why do 16 x 9 aspect ratio TVs still have horizontal bars when you play widescreen movies?”
Most people don’t realize it, but the 16 x 9 format (also called 1.78:1 aspect ratio) is a format agreed upon by the people who brought you HDTV (High Definition Television.) It does not correspond exactly to the formats used by major motion picture cinematography. Here is a comparison of the formats to give you an idea where 16 x 9 falls: 1.78:1 HDTV 16 x 9 format 1.85:1 35mm Widescreen Standard 2.20:1 Todd-AO 70mm Widescreen 2.39:1 Panavision 35mm (Cinemascope or just “‘scope”) If you transfer a 35mm standard widescreen movie to DVD, intending for it to be replayed on a 16 x 9 screen, if you want to preserve the whole picture, there will still be black bars at the top and bottom, because the 35mm movie is wider and not as tall as 16 x 9. If the movie was originally 70mm or scope, the bars will be even wider for the same reason.
Related Questions
- Some widescreen DVDs and HDTV broadcasts still show black bars. Why doesnt the 16:9 aspect ratio on my TV remove this letterboxing?
- How do you breed Sony Blu-Ray player play DVDs beside 1.85:1 aspect ratio correctly, i.e. letterboxed?
- why do 16 x 9 aspect ratio TVs still have horizontal bars when you play widescreen movies?"
