Aspect Ratio not right displayed on standalone.

[castellanos]

Hi there!
I bought a DVD of "The Sixth Sense". On the DVD's specifications is written: 16:9, Widescreen 1:1,85 anamorphic; Region 2 PAL. Everything right on the computer, I see the film with the two black lines up and down, but on the TV with the Philips DVP 630/00, I see the film like a 4:3 one and of course, the picture is not right, I think is cutted on the sides.
It seems to be that the player does not recognize the aspect ratio.
Any solution of this problem?
Greetings!

[unskinnyboy]

Isn't there an option under the 'System Menu' to set the AR to 16:9 or 4:3 as you want? I have one such option in my Philips DVP642 (never had to use it though).

[Latexxx]

You probably have set your player to "pan & scan" instead of "letterbox" or "widescreen".

[SeeMoreDigital]

... I guess we are assuming castellanos has a wide-screen TV too!

If so, what method of video connection are you using?


Cheers

[Latexxx]

Or may be the film is panned & scanned to fit wide screen TVs by original authors.

[castellanos]

Thank you all guys!
No, the TV is not widescreen, it's a normal 4:3 (very little one) and the connections I use is a normal euro-scart.
Actually I have many films 16:9 and 4:3 and the player plays them without problems [or the TV shows them normally ], I don't know why this time is different.
Any idea?
Greetings!

[castellanos]

Well... I found something that may be the answer:
I looked in the video settings of the Philips 630, it was written in "TV display":
4:3 PS
4:3 LB
16:9

Default was "4:3 PS", then I canged it to "4:3 LB" and know the film look normal... I repeat, it happen only with this film "The Sixth Sense".
Anyway, can you tell me the difference between 4:3 PS & 4:3 LB?
Greetings!

[SeeMoreDigital]

When you play an anamorphic 16:9 DVD (with an AR of 1.77:1 or 1.85:1) on a 4:3 TV using 4:3 PS (Pan Scan), a full-height picture will be displayed with the sides trimmed.

If your disc has an "Pan Scan" option (and your player detects it), you may also be able to move "left and right" thru' the image manually!

This sort of thing should be explained in your players user manual


Cheers

[unskinnyboy]

Originally posted by castellanos
Well... I found something that may be the answer:
I looked in the video settings of the Philips 630, it was written in "TV display":
4:3 PS
4:3 LB
16:9

Right! This is the option I was talking about. DVP642 has the same options.

Btw, PS -> Pan & Scan and LB -> Letterbox.

[SeeMoreDigital]

castellanos,

Can you spin your "Sixth Sense" DVD using a PC's software player (such as MediaPlayer Classic) and capture a still frame, without AR correction, from a light part of the movie and upload it please...

Like this example: -



I should then be able to confirm whether the DVD is, or is not, 16:9/Widescreen Anamorphic.


Cheers

[castellanos]

How can I be so stupid!? PS: Pan-Scan; LB: Letter-Box... of course!! Now is clear.
Here is the screenshot... well, I have it, but I can not get how to put an image here

[SeeMoreDigital]

Hi castellanos,

Try using ImageShack to make your images visable on the forum.


Cheers

[castellanos]

Let's see:

[SeeMoreDigital]

It's definitely a 16:9/Widescreen Anamorphic DVD, with an movie aspect ratio of around 1.85:1...


Cheers

[castellanos]

That's right!
Still funny that the player did not recognize automatically the AR, like in my other films.
Greetings!

[Jeffster]

It's no great mystery really, it depends on how the DVD was authored.

I'm surprised you haven't been asking yourself: "if my DVD player has been set to P/S mode all along why have all my 16:9 movies displayed correctly until this one?"

Most of the anamorphic DVD's I've seen have been authored with "16:9 Letterbox" (forced) aspect ratio, which overides the P/S setting on the DVD player, but it would appear this DVD was authored as "16:9 Pan-Scan" aspect ratio instead.

I think it's probably rare to be authored like that, as I've only come across one anamorphic DVD like that myself that displayed P/S.

BTW. I have the 2 disc R4 version of Sixth Sense and it displays letterboxed, not P/S like yours.

[castellanos]

You are right!
I bought the DVD in Media Markt (Germany) it was an offer, I payed only 8€ for that! and funny because it is not the original of Warner Bros. it's a new copy of "Constantin Video" under license of Warner Bros. and... the most funny thing, the DVD is not encrypted!