Ugh, I'm so annoyed!

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

WOW! Thanks Alex! I always wished I had done it that way. now I just hope people will know that this new me is me.
New year, New name (sort of!)!
AND I LOVE my NEW TAG!! That will help!

 

[mom2boys]

Watched PoC last night (our typical New Year's Eve at home with the famiy). It was a rental & I noticed that it was widescreen. I also noticed that there was a lot going on at the edge of the screen that probably would have been lost on the full version - there seems to be a lot going over the shoulders of the characters during closeups of them - a lot of fire - on the island & ships burning...

 

[DisneyJules]

Turst me, you'll get use to the black line. The widescreen is actually a really good thing. When a movie is full screen they do something called "Pan and Scan." You lose all the composition in the frame, they basically hack up the film. You're seeing a picture that was intended to look the way it is when you're watching a film on widescreen. When I first started watching widescreen the black bars drove me nuts too and I couldn't figure out why anyone would want to watch it on widescreen. For Christmas I got "ever after" on DVD, I have it on tape already and have watched it numerous times. The DVD was widescreen and I couldn't get over how beautiful the film was because it hadn't been ruined by pan and scan.
I hate to sound like Martha Stewart, but it really is a good thing.

 

[BrerMama]

Count my family as a widescreen only family. We will only buy a movie if we can get it in widescreen format. I much prefer to watch the movie as the director intended and never even notice the black bands anymore. If you're going to spend money on a DVD player and DVDs so that your movie experience is a higher quality, it just makes sense to watch the better quality movie.

 

[DisneyJules]

Thanks Kim, you put into words exactly what I was trying to say. And it's true, you do forget about the black bars before long.

 

[DocRafiki]

Originally posted by BibbidiBobbidiBOO
There are also TV shows that air in Widescreen-ER comes to mind right now. You really don't notice it if you learn to ignore it. We all prefer WS now.

Really? I haven't even noticed!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Originally posted by DocRafiki
OK, settle down. Do you realize EVERY movie is like that? The missing screen to the left/right is the REASON why they make the letterbox version available (the one with the strips at the top and bottom). Have you noticed that the dimensions of a theater screen are different from your TV? If they tried to fit the entire image onto your TV screen WITHOUT the black strips, the image would be distorted. Everything would look tall and skinny. It's a matter of physics (or mathematics?) You're getting angry for no reason.

I'm annoyed- not angry.
And no, every movie that I buy is NOT that way. Yes,I have noticed that the dimensions of a theatre screen are different from my tv (duh) but I have TONS of movies- in VHS and DVD form that aren't made this way- nor is part of the scenes missing. Atleast not enough to notice -that's for sure. And I'd prefer that- than the top/bottom black.
No, I won't get used to it eventually as others have said- because it annoys me, gives me a headache watching it, so I won't watch it- therefore I won't get used to it.

I also have watched ER oh about a billion episodes (okay maybe not quite that many LOL) and it's never been with the black on top/bottom. I don't think? Strange.... if it is, how come THAT isn't bothering me when I watch that? Hmmm...

All I know is I was really looking forward to seeing this many times at home and I can't stand it. Did someone mentioned buying the wrong "kind" of DVD? or type or something? Does this mean I can buy it "distorted" but without the black/white on top? Or is the VHS copy not like this?

We don't buy DVDs enough to warrant buying a widescreen tv for that purpose. My sister has one and personally I don't even like her tv at all. Theatre screens may be more rectangle shape- but I don't realize it because it's so huge... when it's smaller, it seems to long/too short. Bugs me. To each his own- right?

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Ps. bibbidi....

No not that Bibbidi, I'm the OTHER one

LOL Except mine is spelled with Y's- not I's.
And I asked about a year ago- shortly after I registered here and realized someone else (you) had a very similar name already- about letting me change my name or register with another one... no moderator would ever even reply to my PMs about it. Come to think of it- they never reply to ANY of my PMs regardless of the subject of them. LOL But anyway.... I would have changed mine if I could/knew how/etc. Sorry.

 

[Alex]

On the Home Theater forums they have a trick for this on big screen TV's. One of the reasons it doesn't look right is the black bar on the top and bottom aren't really black.
What they do is cut a piece of cardboard or whatever into a "mask" that covers the black bars. They cover it with a light absorbing fabric or just paint it flat black. You can attach it with a velcro dot on the sides of the TV
Be careful not to do anything to the screen!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

HOme theatre forums- is that on this board or another one? That sounds interesting- I'll have to find that and read about it.

And you know- my husband watched it again last night- and there was ONE part that I happened to catch for a few minutes that didn't annoy me as much... it was when they were on the island stranded and it was all dark on the "picture" part also.. blended in with the top/bottom part being black and I watched it until it wasn't like that anymore.. then it started bugging me again. I don't know why it does that to me- maybe I have weird eyes that just can't handle it. Maybe my eyes are focusing in on the black parts, try as I might to NOT focus on that, and the "fight" with my eyes to not focus on that is what is giving me the headache? That's the only thing I can figure out....

 

[IloveDMB]

Bibbidy with a Y,

I mentioned above that for Pirates, Disney only decided to only release it in widescreen.

Maybe if you wait it out, they will eventually decide to release a fullscreen edition.

And you're not the only one who can't get used to widescreen, my father HATES it.

 

[Rajah]

My parents can't stand it, either. Doesn't bother me for one of the two. I always get them mixed up, but there's Fullscreen, Letterbox, and Widescreen. One of the latter two is kinda in-between. I *think* it's letterbox? Anyway, my parents don't mind that one as much because it's a compromise between fullscreen and the tiny-image. But for me, I prefer to get the whole action. It bothers me a little, but that's how I judge a good movie -- if the movie is good enough that by 15 minutes into it I'm not noticing the bars, then it's good. If I'm still bothered by the bars by 15 minutes in, it usually isn't a movie I want.

 

[emmagata]

Originally posted by DocRafiki
Really? I haven't even noticed!

Enterprise (UPN) is also shown in wide screen.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I do think the Pirate movie, available only in widescreen, is a portent of the way more/most will be, as I think the greater demand is for that format. And adding the fullscreen, not widely used, given the choice, it is just an added cost (less profit) for the studio making the DVD. JMO

 

[emmagata]

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
I'm annoyed- not angry.
And no, every movie that I buy is NOT that way. Yes,I have noticed that the dimensions of a theater screen are different from my tv (duh) but I have TONS of movies- in VHS and DVD form that aren't made this way- nor is part of the scenes missing. Atleast not enough to notice -that's for sure. And I'd prefer that- than the top/bottom black.
No, I won't get used to it eventually as others have said- because it annoys me, gives me a headache watching it, so I won't watch it- therefore I won't get used to it.

I also have watched ER oh about a billion episodes (okay maybe not quite that many LOL) and it's never been with the black on top/bottom. I don't think? Strange.... if it is, how come THAT isn't bothering me when I watch that? Hmmm...

All I know is I was really looking forward to seeing this many times at home and I can't stand it. Did someone mentioned buying the wrong "kind" of DVD? or type or something? Does this mean I can buy it "distorted" but without the black/white on top? Or is the VHS copy not like this?

We don't buy DVDs enough to warrant buying a widescreen tv for that purpose. My sister has one and personally I don't even like her tv at all. Theatre screens may be more rectangle shape- but I don't realize it because it's so huge... when it's smaller, it seems to long/too short. Bugs me. To each his own- right?

Well, yes, to each his own but it does sound like you've got your shorts pretty bunched up over it.

If you think about it, "widescreen" is the way the human sees things. Your vertical peripheral view is much shorter in height than your horizontal peripheral view is wide.

There is not just one size of wide screen. There are several. When you have a movie like POC that's really wide screen, you lose about 30+ percent of the action (or just scenery) at the sides of the movie. Because there are different widescreen formats there are actually black bars on the sides of the movie theater. You don't see them because it's so dark.

An easy way to tolerate the black bars is to dim down the room lights. Make pretend your in a movie theater.

A suggestion to make the viewing of WS movies more tolerable is to see if your DVD player has a zoom feature. Most do. You can usually zoom the picture enough to fill (or almost) fill the whole screen on your TV. If yours doesn't, you may want to invest in a new one. They're pretty cheap these days.

But remember, it won't look like it did in the movie theater.

Personally, I won't buy a DVD that's fullscreen unless that's the only version available.

I don't know your age but be prepared to be shocked. Widescreen will be replacing normal TV in the next 10-20 years.

HDTV is widescreen. HDTV is also amazing to watch.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I meant the "each his own" part about not particularly caring to buy a widescreen tv since I don't like those either. LOL

That zoom feature you talked about is what my sister was doing to stop the black on top/bottom- but it zoomed too much and it was ridiculous watching it like that... all the action wasn't even showing on the tv. LOL

My panties aren't in a bunch... I'm just annoyed and disappointed.. I was really looking forward to having this movie to watch at home. If I'd known it was going to be like this- I'd have made a point to see it again at the theatre.

 

[emmagata]

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
I meant the "each his own" part about not particularly caring to buy a widescreen tv since I don't like those either. LOL

That zoom feature you talked about is what my sister was doing to stop the black on top/bottom- but it zoomed too much and it was ridiculous watching it like that... all the action wasn't even showing on the tv. LOL

My panties aren't in a bunch... I'm just annoyed and disappointed.. I was really looking forward to having this movie to watch at home. If I'd known it was going to be like this- I'd have made a point to see it again at the theater.

Well, other than the advice given here, you're pretty much SOL. Which really is a shame because you really do miss out on how most movies were meant to be watched. What I'm perplexed about is that you seem to really love POC (I do. Saw it twice in the movies) but the black bars will prevent you from watching it again. I don't understand how it gives you a headache. Oh well.

RE: Zoom. Not all players zoom the same amount. Your sisters might be different that yours or others. Some players (my new one does this) have a feature that's similar to zoom. On my APEX model 2600 (bought from Amazon) has a feature called AFF which stands for Auto Frame Fill (or something along those lines). What it does is stretch the movie to fill the screen as much as possible. It's a trade off from using zoom because you don't miss the stuff that's on the sides but it makes people look taller and thinner.

Take your POC DVD to Circuit City and see if they will let you demo other DVD players to see if they have a more suitable zoom mode. Some TV's will do this.

Lastly, if you ever do get a WS tv and watch a FS movie on it, the black bars are on the sides.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

We are a widescreen only household. I used to like the Fullscreen versions until I saw how much I was missing. And now if I watch a pan-and-scan it makes me sick with all the jumping around.

It REALLY helps watching it in a dimmed room to get used to it.

Oh and when HDTV becomes the standard, all programming will be like that. I LOVE HDTV, I can't wait for that time. The difference is amazing.

 

[KathyTX]

Originally posted by emmagata
On my APEX model 2600 (bought from Amazon) has a feature called AFF which stands for Auto Frame Fill (or something along those lines). What it does is stretch the movie to fill the screen as much as possible. It's a trade off from using zoom because you don't miss the stuff that's on the sides but it makes people look taller and thinner.

Wow, just imagine the spinoff marketing possibilities for that feature...

I can't think of any reason why someone would choose to watch the cropped version of a movie. I want to see the entire movie, the whole frame composed as the director intended it.

If that makes the picture too small, seems like you just need a bigger monitor to view it on.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I don't like watching the "cropped" version either (which is what it does when we try to zoom to avoid the black on top/bottom).

Well, other than the advice given here, you're pretty much SOL. Which really is a shame because you really do miss out on how most movies were meant to be watched. What I'm perplexed about is that you seem to really love POC (I do. Saw it twice in the movies) but the black bars will prevent you from watching it again. I don't understand how it gives you a headache. Oh well.

The black bars only prevent me from watching it in it's entirety because it gives me a headache. I also don't understand how/why it gives me a headache. I've tried figuring it out (doesn't seem to bother my husband or children a BIT when movies/shows are like this) and the only thing I can figure out is for SOME reason my eyes focus on the black above/below and then I have to fight to focus on the show.. which might be why I end up getting a headache rather quickly. I'm not prone to headaches often either- hardly ever even when watching tv or reading for prolonged periods of time. It's so weird.... maybe my eyes are anal and just can't bring themselves to stop looking at the black on top/bottom or can't adjust to the long skinny movie part. I hate my eyes- because it IS a shame... I wanted to watch this movie over and over... and it sounds like many more (if not all, at some point) are going to be like this. Stupid eyes....

I bet if we had some way to "see" where my eyes are looking on the screen when playing this DVD it would show my eyes beebopping back and forth from the black areas to the movie area. How to stop my eyes doing that- I don't know. Perhaps eventually they would stop if I forced myself to watch it over and over ignoring the headache?