Did I make a compatibility mistake? - Blu-ray Forum

carsonie · 06-25-2007, 12:59 PM

Newbie finally dumps 20 year-old Sony TV and makes new purchases: Sony KDL 40S3000 (720p) + Monster HDMI cable + BDP S300 + Phantom of the Opera (Blu-ray disc at 1080p) = Stunning picture detail and color, but the picture does not fill the screen. Why not? What would i need to change or exchange in order to see Blu-ray discs at full screen? (I fear you are going to tell me I have to have a 1080i or 1080p HDTV for an additional $1200 or else change the aspect ratio, resulting in a distorted picture.) The "experts" working in the stores seem to be giving me incomplete or wrong info. I was told that 1080 would only pay off if you were going for a screen larger than 40". Otherwise all those extra pixels would not be all that noticeable to most people. Well, I sure noticed a smaller picture than I expected, albeit a picture that is totally incredible. (For example, the Blu-ray revealed for the first time that sparkling confetti is falling from the rafters in the ballroom scene!) Thanks in advance for any ideas.

HDJK · 06-25-2007, 01:03 PM

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=5528

jermwhl · 06-25-2007, 01:56 PM

I think your referring to those black bars on the top and bottom of your screen. Perfectly normal. The size of the picture has been retained to give you the experience the director intended you to see it in.
If you watch movies with the lights off, you won't notice the black bars anyways. A 1080i/P tv won't get rid of the black bars, and I'm sure your TV (although 720p native) will still display 1080i pictures. Yes HD is amazing and welcome to the wonderful world of blu!

nhaase · 06-25-2007, 02:27 PM

What store did you go to to buy this TV? Since you said the "experts" at the store gave you wrong info, I was curious.

Your best bet for info is to find it yourself (wikipedia) and asking people on forums, who want to know it. You'd be surprised how much false info salespeople will give. I almost want to tip the ones who actually know what they're talking about.

HDJK · 06-25-2007, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nhaase

You'd be surprised how much false info salespeople will give. I almost want to tip the ones who actually know what they're talking about.

I know the feeling...

ryoohki · 06-25-2007, 03:25 PM

Most in store cleak have no idea of what is going on

Cinema have multiple ratio

HDTV is 1.77:1
Most Comedies are 1.85:1 (wider than HDTV)
Most Action film are 2.35:1 or 2.40:1 (way wider than HDTV)

californiajay · 06-25-2007, 06:30 PM

HDTV spec is for 16:9 aspect ratio. However, there is no guarantee that the movie you are watching is that same aspect ratio (chances are it is not). If the ratio of the movie is different and the height of the picture is less, it will not fill your full screen. There will be black bars at the top and bottom of the screen.

It's just like when you watch standard TV shows rather than HD shows. Obviously the aspect ratio is way different (4:3). So here, you have black bars on the sides, right? Well, blu-ray movies won't be 4:3 but chances are they won't be 16:9 either (though some are) and if the player were to scale the movie so that it would fit the 16:9 screen, parts of it would be cut off. So the decision was to leave everything alone as the director of the movie had intended.

It's like in a movie theater. Imagine a big 20 foot by 20 foot screen in the theater. Now imagine the film you are watching is 20 foot long but only 16 foot high when it's projected onto that screen. You might not realize it, but there would be 2 feet of black space both above and below the movie.

Fortunately, most all network shows being produced for HD are in 16:9 format so they do fill your screen. Obviously they are being produced with 16:9 aspect ratios in mind. Films may or may not be.

Rup_Muk · 06-25-2007, 06:50 PM

carsonie and californiajay:
Welcome to this forum.

Californiajay: that was a very well put descrirption! Excellent analogy!
10X.

Rup.

jermwhl · 06-25-2007, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rup_Muk

carsonie and californiajay:
Welcome to this forum.

Californiajay: that was a very well put descrirption! Excellent analogy!
10X.

Rup.

californiajay has been a member for almost a year.....he just now released his first post!!!

But yes...welcome carsonie!!!!!!!

carsonie · 06-26-2007, 12:09 AM

Thank you for the warm welcome. I am at peace now. lol My wife and I shall begin to enjoy our new HDTV and BD player for the next 20 years without concern that we made wrong equipment choices. Thanks to the patient and knowledgable posters in this forum, especially jermwhl and californiajay, I understand a lot more about aspect ratio, the importance of OAR and why the "black bars" are my friend. I also read the network of previous topical threads to which I was referred, so I really do mean it when I say 'thank you for your patience' as yet another newb fluttered into the forum before using the search function!

As for the store where I received the "expert" advice, let me be kind and just say that (knowing what I know now) Best Buy's sales people probably gave me pretty good advice while the young man at Circuit City tried hard but seemed to be sort of learning on the job and spoke with a tone of authority from a pre-packaged salespitch, shall we say.

06-25-2007, 12:59 PM	#1
carsonie New Member Member since:Jun 2007	Did I make a compatibility mistake? Newbie finally dumps 20 year-old Sony TV and makes new purchases: Sony KDL 40S3000 (720p) + Monster HDMI cable + BDP S300 + Phantom of the Opera (Blu-ray disc at 1080p) = Stunning picture detail and color, but the picture does not fill the screen. Why not? What would i need to change or exchange in order to see Blu-ray discs at full screen? (I fear you are going to tell me I have to have a 1080i or 1080p HDTV for an additional $1200 or else change the aspect ratio, resulting in a distorted picture.) The "experts" working in the stores seem to be giving me incomplete or wrong info. I was told that 1080 would only pay off if you were going for a screen larger than 40". Otherwise all those extra pixels would not be all that noticeable to most people. Well, I sure noticed a smaller picture than I expected, albeit a picture that is totally incredible. (For example, the Blu-ray revealed for the first time that sparkling confetti is falling from the rafters in the ballroom scene!) Thanks in advance for any ideas.

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06-25-2007, 01:03 PM	#2
HDJK Blu-ray Guru Member since:Oct 2006 Location:Switzerland Trading Score:2	https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=5528

06-25-2007, 01:56 PM	#3
jermwhl Special Member Member since:Jan 2007 Location:Virginia	I think your referring to those black bars on the top and bottom of your screen. Perfectly normal. The size of the picture has been retained to give you the experience the director intended you to see it in. If you watch movies with the lights off, you won't notice the black bars anyways. A 1080i/P tv won't get rid of the black bars, and I'm sure your TV (although 720p native) will still display 1080i pictures. Yes HD is amazing and welcome to the wonderful world of blu!

06-25-2007, 02:27 PM	#4
nhaase Special Member Member since:Mar 2007 Trading Score:2	What store did you go to to buy this TV? Since you said the "experts" at the store gave you wrong info, I was curious. Your best bet for info is to find it yourself (wikipedia) and asking people on forums, who want to know it. You'd be surprised how much false info salespeople will give. I almost want to tip the ones who actually know what they're talking about.

06-25-2007, 03:25 PM	#6
ryoohki Blu-ray Samurai Member since:May 2007 Home Theater Gallery:6 Blu-ray collection:6 Blu-ray reviews:8 Trading Score:5	Most in store cleak have no idea of what is going on Cinema have multiple ratio HDTV is 1.77:1 Most Comedies are 1.85:1 (wider than HDTV) Most Action film are 2.35:1 or 2.40:1 (way wider than HDTV)

06-25-2007, 06:30 PM	#7
californiajay Junior Member Member since:Jul 2006	HDTV spec is for 16:9 aspect ratio. However, there is no guarantee that the movie you are watching is that same aspect ratio (chances are it is not). If the ratio of the movie is different and the height of the picture is less, it will not fill your full screen. There will be black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. It's just like when you watch standard TV shows rather than HD shows. Obviously the aspect ratio is way different (4:3). So here, you have black bars on the sides, right? Well, blu-ray movies won't be 4:3 but chances are they won't be 16:9 either (though some are) and if the player were to scale the movie so that it would fit the 16:9 screen, parts of it would be cut off. So the decision was to leave everything alone as the director of the movie had intended. It's like in a movie theater. Imagine a big 20 foot by 20 foot screen in the theater. Now imagine the film you are watching is 20 foot long but only 16 foot high when it's projected onto that screen. You might not realize it, but there would be 2 feet of black space both above and below the movie. Fortunately, most all network shows being produced for HD are in 16:9 format so they do fill your screen. Obviously they are being produced with 16:9 aspect ratios in mind. Films may or may not be.

06-25-2007, 06:50 PM	#8
Rup_Muk Expert Member Member since:Jan 2007 Blu-ray collection:136 Blu-ray reviews:24 Trading Score:8	carsonie and californiajay: Welcome to this forum. Californiajay: that was a very well put descrirption! Excellent analogy! 10X. Rup.

06-26-2007, 12:09 AM	#10
carsonie New Member Member since:Jun 2007	Thank you for the warm welcome. I am at peace now. lol My wife and I shall begin to enjoy our new HDTV and BD player for the next 20 years without concern that we made wrong equipment choices. Thanks to the patient and knowledgable posters in this forum, especially jermwhl and californiajay, I understand a lot more about aspect ratio, the importance of OAR and why the "black bars" are my friend. I also read the network of previous topical threads to which I was referred, so I really do mean it when I say 'thank you for your patience' as yet another newb fluttered into the forum before using the search function! As for the store where I received the "expert" advice, let me be kind and just say that (knowing what I know now) Best Buy's sales people probably gave me pretty good advice while the young man at Circuit City tried hard but seemed to be sort of learning on the job and spoke with a tone of authority from a pre-packaged salespitch, shall we say.

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