HD Channels not showing films in correct aspect ratio - Blu-ray Forum

Atreyu · 10-20-2009, 06:00 PM

Does it bug you that most of the HD channels don't show the movies in their correct aspect ratios? Like I've seen The Sound Of Music, several Bond films and even some Harry Potter films fill up my whole TV screen. Now I know some of these are at least 2.35:1 and you should see a small bar on the top and bottom but they make them like a 1.85:1 movie. I want to see the films in their correct aspect ratios, and it annoys the hell out of me that the staions do this. Am I the only one it bothers or are there more of you out there like me?

[1080-p] · 10-20-2009, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atreyu

Does it bug you that most of the HD channels don't show the movies in their correct aspect ratios? Like I've seen The Sound Of Music, several Bond films and even some Harry Potter films fill up my whole TV screen. Now I know some of these are at least 2.35:1 and you should see a small bar on the top and bottom but they make them like a 1.85:1 movie. I want to see the films in their correct aspect ratios, and it annoys the hell out of me that the staions do this. Am I the only one it bothers or are there more of you out there like me?

yeah what i hate is hd channels showing 4x3 imagery
if its going to be on Hd it should actually be 16x9

scweb13 · 10-20-2009, 06:17 PM

A stretched 4:3 image bothers me far more than a cropped one. Uggh! I hate watching TBS HD or TNT HD or even some of the other HD channels for that reason.

P@t_Mtl · 10-20-2009, 06:20 PM

If it's 16x9 it's not in OAR (or not necessarely). I've seen quite a few movies in HD that were not in AOR. LORT was one I saw not long ago on a French channel here. I am still happy since I get to see some movies in HD that are yet in BD. I know once the BD's get release I will have OAR

progers13 · 10-20-2009, 06:35 PM

OAR doesn't bother me so much on broadcasts. If we're talking about blu, sure, keep the OAR. But for broadcasts, not so much.

Rblu-Dblu · 10-20-2009, 06:38 PM

the OAR doesnt bother me as much as when you're watching an HD channel and theyre showing a movie in SD. Why even bother having an HD channel if you're not going to show any HD programming?

dmb70 · 10-20-2009, 06:42 PM

I just saw Casino on Showtime or HBO a couple weeks ago & it wasn't in the AOR it was 16x9. I wish they would just stick with the AOR in all cases.

blujacket · 10-20-2009, 06:48 PM

Starz & HD Net movies are about the only 2 that show OAR.

Lt. Aldo Raine · 10-20-2009, 08:27 PM

dont get me started with hd channels not playing movies in wide screen, eveytime im browsing my hd channels and i see a movie on that i like, that i dont own, i think cool i can kick back and watch it in hd, but wrong, i put it on that channel and its 4:3, now i dunno how lazy and stupid they are but what why are we paying money for if they show a movie in 4:3 on a HD channel? it looks worse then the dvd. i dunno how its so hard to show a movie in 2.35:1 or 1.85.1, how many widescreen editions of dvds are there, and even worse they show the movie in 4:3, when its been released on blu ray. i really dont understand, im canceling all my hd channels, only keeping sportsnet and hbo and the movie network

GGX · 10-20-2009, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmb70

I just saw Casino on Showtime or HBO a couple weeks ago & it wasn't in the AOR it was 16x9. I wish they would just stick with the AOR in all cases.

OAR

Original Aspect Ratio

Steve · 10-20-2009, 10:31 PM

I would prefer the OAR, but I suspect they crop movies to 16x9 so the average uninformed consumer won't complain about having black bars on the screen. As long as it's not a stretched 4x3 broadcast as mentioned above I'm pretty much fine though. If I really want to see the movie properly I'll put in the blu-ray or DVD. It's also much better IMO to have a cropped 16x9 image than a cropped 4x3 pan & scan image. What annoys the heck out of me is some of the station logos plastered on the screen.

dcowboy7 · 10-21-2009, 12:48 AM

Yep hate non OAR....but again people will complain if their entire screen isnt used & as usual we suffer.

Propellarhead9 · 10-21-2009, 12:51 AM

With stuff being broadcast it doesn't really bother me because I rarely watch movies when they are being broadcast.

Duffy12 · 10-21-2009, 01:25 AM

Yes. It drives me nuts too.

For instance I always try to catch the Original Star Wars trilogy on SPIKETV when they show it like every other month. However its always full screen! I would LOVE to catch them in OAR.

PLEASE somebody, make it happen!

Now there is also another thing that's driving me nuts as well while I am watching some of these HD broadcasts. Most of these stations like TNT, Universal, TBS, and USA just to name a few are running their freaking adds, such as other shows that they televise later on in a miniature movie form near the bottom of the freaking screen!!!!!! The stupid adds have ruined quite a few scenes such as a GREAT special effect shot from 2001 of that Moon Shuttle heading towards the Moon!

Kryptonic · 10-21-2009, 09:23 AM

This is why I don't bother with premium cable/satellite service. I'd rather just buy what I want on DVD or BD where everything is properly presented without commercials or issue. In the end, it saves me money and I get exactly what I want (because I'm kind of picky anyway), not dozens of channels I'll never watch any programming on.

dobyblue · 10-21-2009, 01:54 PM

A&E is the worst...they stretch 4:3 content into 16:9 and with most HDTV's there's nothing you can do about it!

If you have a 4:3 TV you can set your cable box output to 16:9 and that fixes the problem...but most people are watching HD on a 16:9 TV!

Stupid A&E, even most of their commercials are 4:3 stretched to 16:9

If you think wrong OAR is bad, try incorrect aspect ratio!!

10-20-2009, 06:00 PM	#1
Atreyu Blu-ray Knight Member since:Dec 2008 Location:North Carolina 4K collection:370 Blu-ray collection:1876 DVD collection:619 Digital collection:1 Blu-ray reviews: 293 Trading Score:4	HD Channels not showing films in correct aspect ratio Does it bug you that most of the HD channels don't show the movies in their correct aspect ratios? Like I've seen The Sound Of Music, several Bond films and even some Harry Potter films fill up my whole TV screen. Now I know some of these are at least 2.35:1 and you should see a small bar on the top and bottom but they make them like a 1.85:1 movie. I want to see the films in their correct aspect ratios, and it annoys the hell out of me that the staions do this. Am I the only one it bothers or are there more of you out there like me?

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10-20-2009, 06:17 PM	#3
scweb13 Blu-ray Guru Member since:Nov 2007 Location:Everett, WA 4K collection:1 Blu-ray collection:512 DVD collection:29 Trading Score:4	A stretched 4:3 image bothers me far more than a cropped one. Uggh! I hate watching TBS HD or TNT HD or even some of the other HD channels for that reason.

10-20-2009, 06:20 PM	#4
P@t_Mtl Blu-ray Duke Member since:Sep 2008 Location:Montreal Home Theater Gallery:4 Blu-ray collection:452 DVD collection:513 Trading Score:3	If it's 16x9 it's not in OAR (or not necessarely). I've seen quite a few movies in HD that were not in AOR. LORT was one I saw not long ago on a French channel here. I am still happy since I get to see some movies in HD that are yet in BD. I know once the BD's get release I will have OAR

10-20-2009, 06:35 PM	#5
progers13 Blu-ray Baron Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:Aug 2009 Location:Tampa, FL Home Theater Gallery:83 Blu-ray collection:337 Blu-ray reviews: 3 Trading Score:2	OAR doesn't bother me so much on broadcasts. If we're talking about blu, sure, keep the OAR. But for broadcasts, not so much.

10-20-2009, 06:38 PM	#6
Rblu-Dblu Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Mar 2009 Location:Trapped on the Death Star 4K collection:4 Blu-ray collection:483 Trading Score:12	the OAR doesnt bother me as much as when you're watching an HD channel and theyre showing a movie in SD. Why even bother having an HD channel if you're not going to show any HD programming?

10-20-2009, 06:42 PM	#7
dmb70 Active Member Member since:Dec 2008 Blu-ray collection:43	I just saw Casino on Showtime or HBO a couple weeks ago & it wasn't in the AOR it was 16x9. I wish they would just stick with the AOR in all cases.

10-20-2009, 06:48 PM	#8
blujacket Blu-ray Guru Member since:Jun 2007 Location:Dayton,Ohio 4K collection:70 Blu-ray collection:658	Starz & HD Net movies are about the only 2 that show OAR.

10-20-2009, 08:27 PM	#9
Lt. Aldo Raine Blu-ray Guru Top contributor Member since:Jan 2009 Location:Toronto Home Theater Gallery:17 Blu-ray collection:289 Blu-ray reviews: 11	dont get me started with hd channels not playing movies in wide screen, eveytime im browsing my hd channels and i see a movie on that i like, that i dont own, i think cool i can kick back and watch it in hd, but wrong, i put it on that channel and its 4:3, now i dunno how lazy and stupid they are but what why are we paying money for if they show a movie in 4:3 on a HD channel? it looks worse then the dvd. i dunno how its so hard to show a movie in 2.35:1 or 1.85.1, how many widescreen editions of dvds are there, and even worse they show the movie in 4:3, when its been released on blu ray. i really dont understand, im canceling all my hd channels, only keeping sportsnet and hbo and the movie network

10-20-2009, 10:31 PM	#11
Steve Blu-ray Knight Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:May 2008 Location:Anna, TX 4K collection:128 Blu-ray collection:416 Trading Score:41	I would prefer the OAR, but I suspect they crop movies to 16x9 so the average uninformed consumer won't complain about having black bars on the screen. As long as it's not a stretched 4x3 broadcast as mentioned above I'm pretty much fine though. If I really want to see the movie properly I'll put in the blu-ray or DVD. It's also much better IMO to have a cropped 16x9 image than a cropped 4x3 pan & scan image. What annoys the heck out of me is some of the station logos plastered on the screen.

10-21-2009, 12:48 AM	#12
dcowboy7 Blu-ray Knight Top contributor Member since:Feb 2009 Location:Pequannock, NJ 4K collection:7 Blu-ray collection:112 Trading Score:11	Yep hate non OAR....but again people will complain if their entire screen isnt used & as usual we suffer.

10-21-2009, 12:51 AM	#13
Propellarhead9 Blu-ray Guru Member since:Jul 2009 Location:Clarksville, Indiana 4K collection:498 Blu-ray collection:1719 Blu-ray reviews: 1 Trading Score:9	With stuff being broadcast it doesn't really bother me because I rarely watch movies when they are being broadcast.

10-21-2009, 01:25 AM	#14
Duffy12 Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Jul 2009 Location:Among the Tuatha’an 4K collection:20 Blu-ray collection:272	Yes. It drives me nuts too. For instance I always try to catch the Original Star Wars trilogy on SPIKETV when they show it like every other month. However its always full screen! I would LOVE to catch them in OAR. PLEASE somebody, make it happen! Now there is also another thing that's driving me nuts as well while I am watching some of these HD broadcasts. Most of these stations like TNT, Universal, TBS, and USA just to name a few are running their freaking adds, such as other shows that they televise later on in a miniature movie form near the bottom of the freaking screen!!!!!! The stupid adds have ruined quite a few scenes such as a GREAT special effect shot from 2001 of that Moon Shuttle heading towards the Moon!

10-21-2009, 09:23 AM	#15
Kryptonic Suspended Member since:Jul 2009 Trading Score:45	This is why I don't bother with premium cable/satellite service. I'd rather just buy what I want on DVD or BD where everything is properly presented without commercials or issue. In the end, it saves me money and I get exactly what I want (because I'm kind of picky anyway), not dozens of channels I'll never watch any programming on.

10-21-2009, 01:54 PM	#16
dobyblue Super Moderator Top contributor Member since:Jul 2006 Location:Ontario, Canada Home Theater Gallery:71 4K collection:55 Blu-ray collection:655 Blu-ray reviews: 15	A&E is the worst...they stretch 4:3 content into 16:9 and with most HDTV's there's nothing you can do about it! If you have a 4:3 TV you can set your cable box output to 16:9 and that fixes the problem...but most people are watching HD on a 16:9 TV! Stupid A&E, even most of their commercials are 4:3 stretched to 16:9 If you think wrong OAR is bad, try incorrect aspect ratio!!

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