Widescreen/Black bars at the top and bottom of the screen question?

Question

I have a widescreen TV, a Sony Bluray player and many many DVDS. Recently, I have wondered why I still play widescreen DVD's and see the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. Yesterday, I was watching Sweeney Todd (Widescreen) and noticed I did NOT see the bars. Now, Sweeney Todd is a DreamWorks picture, so it was on the same format DVD as Transformers. I put Transformers in, and saw the black bars again. Both Widescreen, same Production Company and DVD format, so why does one show the bars while the other doesnt? I dont get it!? Even my Bluray Discs have the bars, all three of the Pirates of the Caribbean discs play with the bars....does anyone have any ideas?

Answer 1

my player sometimes has same problem with auto reading the aspect ratio try changing it in options between 16;9 and 4;3 ratio sometimes helps good luck

it amazes me how people give thumbs down to an informative answer that tries to remedy the problem rather than spouting text of ratios and technical jargon half the people have got no idea about.yes most movies are in a crappy widerthan widescreen format and it pisses people off,

why bother buying a widescreen tv if the director is just gonna widen it more

Answer 2

The ONLY movies that will display without black bars on top/bottom or the sides are those that are the EXACT aspect ratio (width the height ratio) as the screen.

So, on a 16:9 (1.78:1) "widescreen" HDTV, 4:3 movies will have bars on the side, and 1.85:1, 2.05:1, 2.35:1, etc. widescreen movies will have bars on top and bottom.

You may not notice the bars on 1.85:1 movies because they are only a few percent wider than 1.78:1 (16:9) screens, BUT they have bars too.

Note that bars have nothing to do with the studio .. the aspect ratio is decided by the Director of the movie.

See the site at the link for more info and examples showing how various aspect ratios relate and why you should accept the bars.

Answer 3

Widescreen simply implies the 16:9 aspect ratio.  There are many different ratios within the widescreen format.  First thing to look for on a DVD is if it is widescreen or anamorphic widescreen.  IF it is anamorphic then the picture will adjust itself to fill the entire screen.  If the movie is only widescreen then you will also see a ratio listed on the back of the case.  This could be 1.85:1, 1.95:1, 2.15:1 so on and so forth.  The larger the first number in the ratio the larger the black bars are going to appear on the screen.  It also means that there is going to be a larger field of view on the movie, this is found most often in movies of epic tales with large battle scenes and the like.