Widescreen or no?

[Firestreak]

I've got a PS3 and several blu-ray movies, and about to upgrade from standard def to HD. I'm wondering if Blu-ray movies and games were all made with widescreen in mind, because there seems to be a lot of regular screen HD for sale.

Will my games automatically know and adjust for widescreen? Will all the movies automatically know and adjust for widescreen? Or is it possible I'll have games/movies that have top and bottom black bars and stretched wide or movies/games that will just have black bars the left/right of a centered image?

[dgator783]

Originally Posted by Firestreak

I've got a PS3 and several blu-ray movies, and about to upgrade from standard def to HD. I'm wondering if Blu-ray movies and games were all made with widescreen in mind, because there seems to be a lot of regular screen HD for sale.

Will my games automatically know and adjust for widescreen? Will all the movies automatically know and adjust for widescreen? Or is it possible I'll have games/movies that have top and bottom black bars and stretched wide or movies/games that will just have black bars the left/right of a centered image?

heres an easy solution, buy the widescreen HDTVs....u wont be disappointed. If ur a big movie person, widescreen gives u that movie theather effect in my opinion. Games look just as sweet on them. It doesnt matter if u use a non widescreen HDtv to answer ur question but the widescreen looks better in ur home theather setup.

[Gremal]

PS3 games are optimized for use with a 16:9 (widescreen) display. Of course you can use the PS3 with a 4:3 display and in the settings for composite/S-video, the PS3 actually allows you to select a 4:3 option. But I don't think they even make HDTVs that are 4:3.

[Firestreak]

So rule of thumb is use widescreen as the standard for a high def TV?

[dgator783]

yes.....

[Firestreak]

Thanks, I'll pick up widescreen.

[Canada]

They did make HDTV's in a 4:3 format but that was in there infancy, I think they all went 16:9 two or more years ago. Thank God

[reiella]

Also, make sure that they are 720p, 1080i, or 1080p if they're 4:3 "HDTVs" because my initial reaction to seeing those now is that they're actually SDTVs that they're trying to overmarket.

[Blu Tiger]

I have a 40" Sony XBR 4:3 1080i CRT. I'm glad I have it because I use it for all of my older videogames (300+ @480p) because the games are all 4:3. Next generation videogames (except for the wii) are all 16:9 so I use my Pioneer Elite for that. I guess it all depends on what you are going to use it for. If most of your sources are going to be HD (at least 720p) then definitely get a widescreen tv.

[Deciazulado]

Firestreak, theatrical movies became widescreen after the mid fifties. The eyes kinda see in widescreen too (they might focus in a central section, which is why 20th century TV, computer monitors used for e-mailing, and Academy Silent/Sound 1.33/1.375 movies before the mid fifties worked, but that's a half century old field of view! , we also see with peripheral vision and that's why the wider the experience, the more "engaging").


For further info go to this forum's aspect ratio hub

[Jonalan34]

Originally Posted by Firestreak

I've got a PS3 and several blu-ray movies, and about to upgrade from standard def to HD. I'm wondering if Blu-ray movies and games were all made with widescreen in mind, because there seems to be a lot of regular screen HD for sale.

Will my games automatically know and adjust for widescreen? Will all the movies automatically know and adjust for widescreen? Or is it possible I'll have games/movies that have top and bottom black bars and stretched wide or movies/games that will just have black bars the left/right of a centered image?

Buy 16:9 Widescreen HDTV! Don't buy Regular, heavy, old fashion tv that are 4:3, which is labeled as HD TV.

[Blu Tiger]

Originally Posted by Jonalan34

Buy 16:9 Widescreen HDTV! Don't buy Regular, heavy, old fashion tv that are 4:3, which is labeled as HD TV.

Yeah, my XBR weighs 305 lbs (138 kg) and is side heavy. Makes me not want to ever move.