Aspect Ratio

[Dermondo]

Hi all, I have a Samsung B550 & Sony BD760, but for the life of me I can't get a full screen when wathcing Blu Rays/DVD's etc, it always has black bars on top & bottom, adjust settings but to no avail, anyway anyone with same or similar kit any ideas, many thanks in advance to all who reply.

 

[robjcooper]

Unless the original material is full frame 16:9 (1.77:1) ratio (the aspect ratio of widescreen TV's (apart from the Phillips 21:9 screen) and the ratio used for most modern TV programmes) the black bars top and bottom should be there. Most feature films are shot with an aspect ratio of 2.35 or 2.40:1 which obviously doesn't fit a 1.77:1 (16:9) ratio screen so what you are seeing is exactly what was originally shot. By attempting to make the 2:40/2:35 image fill the 1:77 screen you will be zooming into the image in order to fill the frame from top to bottom resulting in the loss of both sides of the original image. Some features are shot 1.85:1 which is a nearer compromise, but you'll still get black bars (albeit smaller) top and bottom of the frame.

You have what looks like a 50" screen so I'd stop trying to lose quality, and great swathes each side of the image and enjoy the movies as they were shot - you'll find after a while that the black bars just seem to disappear.

Rob

 

[Dermondo]

Wow, thanks for the in depth reply.

To be honest I really don't mind the bars but a piece in the Samsung manual suggested that it may not be good for the LCD and may leave some screen burn.

 

[robjcooper]

No problemo - I've spent a large part of my working life explaining exactly the same to overpaid TV and Film 'producers'.

LCD screens do not really suffer from screen burn in (although saying that, nearly all of our Avid systems have the editing screens image burnt into them but they are used constantly and despite constant requests are nearly always left on overnight!) - it's more of a possible problem with plasma technology. However, most modern plasmas have ways and means of alleviating the problem whereby every few minutes they shift the image by a couple of pixels both horizontally and vertically so the image doesn't keep the same pixels illuminated constantly. Not sure if your Sammy is an LCD or a plasma, but if it's the latter, I can point you in the direction of the menus to do this !

Hope that's some help !

Rob

 

[chebby]

Just after Christmas I watched a DVD boxset that was 4:3 (side bars) and - due to not watching much else - after a week there were some 'burning in' lines faintly visible on some pictures (featureless and light skies etc). This faded within a few days. I use a Samsung LCD.

I have not seen the same thing occur after watching 4:3 material for short periods like a few hours.

 

[Dermondo]

Thanks again, yeah it's a Sammy LCD.

 

[ElectroMan]

Hi,

I think most cinema films are actually 1.85:1, which is only slightly wider than 16:9 TV sets.

If you're watching older films (pre-50's certainly), and older TV series (from just a few years ago), that are in 'full screen', then they should have black bands at either side, and be full height!

With the plethora of settings on the average television, AV amplifier, BD/DVD player it can be a bit of a nightmare getting full screen material to display correctly.

 

[D.J.KRIME]

Dermondo: To be honest I really don't mind the bars but a piece in the Samsung manual suggested that it may not be good for the LCD and may leave some screen burn.

Sometimes I think the people who write the Samsung manuals are complete numpties! to actually use the term "screen burn" when refering to a LCD! just enjoy watching the material as it was intended to be seen and don't worry as your completly safe