dvd widescreen vs Blu-ray widescreen?

[oppopioneer]

I've noticed on anamorphic widescreen dvd's the black bars are thicker and larger and the image is wider compared to bluray black bars. dvd's in aspect ratio 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen I think look great, why aren't bd movies like that? Now I notice many bd's are 2.35:1, 2.39:1 and 2.40:1 but are bd's in anamorphic widescreen and if not would it be possible to make a bd movie look like a anamorphic widescreen dvd?

Also, is there a difference between 2.35:1, 2.39:1 and 2.40:1 aspect ratio?

[lifevicarious]

Originally Posted by oppopioneer

I've noticed on anamorphic widescreen dvd's the black bars are thicker and larger and the image is wider compared to bluray black bars. dvd's in aspect ratio 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen I think look great, why aren't bd movies like that? Now I notice many bd's are 2.35:1, 2.39:1 and 2.40:1 but are bd's in anamorphic widescreen and if not would it be possible to make a bd movie look like a anamorphic widescreen dvd?

Also, is there a difference between 2.35:1, 2.39:1 and 2.40:1 aspect ratio?

I don't believe BD's are anamorphic.

As for a difference in 2.35:1, 2.39:1 and 2.40:1, do you mean is there a difference between the obvious difference of width over height?

[Pondosinatra]

Originally Posted by oppopioneer

I've noticed on anamorphic widescreen dvd's the black bars are thicker and larger and the image is wider compared to bluray black bars. dvd's in aspect ratio 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen I think look great, why aren't bd movies like that? Now I notice many bd's are 2.35:1, 2.39:1 and 2.40:1 but are bd's in anamorphic widescreen and if not would it be possible to make a bd movie look like a anamorphic widescreen dvd?

Also, is there a difference between 2.35:1, 2.39:1 and 2.40:1 aspect ratio?

All I know is that I hate anything that's not 1.78 or 1.85

[lobosrul]

Originally Posted by oppopioneer

I've noticed on anamorphic widescreen dvd's the black bars are thicker and larger and the image is wider compared to bluray black bars. dvd's in aspect ratio 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen I think look great, why aren't bd movies like that? Now I notice many bd's are 2.35:1, 2.39:1 and 2.40:1 but are bd's in anamorphic widescreen and if not would it be possible to make a bd movie look like a anamorphic widescreen dvd?

Also, is there a difference between 2.35:1, 2.39:1 and 2.40:1 aspect ratio?

An anamorphic BD would do no one with a 1920x1080p TV any good, unless they were zooming in to make it 16:9. Think about it.

Something is wrong with your player or TV if you see a significant AR difference between DVD and BD 2.35/2.4:1 movies. There may be a slight difference because of the DVD being mastered in something called ITU or non-ITU specs. Or sometimes the BD might be from a different master than the DVD and transfered slightly differently.

Theres all kinds of DVD to BD comparison shots online. Many of which are 2.35/2.4:1 AR. Pages and pages here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=811102

[oppopioneer]

Originally Posted by lifevicarious

I don't believe BD's are anamorphic.

As for a difference in 2.35:1, 2.39:1 and 2.40:1, do you mean is there a difference between the obvious difference of width over height?

Can you really see a difference betweeen 2.35:1, 2.39:1 and 2.40:1? I watched Quantum of Solace and it says the bd is presented in 2.40:1 and it's original aspect ratio is 2.39:1. But it's description says: "Framed at the film’s theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1."

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Quantu...-Blu-ray/3709/

Serenity is listed at 2.35:1

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Serenity-Blu-ray/2637/


I'm confussed, can any of you explain?

[lobosrul]

Originally Posted by oppopioneer

Can you really see a difference betweeen 2.35:1, 2.39:1 and 2.40:1? I watched Quantum of Solace and it says the bd is presented in 2.40:1 and it's original aspect ratio is 2.39:1. But it's description says: "Framed at the film’s theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1."

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Quantu...-Blu-ray/3709/

Serenity is listed at 2.35:1

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Serenity-Blu-ray/2637/


I'm confussed, can any of you explain?

The difference between a 2.35:1 and 2.4:1 a 1080p rez is only 16 pixels, 8 at the top and 8 at the bottom. Its too small to tell the difference between them, unless you get out a ruler I guess. Any movie filmed "scoped" before 1969 SHOULD be 2.35:1, anything later should be 2.39:1.

Now, to make you more confused. Many movies in the wide AR aren't even shot anamorphic these days. They're just cropped down from full frame 4:3 35mm film. That process is called super-35 and really the director can choose any AR he wants for a digital transfer.

[oppopioneer]

A good example is the movie The Last Emperor, I thought it's anamorphic widescreen version on vhs and dvd was more wide screen with thicker bars top and bottom than the bluray release.

Here's some different examples:

2.39:1 Anamorphic HD Test

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPTeM0LKaU8

And I'm not sure about these but it's put up by Akira on YouTube, not sure how he got it that wide but looks awesome, it would be nice if they could make a bd movie that wide.

http://www.youtube.com/user/akirawing#p/u/4/S3qppTrOCfU

http://www.youtube.com/user/akirawing#p/u/5/9mJXCf780GU

[Kizzo]

Originally Posted by Pondosinatra

All I know is that I hate anything that's not 1.78 or 1.85

Same here. I love when the picture fills the entire screen on a large HDTV set.

Of course the majority of movies are not like that so I will have to go with the directors intended vision of the film and watch with black bars. But I do prefer it to be filled. Good thing Avatar will be 1.78 or 1.85 whatever it is... I'm just glad it won't have any bars.

[oppopioneer]

Originally Posted by Kizzo

Same here. I love when the picture fills the entire screen on a large HDTV set.

Of course the majority of movies are not like that so I will have to go with the directors intended vision of the film and watch with black bars. But I do prefer it to be filled. Good thing Avatar will be 1.78 or 1.85 whatever it is... I'm just glad it won't have any bars.

I think the widescreen with the black bars gives it a more cinematic effect and you're able to see more things on the sides of the screen.

[groove93]

Originally Posted by oppopioneer

A good example is the movie The Last Emperor, I thought it's anamorphic widescreen version on vhs and dvd was more wide screen with thicker bars top and bottom than the bluray release.

Although there were OAR versions of films released on VHS, I believe Anamorphic Widescreen technology was never used on VHS releases, only DVDs so that the proper aspect ratio would display on either your 4x3 or 16x9 display.

[oppopioneer]

Originally Posted by groove93

Although there were OAR versions of films released on VHS, I believe Anamorphic Widescreen technology was never used on VHS releases, only DVDs so that the proper aspect ratio would display on either your 4x3 or 16x9 display.

Not so, you should really see the Last Emperor Director's Cut on VHS widescreen, looks great.

[BStecke]

Yeah, anamorphic widescreen wasn't available on VHS. If you're watching a widescreen VHS on a widescreen TV, the bars are so much bigger because it's a widescreen transfer that is made to be viewed on a 4:3 screen. You should also notice that the image appears stretched if it's filling up your screen.

Non-anamorphic DVDs are the same way, ie. Abyss, True Lies.

[oppopioneer]

I have the Last Emperor's vhs Director's Cut in widescreen, it's exactly like a dvd 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and movies in widescreen on AMC. I haven't watched it in over a year and it was on a regular tv, I never watched it on my Pio Kuro.

It's this version:

http://www.amazon.com/Last-Emperor-D.../dp/0784012164

It looks amazing on a older tv from the 1990's like a Sony Trinitron, but like I said I never watched it on a new flatscreen tv.

[BStecke]

It sounds like you may be confused as to what anamorphic widescreen means. Anamorphic widescreen applies to all aspect ratios on DVD, and chiefly means that it won't look distorted on a widescreen set. Black bars don't equal anamorphic.

[WiWavelength]

Originally Posted by oppopioneer

And I'm not sure about these but it's put up by Akira on YouTube, not sure how he got it that wide but looks awesome, it would be nice if they could make a bd movie that wide.

http://www.youtube.com/user/akirawing#p/u/4/S3qppTrOCfU

http://www.youtube.com/user/akirawing#p/u/5/9mJXCf780GU

As Akira describes, he shot those videos w/ a high end Canon full frame digital SLR (i.e. still camera) that can also shoot video. A full frame digital still camera, just like an "old school" 35mm film still camera, shoots 36mm x 24mm frames for a 1.5:1 aspect ratio (e.g. 36 / 24 = 1.5). Akira attached a 2:1 anamorphic compression adaptor lens in front of his prime/zoom lens. The 1.5:1 frame combined w/ 2:1 horizontal anamorphic compression, then "unsqueezed" in projection or post production, produces a 3:1 aspect ratio (e.g. 1.5 x 2 = 3), a little bit wider than the aspect ratios of Cinerama, MGM Camera 65, and Ultra Panavision 70.

AJ

[WiWavelength]

Originally Posted by oppopioneer

Also, is there a difference between 2.35:1, 2.39:1 and 2.40:1 aspect ratio?

No, those aspect ratios are all effectively the same. The latter two aspect ratios, 2.39 & 2.40, just represent almost infinitesimally more cropping of the top & bottom of the frame to prevent splice flashes from disturbing the viewable image.

AJ

[WiWavelength]

Originally Posted by oppopioneer

A good example is the movie The Last Emperor, I thought it's anamorphic widescreen version on vhs and dvd was more wide screen with thicker bars top and bottom than the bluray release.

"The Last Emperor" is not a fair example for comparison.

The widescreen VHS release is letterbox 2.35:1 aspect ratio.

The 1999 DVD release (which, I believe, is the one that you are referencing) is also letterbox 2.35:1 aspect ratio.

The Criterion BD release is letterbox 2.0:1 aspect ratio. It has been horizontally cropped from 2.35:1 to 2.0:1 because legendary cinematographer Vittorio Storaro prefers that narrower aspect ratio for many of the films that he has shot.

AJ

[WiWavelength]

Originally Posted by BStecke

Yeah, anamorphic widescreen wasn't available on VHS. If you're watching a widescreen VHS on a widescreen TV, the bars are so much bigger because it's a widescreen transfer that is made to be viewed on a 4:3 screen. You should also notice that the image appears stretched if it's filling up your screen.

Non-anamorphic DVDs are the same way, ie. Abyss, True Lies.

VHS is full frame (1.33:1) or letterbox widescreen.

LD (LaserDisc) is almost exclusively full frame (1.33:1) or letterbox widescreen. However, in the mid 1990s, I recall a few limited edition anamorphic widescreen LDs were released in conjunction w/ the first 16:9 (1.78:1) widescreen CRT displays. See Squeeze LD.

DVD is full frame (1.33:1), letterbox widescreen, or anamorphic widescreen.

And BD is full frame (1.78:1), pillarbox (typically 1.33:1 or 1.66:1), or letterbox widescreen. Currently, there are no anamorphic widescreen BDs. However, as w/ Squeeze LD, some limited edition anamorphic widescreen BD releases could arise down the road should the constant image height display movement gain enough traction.

AJ

[oppopioneer]

Originally Posted by WiWavelength

The Criterion BD release is letterbox 2.0:1 aspect ratio. It has been horizontally cropped from 2.35:1 to 2.0:1 because legendary cinematographer Vittorio Storaro prefers that narrower aspect ratio for many of the films that he has shot.

AJ

Is it possible to put a 2.35:1 letterbox picture on a bd like is on the last emperor vhs and dvd version?

[KubrickFan]

Originally Posted by oppopioneer

Is it possible to put a 2.35:1 letterbox picture on a bd like is on the last emperor vhs and dvd version?

You mean like every 2.35:1 movie released on Blu-ray?