of the movie/programme can be seen without having to abnormally stretch the picture to fill it completely.

[alsemail]

I think you'll find if you look at the picture he's referring to the bottom row of pixels just seems to stop. There's not a single pixel missing, the bottom row just seems to stop at some point on the screen, leaving a half (or some other %) "line" at the bottom of the screen.

To the OP, while I wouldn't say it's normal, if you're watching a fullscreen dvd I'm guessing it's OK. It's just when you're watching something that's in a widescreen format the requires letterboxing. Personally I wouldn't say it's anything to really bother about but like you I'm far from an expert.

To broadz.

New members first post and you come across like a know it all.. nice.

[jester]

Hi Paul, welcome to the forums :)

No expert either BUT I have seen this a lot on analogue feeds to displays, not on hdmi (for example). I think it is something to do with PAL processing.

Probably wrong though! :doh:

edit
is that the IT Crowd? :D

[Nick dVl]

I think a lot of PAL feeds have this. Normally it's hidden in the overscan. You should see a corresponding "half-line" on the top part of the image as well.

Edit: I believe it's got something to do with the way the interlacing works. The first field (i.e. lines 1, 3, 5 etc) starts on a half-line (which is what you'd see at the top of the image), and the second field (lines 2, 4, 6 etc) ends on a half line. That's what you're seeing here I think.

[jester]

^ this! Would not worry about it.