When watching widescreen dvds on a widescreen tv, why are there black bars across the top and bottom?

Question

Can you do anything to get rid of them?

Answer 1

This is such a complicated question to answer that I have to refer you the link below which will explain it better than I could.

Also keep in mind whether or not the movie you're watching on your widescreen TV is enhanced (anamorphic) for widescreen TVs. If it's not and it's just a widescreen movie presented in a letterbox format then it's impossible to get rid of the black bars because the black bars are digitally encoded into the dvd picture. It's almost a rarity to find a dvd movie released these days that's not enhanced for widescreen TVs. The older letterbox format was more common for dvds released like 8 to 10 years ago.

Also try watching an enhanced widescreen movie on your widescreen TV in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. You'll notice that there should be no black bars.

Answer 2

It depends on the DVD. The black bars on the bottom and top are because of a 9 by 16 format, the old screens are a 4 by 3 format. The tv's that are high definition come in the widescreen usually, it is supposed to give you a view like the director would like you to see.

Answer 3

Hello,

A widescreen dvd has the black bars across it because it is stretching the movie out so you can see more of the background images. the only way to get the movie without it is to watch it regular and not widescreen...this essentially shrinks it so the bottom and top show the images but in a smaller version

Answer 4

Broadcast HDTV is 16:9 ratio so a real HD signal will always exactly fill the screen.

But movies - there are 7 different ratios a movie can be shot in. With a DVD - you are seeing the exact ratio as shown in the movie theater.

Most televisions have a 'stretch' mode that will fill the whole screen and eliminate the black bars. Check your remote or go into the TV setup menu to find this.