Blu-ray versions Inferior to Cable TV versions - Blu-ray Forum

JimGamer · 08-09-2020, 08:39 PM

I recently watched The Maze Runner trilogy of movies on Blu-ray.

I then watched The Maze Runner movies on Comcast.

It was very obvious to me that the Comcast versions that filled the HDTV screen with 16:9 Widescreen were showing me things that were NOT seen in the 2:35:1 Ultra Widescreen version on Blu-ray.

I then did a comparison where I watched the Comcast movies on HDTV and watched the Blu-rays on my laptop.

There is absolutely no doubt that the Comcast movies seen on HDTV "adds" information to the "top and bottom" that is NOT SEEN in the Blu-ray versions of the movies.

This is the EXACT OPPOSITE of what "marketing" for Blu-rays tells us. We are always told that the 2:35:1 Ultra Widescreen movies such as Star Wars contains "extra information" to the sides. We are told that the Blu-ray versions of the movies allow us to see all that "extra information" to the sides. And we are told that is the reason why the "black bars" are seen at the "top and bottom" of the Blu-ray versions of the movies.

I have seen Blu-ray movies where it is in fact "true" that the Ultra Widescreen version "add" information to the sides, which means the "black bars" at the "top and bottom" are in fact necessary.

However, I have now seen quite a few movies where the Blu-ray versions are released as 2:35:1 Ultra Widescreen versions, when in reality is in PAINFULLY CLEAR that they SHOULD HAVE BEEN released as 16:9 versions that contain "extra information" at the "top and bottom" and DO NOT INCLUDE the "black bars" at the "top and bottom."

I have seen similar situations with the 4:3 and 16:9 formats. For example, Transformers: The Movie from 1986 was originally made as a 4:3 movie. However, when it was released in the theater, it was "cropped" at the "top and bottom" in order to be compatible with the 16:9 screens. Transformers: The Movie was released on disc as both a 4:3 movie and a 16:9 movie. This was often the case with the DVD format - where one side would contain a 4:3 "Full Screen" version and the other side of the disc would contain the "Widescreen" version.

The Blu-ray format has MESSED UP BIGTIME, though. Blu-ray movies literally do the EXACT OPPOSITE by making it so movies that are seen as 16:9 on Comcast and at theaters and up being "cropped" so they are 2:35:1 "Ultra Widescreen" movies for the home versions of the Blu-ray Discs. ... This is the WRONG THING to be doing!

When I watch Blu-ray movies that have "black bars" at the "top and bottom," I often use the "zoom" feature in order to eliminate the black bars. But in many movies, there are subtitles and text that appears closer to the left or closer to the right. This causes the text and/or subtitles to be unreadable.

Also, if the movie originally was 16:9, but is "cropped" from the "top and bottom," it is bad enough. Using a "zoom" feature to "crop" the "sides" makes it so you are seeing only a very small portion of the original movie!

I would like to know if anyone knows the answer to this question: Why are the Blu-ray versions of the movies released in a 2:35:1 format where the "top and bottom" have been "cropped" in order to produce "black bars," when in reality those movies should be released in a 16:9 version that displays a larger amount of data?

Just start watching Maze Runner 3 on Blu-ray and Comcast in order to instantly verify this for yourself. In the opening scenes of the movie, you see the power grid and all those towers. You also see all those destroyed cities and building. From "left to right" and "side to side" the Comcast version and Blu-ray version are 100% identical. However, from "top to bottom" the Blu-ray version is missing information not seen in the "top and bottom" of the Comcast version. For example, there are parts of the power grid and parts of the city not seen in the Blu-ray version.

Thank you. ... This problem NEEDS to be corrected. ... The HDTV sets we use are in the 16:9 format. Whenever possible, it is in our best interest to watch movies in 16:9 with as much of the original data as possible. When a Blu-ray is "cropped" into the 2:35:1 format, it truly is a terrible thing. It literally means we would be better off watching the movie on Comcast, because we would be seeing "more" of the movie.

We may even want to get a petition going to fix this.

Even if a person were to purchase an OLED Ultra-Widescreen device, it would still be in their best interest to watch the Comcast version of the movie with "black bars" on the "sides" of that OLED Ultra Widescreen device rather than the Blu-ray version. They reason why is because the 16:9 Comcast version would allow you to see "information" on the "top and bottom" that is not seen at all in the "cropped" 2:35:1 Blu-ray version.

08-09-2020, 08:39 PM	#1
JimGamer New Member Member since:Feb 2007	Blu-ray versions Inferior to Cable TV versions I recently watched The Maze Runner trilogy of movies on Blu-ray. I then watched The Maze Runner movies on Comcast. It was very obvious to me that the Comcast versions that filled the HDTV screen with 16:9 Widescreen were showing me things that were NOT seen in the 2:35:1 Ultra Widescreen version on Blu-ray. I then did a comparison where I watched the Comcast movies on HDTV and watched the Blu-rays on my laptop. There is absolutely no doubt that the Comcast movies seen on HDTV "adds" information to the "top and bottom" that is NOT SEEN in the Blu-ray versions of the movies. This is the EXACT OPPOSITE of what "marketing" for Blu-rays tells us. We are always told that the 2:35:1 Ultra Widescreen movies such as Star Wars contains "extra information" to the sides. We are told that the Blu-ray versions of the movies allow us to see all that "extra information" to the sides. And we are told that is the reason why the "black bars" are seen at the "top and bottom" of the Blu-ray versions of the movies. I have seen Blu-ray movies where it is in fact "true" that the Ultra Widescreen version "add" information to the sides, which means the "black bars" at the "top and bottom" are in fact necessary. However, I have now seen quite a few movies where the Blu-ray versions are released as 2:35:1 Ultra Widescreen versions, when in reality is in PAINFULLY CLEAR that they SHOULD HAVE BEEN released as 16:9 versions that contain "extra information" at the "top and bottom" and DO NOT INCLUDE the "black bars" at the "top and bottom." I have seen similar situations with the 4:3 and 16:9 formats. For example, Transformers: The Movie from 1986 was originally made as a 4:3 movie. However, when it was released in the theater, it was "cropped" at the "top and bottom" in order to be compatible with the 16:9 screens. Transformers: The Movie was released on disc as both a 4:3 movie and a 16:9 movie. This was often the case with the DVD format - where one side would contain a 4:3 "Full Screen" version and the other side of the disc would contain the "Widescreen" version. The Blu-ray format has MESSED UP BIGTIME, though. Blu-ray movies literally do the EXACT OPPOSITE by making it so movies that are seen as 16:9 on Comcast and at theaters and up being "cropped" so they are 2:35:1 "Ultra Widescreen" movies for the home versions of the Blu-ray Discs. ... This is the WRONG THING to be doing! When I watch Blu-ray movies that have "black bars" at the "top and bottom," I often use the "zoom" feature in order to eliminate the black bars. But in many movies, there are subtitles and text that appears closer to the left or closer to the right. This causes the text and/or subtitles to be unreadable. Also, if the movie originally was 16:9, but is "cropped" from the "top and bottom," it is bad enough. Using a "zoom" feature to "crop" the "sides" makes it so you are seeing only a very small portion of the original movie! I would like to know if anyone knows the answer to this question: Why are the Blu-ray versions of the movies released in a 2:35:1 format where the "top and bottom" have been "cropped" in order to produce "black bars," when in reality those movies should be released in a 16:9 version that displays a larger amount of data? Just start watching Maze Runner 3 on Blu-ray and Comcast in order to instantly verify this for yourself. In the opening scenes of the movie, you see the power grid and all those towers. You also see all those destroyed cities and building. From "left to right" and "side to side" the Comcast version and Blu-ray version are 100% identical. However, from "top to bottom" the Blu-ray version is missing information not seen in the "top and bottom" of the Comcast version. For example, there are parts of the power grid and parts of the city not seen in the Blu-ray version. Thank you. ... This problem NEEDS to be corrected. ... The HDTV sets we use are in the 16:9 format. Whenever possible, it is in our best interest to watch movies in 16:9 with as much of the original data as possible. When a Blu-ray is "cropped" into the 2:35:1 format, it truly is a terrible thing. It literally means we would be better off watching the movie on Comcast, because we would be seeing "more" of the movie. We may even want to get a petition going to fix this. Even if a person were to purchase an OLED Ultra-Widescreen device, it would still be in their best interest to watch the Comcast version of the movie with "black bars" on the "sides" of that OLED Ultra Widescreen device rather than the Blu-ray version. They reason why is because the 16:9 Comcast version would allow you to see "information" on the "top and bottom" that is not seen at all in the "cropped" 2:35:1 Blu-ray version.

Best Blu-ray Movie Deals