Aspect Ratio Question

[Dave Bowman]

I want to buy Croupier with Clive Owen on DVD and there are several different aspect ratios. Ihave a 16x9 widescreen tv, so I obviously want the widest version.

There is the 1.33 fullscreen version (i'm not getting that one), the 1.78.1 and 1.85.1. My guess is that the higherr the #, the wider the picture since cinemascope is 2.35.1. I am I right?

thanks in advance!

[NotaNumber]

Correct. Just divide the width by the height to get the ratio. 1:1 would be a square screen.

So a 16 x 9 screen is a ratio of 1.78:1

No black bars at all if you get that version.

[Dave Bowman]

Originally Posted by NotaNumber

Correct. Just divide the width by the height to get the ratio. 1:1 would be a square screen.

So a 16 x 9 screen is a ratio of 1.78:1

No black bars at all if you get that version.

Great! Thanks for the info

[Dilmo]

Originally Posted by NotaNumber

Correct. Just divide the width by the height to get the ratio. 1:1 would be a square screen.

So a 16 x 9 screen is a ratio of 1.78:1

No black bars at all if you get that version.

Also no black bars for the 1.85:1 version, as long as it's anamorphic.

[Dave Bowman]

Originally Posted by Dilmo

Also no black bars for the 1.85:1 version, as long as it's anamorphic.

Hmmm...none of them state whether it's anamorphic or not. Which one do you think is? Does anyone have Croupier?

[Dilmo]

Originally Posted by Dave Bowman

Hmmm...none of them state whether it's anamorphic or not. Which one do you think is? Does anyone have Croupier?

I did some research. They do not seem to be anamorphic. With both the 1.78:1 and 1.85:1, you will have black bars. Lesser so with the 1.78:. I hope this helps some.

[Drexl]

I seriously doubt there are three different versions. My guess is that the widescreen version is labeled 1.85:1, but actually has an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, which was indicated in a review by a reviewer who looked at the picture and reported the actual aspect ratio instead of what it was labeled as (which is why you think there are two widescreen versions). This is VERY common. Many DVDs which are labeled 1.85:1 are really 1.78:1. It's no big deal, really.

The only way I think there could be 1.78:1 and 1.85:1 versions is if a version released in another region has a transfer that is framed slightly differently.

[Dave Bowman]

Originally Posted by Drexl

I seriously doubt there are three different versions. My guess is that the widescreen version is labeled 1.85:1, but actually has an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, which was indicated in a review by a reviewer who looked at the picture and reported the actual aspect ratio instead of what it was labeled as (which is why you think there are two widescreen versions). This is VERY common. Many DVDs which are labeled 1.85:1 are really 1.78:1. It's no big deal, really.

The only way I think there could be 1.78:1 and 1.85:1 versions is if a version released in another region has a transfer that is framed slightly differently.

I'll probably go with the 1.76.1 version...thanks Dilmo and Drexl and everyone else for your help and research.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Dilmo

Also no black bars for the 1.85:1 version, as long as it's anamorphic.

This is due to overscan. Some 16:9 TVs with no overscan do display black bars, albeit small ones, on 1.85:1 AR material.

Peace...

[Dilmo]

Originally Posted by tomdkat

This is due to overscan. Some 16:9 TVs with no overscan do display black bars, albeit small ones, on 1.85:1 AR material.

Peace...

Learned something new. Are there many out there without overscan?

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Dilmo

Learned something new. Are there many out there without overscan?

I think all TVs come with some degree of overscan enabled. You can reduce or eliminate overscan through calibration and it requires access to the "service menu".

If you do a search in the hardware forum on "overscan", you should be able to find ample discussion about it including a long thread where MurDiddlyUrdler and I talked about it and he provided screenshots of his Mits TV and everything.

Peace...

[Mr. Brink]

Originally Posted by Dave Bowman

Hmmm...none of them state whether it's anamorphic or not. Which one do you think is? Does anyone have Croupier?

I've got it and it's not anamorphic.

[Dave Bowman]

Originally Posted by Mr. Brink

I've got it and it's not anamorphic.

Say it ain't so! Now I'm not gonna get the film at all...

I also bought the fantastic film "Exotica", which is not anamorphic--and I promised myself never to do that again.

[Pirate]

The UK version is anamorphic.

-PH

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Dave Bowman

Say it ain't so! Now I'm not gonna get the film at all...

I also bought the fantastic film "Exotica", which is not anamorphic--and I promised myself never to do that again.

Depending on the make/model of 16x9 TV you have, you might be able to use the TVs video stretch modes to format the video in a manner that looks like an anamorphic video image. Some TVs do this better than others. You might not be totally SOL.

Peace...