Why are full screen DVDs more expensive than their widescreen counterparts?

[ranma]

I noticed that most Full Screen DVDs are expensive.
I.E. for some new released DVDs, normal wide screen cost $15, full screen cost $20.

Why? To rip off those who can't afford 16:9 HDTV?

[tron3]

Probably because it cost more for production. "pan and scan" isn't something you do with the film while watching. A deceptive name if you ask me. They predetermine how the scene should be shot to fit in a 4:3 screen. So it is pre-panned and scanned.

My sister's ex hated widescreen because he hated letterboxing. He insisted on full screen spread out. I think he's an idiot. I am not alone in this opinion. Not just because of DVD.

[SDon1969]

Wow, no kidding? I never even noticed a DVD price difference from full to widescreen! Probably because I never even looked at a fullscreen DVD in the first place, I hate them.

[plee]

Or it could be to make more money as full-screen versions probably sell more...

[WickyWoo]

Fullscreeen versions do not sell more. It's often neck and neck for a few weeks, and the nthe P&S version usually falls through the floor, because they have no staying power on the shelves.

[dialog_gvf]

Full screen were always an annoyance I had to careful not to purchase by accident. I never looked at the price comparison.

Then again, I've barely looked at DVD since late 2002 when I started buying DTheater.

Gary

[blackhawktraffic]

Ive noticed on amazon for instance sometimes on older movies the Widescreen is a bit cheaper than fullscreen, but never have noticed a difference on new release, especially not at Best Buy or my work.

[WickyWoo]

There isn't usually a price different

Typically they only run the P&S version once, and then replicate wide exclusively there on in

[unreal1080p]

Originally Posted by ranma

I noticed that most Full Screen DVDs are expensive.
I.E. for some new released DVDs, normal wide screen cost $15, full screen cost $20.

Why? To rip off those who can't afford 16:9 HDTV?

It's a stupid tax. Only stupid people want "Full Screen"

As far as I'm concerned, they should'nt make "Full Screen" versions and they should sell the ones that are allready out there for 100$ each

Even if you have a 13" Black and White coax TV... you should ALWAYS get the OAR (Original Aspect Ratio) version of the movie (99.9% of the time this means WIDESCREEN).

P.S. Why in the Blu Hell are we talking about crap like this on Blu-Ray.com? There has never been and never will be a "Full Screen" Blu-Ray movie... ONLY OAR

[WickyWoo]

P.S. Why in the Blu Hell are we talking about crap like this on Blu-Ray.com? There has never been and never will be a "Full Screen" Blu-Ray movie... ONLY OAR

We said the same thing about DVD, then Wal-Mart stepped in

There will be dual releases, a 16:9 version and a scope version eventually. count on it. If you need proof, just look at our weekly dozen black bar threads

[jw]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

We said the same thing about DVD, then Wal-Mart stepped in

There will be dual releases, a 16:9 version and a scope version eventually. count on it. If you need proof, just look at our weekly dozen black bar threads

excellent point!! I hate looking at catalog dvds there as they are usually in the FS format

[unreal1080p]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

We said the same thing about DVD, then Wal-Mart stepped in

There will be dual releases, a 16:9 version and a scope version eventually. count on it. If you need proof, just look at our weekly dozen black bar threads

Why would that be so?

The MAJORITY of DVD's are viewed on 4:3 TV's

vs.

The MAJORITY of Blu-Ray's which are viewed on 16:9 HDTV's therefore there should be ZERO demand for such an idiotic product on the Blu-Ray side.

There is NO good reason for dual releases on Blu-Ray to EVER come out.

And besides... the Studios don't want them either:

A) They won't lose any sales by not having them because the people that want full screen don't have Blu-Ray's or HDTV's to begin with

B) They will save TONS of money by not having to master produce and distribute 2 different versions of the same movie.

[jw]

Originally Posted by unreal1080p

Why would that be so?

The MAJORITY of DVD's are viewed on 4:3 TV's

vs.

The MAJORITY of Blu-Ray's which are viewed on 16:9 HDTV's therefore there should be ZERO demand for such an idiotic product on the Blu-Ray side.

There is NO good reason for dual releases on Blu-Ray to EVER come out.

And besides... the Studios don't want them either:

A) They won't lose any sales by not having them because the people that want full screen don't have Blu-Ray's or HDTV's to begin with

B) They will save TONS of money by not having to master produce and distribute 2 different versions of the same movie.

I am sure if there becomes a demand, they will surface. WM has uneducated customers that kept returning dvds because they had black bars on the top and bottom. Now DVD players do have a ZOOM feature. Just give it time for wide adaption and we'll see

[TheRealBob]

Originally Posted by unreal1080p

Why would that be so?

The MAJORITY of DVD's are viewed on 4:3 TV's

vs.

The MAJORITY of Blu-Ray's which are viewed on 16:9 HDTV's therefore there should be ZERO demand for such an idiotic product on the Blu-Ray side.

There is NO good reason for dual releases on Blu-Ray to EVER come out.

And besides... the Studios don't want them either:

A) They won't lose any sales by not having them because the people that want full screen don't have Blu-Ray's or HDTV's to begin with

B) They will save TONS of money by not having to master produce and distribute 2 different versions of the same movie.

I think you missed Wicky's point. He said there would be 16:9 (1.78:1) and scope (2.35:1, etc.) versions. So the equivalent of "full screen" for Blu-ray Disc would be trimming a 2.35:1 movie to 1.78:1. Nobody's suggesting 4:3 for BD.

As for "why", this is already done by the HD channels for most movies, so apparently somebody wants it. We don't, but somebody does.

I wish Hollywood and the BDA would have ended this discussion once and for all by providing the original aspect ratio on disc with the option to do on-the-fly pan and scan to 1.78:1 by encoding in each frame which portion of the image would be shown. This would be trivially easy to do, would let us have one version of the movie, and would shut down all the "black bar" whiners once and for all.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by unreal1080p

P.S. Why in the Blu Hell are we talking about crap like this on Blu-Ray.com? There has never been and never will be a "Full Screen" Blu-Ray movie... ONLY OAR

Wishing something to be so, doesn't make it so.

The same people that had 4:3 thrust upon us will buy a new widescreen TV, and demand their demands be reversed and that all material (including 4:3) be presented as 16:9.

What is wrong with the world? Same thing as all of history: People think their opinion should be law.

Gary

[TheRealBob]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

Wishing something to be so, doesn't make it so.

The same people that had 4:3 thrust upon us will buy a new widescreen TV, and demand their demands be reversed and that all material (including 4:3) be presented as 16:9.

I very much dislike messing with the original aspect ratio, but...

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

What is wrong with the world? Same thing as all of history: People think their opinion should be law.

Isn't that true of both sides? People like us who are pro-OAR very often indicate their belief that all discs should be released that way.

If anything, I think that we are worse about trying to make our views the law, as often the "full screen" goofs are just asking for the option to have "full screen" releases while we OAR people are telling them we don't think they should get it as it's not the director's intent.

In fact, I can't recall ever hearing a "full screen" advocate even suggesting that there shouldn't be wide-screen releases available, while I have continually seen the opposite.

As I said in my post above, this could have been avoided by putting the OAR on disc and putting pan-and-scan cues in each frame. This would take virtually no storage space and could satisfy everyone.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by TheRealBob

Isn't that true of both sides? People like us who are pro-OAR very often indicate their belief that all discs should be released that way.

I always want OAR, but I'm not about to say the consumer doesn't have the right to campaign for their preferences.

So, yes, I'm condemning both sides who think their preference should be the only thing available.

I expect there is also a strange mixed zealot who demands "OAR" thinking that means widescreen, and will complain about 4:3 in the future.

Gary

[unreal1080p]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

I always want OAR, but I'm not about to say the consumer doesn't have the right to campaign for their preferences.

So, yes, I'm condemning both sides who think their preference should be the only thing available.

Gary

Ok then... you can call me the "OAR Nazi"

"NO DVD FOR YOU! COME BACK, 1 YEAR!"



I don't believe consumers ever campaigned for "Full Screen"...
I think it's just a bunch of missinformed and/or un-educated simpletons that don't know any better and need to be shown THE RIGHT WAY.

When people thought the earth was flat... you would'nt let somebody like that carry on believing it and tell him "good for you and tap him on the head a few times" ... NO: you educate them and explain to them that they can't fall off because the earth is round and has no "ends". Same applies here. I don't believe people should be allowed their IDIOTIC uninformed full screen preference... they should be properly educated. A faster way is to stop producing "full screen" versions of movies alltogether

[unreal1080p]

Originally Posted by jwbbud

WM has uneducated customers that kept returning dvds because they had black bars on the top and bottom.

Do they look like this?

[unreal1080p]

Originally Posted by TheRealBob

So the equivalent of "full screen" for Blu-ray Disc would be trimming a 2.35:1 movie to 1.78:1. Nobody's suggesting 4:3 for BD.

As for "why", this is already done by the HD channels for most movies, so apparently somebody wants it. We don't, but somebody does.

I think it's those genius executives that work for movie channels that "think" they now what people want

I often might skip a movie that I would have otherwised watched on an HD movie channel in favor of the OAR Blu-Ray if it's shown if the movie channel version is shown in "1.78:1 fullscreen rather then it's intended OAR ratio (never mind the Lossless audio vs. the measly Dolby Digital 5.1).

Do you SERIOUSLY think somebody would call HBO or SHOWTIME to complain about a movie having black bars (OAR 2.35:1 movie vs. 1.78.:1)

If they do, then the cust serv person can simply tell them that this is the way the movie was shown in the movie theaters and the person on the other line can simply STFU and call 1-800-Need-A-Brain instead