Video Asylum

Posted by rico (A) on December 08, 2004 at 11:16:42

In Reply to: wide screen TVs posted by Nullone on December 8, 2004 at 09:32:29:

Hollywood currently uses two aspect ratios: Panavision (formerly Cinemascope) which is 2:35 x 1 and "Academy Flat" which is 1.85 ro 1 (there have been others in limited use in the past). Properly transferred to video a 2:35 film WILL have (small) bars on a 16 x 9 display and a 1:85 film will have a small portion of the entire picture cropped. Most don't find either bothersome.

Most current displays allow you to choose between a number of aspect ratios for wide screen films or standard broadcasts. Most DVDs are enhanced for 16 x 9 displays and one of these ratios is ideal for these DVDs (usually marked "Full" or "Cinema").

Most people agree that standard braodcast seen on a hi def TV is inferior to standard broadcast on a standard set. Over time more and more programming will be in hi def, however.