Video Asylum

Posted by bstan (A) on January 19, 2002 at 19:55:13

In Reply to: Re: DVD players with Zoom posted by bmar on January 19, 2002 at 15:40:13:

If you've heard about OAR (Original Aspect Ratio) and P&S (Pan and Scan), these are the two formats DVDs are produced in.

If you want a DVD to fit your 4:3 TV screen like the "reformated to fit your screen" movies shown on TV, then you can buy the "Full Screen" or P&S" versions of the DVD. Not many DVDs have been produced in both formats, and most DVDs have been of the OAR or widescreen versions.

You must remember, Pan and Scan means they took the original film in it's widescreen "OAR" format, put a little 4:3 viewing window into it, and then followed the main action to produce a 4:3 P&S version, leaving out quite a bit of the original film's scenery and camera flow.

Just remember later when you buy a widescreen TV and go to view a DVD with P&S format, it may also look kinda funny (big black bars on the side). They do have widescreen TVs now that will actually stretch a 4:3 source out to almost fill the screen.

To each his own.

bstan