I've noticed the last 2 episodes plus the one before Thanksgiving have been in letterbox format. What do you think of it?

Hi TJ....

I noticed it too. Has it been just the last two episodes? I am so non-attentive.

I think it rocks. It gives it that "cinematic" feel. However, many shows seem to be doing this now and it may get to be so "old hat" that instead of seeming "cinematic" it will start feeling "televisionistic" and lose it's thing.

If that is the case, perhaps if they saved it for the episodes that are rather "dramatic" or "special", whoever would make those determinations.

(I know, kinda lame.)

But for myself, I do like it, very much.

Trish

The whole letterbox on tv thing has gotten way out of control......the original idea was to make the viewer think this show must be special because it is in letterbox like a movie.....but of course the real reason for letterbox is to preserve the aspect ratio of a theatrical movie when it is shown on television.....without letterbox you would miss images on the screen when converted to television size.....TV programs are already shot for television aspect ratio.....so it does nothing but make the images smaller.....to prove how silly the tv show letterbox craze is...I kid you not....the new Jamie lynn Spears (britney's little sister) sitcom aired on Nickelodeon this past weekend in letterbox....how silly!

I'm not fond of it I like the full picture on the account of I can't afford an LCD or Plasma Screen tv but I do deal with it for American Dreams and Dead Like Me was like this too...

Some Prefer it which is fine but it bugs me but I won't give up AD because of it...At least in a cinema the screen is the right size for this. :cool:

Yeah, I have noticed this too and it bothers me. I can understand why the "Tidings of Comfort & Joy" episode was presented in widescreen, but it's not necessary to keep doing it. "For Richer, For Poorer" will probably be like that too. Hopefully, that'll be the last episode in widescreen.

Oooooooooo.....

Everybody hates it.

Now I feel really especially lame...

Heh heh...

:crazy:

Trish

:crazy: Now I feel stupid. I watched both eps and didn't even notice. I will have to check it out next ep.

:crazy: Now I feel stupid. I watched both eps and didn't even notice. I will have to check it out next ep.


Hi Rusyd...

Just don't say you like it...

:rotflmao:

Trish

:wave: Hi Trish Marie, You do seem to be the minority here. I'll let you know when I see the next ep. :lol: Hi Rusyd...

Just don't say you like it...

:rotflmao:

Trish

You can say you like it.its fine it just bugs some of us but ones whom like it it doesn't make them lame.Mel :)

.....TV programs are already shot for television aspect ratio.....so it does nothing but make the images smaller

FWIW: American Dreams has been filmed in 16x9 widescreen since the first episode. (and nowadays just about every show on the major networks is filmed/broadcast this way too) The image you're used to is actually the original 16x9 image with the sides cropped of to fill your 4x3 television screen, so you haven't actuallly been seeing the entire picture. People with widescreen HDTVs have been seeing the "big" picture from the very start. That's actually the reason I started watching A.D. in the first place. It was one of the first shows on the broadcast networks being broadcast 16x9.

Within the next few years as the transition to digital television sets grows (and ultimately the analog broadcast spectrum is given back to the government) chances are just about every show you watch be broadcast in "widescreen" as most of the new HDTV ready sets are of the 16x9 format.

FWIW: American Dreams has been filmed in 16x9 widescreen since the first episode. (and nowadays just about every show on the major networks is filmed/broadcast this way too) The image you're used to is actually the original 16x9 image with the sides cropped of to fill your 4x3 television screen, so you haven't actuallly been seeing the entire picture. People with widescreen HDTVs have been seeing the "big" picture from the very start. That's actually the reason I started watching A.D. in the first place. It was one of the first shows on the broadcast networks being broadcast 16x9.

Within the next few years as the transition to digital television sets grows (and ultimately the analog broadcast spectrum is given back to the government) chances are just about every show you watch be broadcast in "widescreen" as most of the new HDTV ready sets are of the 16x9 format.Well some of us like myself can't afford plasma screen tvs or HDTv right now and as far as the sides being cutoff well that doesn't matter to me as long as my color, sound and picture work..Mel :cool:

Well some of us like myself can't afford plasma screen tvs or HDTv right now and as far as the sides being cutoff well that doesn't matter to me as long as my color, sound and picture work..Mel :cool:

I hear what you're saying. It still bothers me when I watch a show/DVD over at a friends house and it's presented in widescreen making for a very small picture. I was just making the point that they aren't cutting off the top and bottom to make it widescreen, they're just making the original image viewable on a standard 4x3 television. :)

I hear what you're saying. It still bothers me when I watch a show/DVD over at a friends house and it's presented in widescreen making for a very small picture. I was just making the point that they aren't cutting off the top and bottom to make it widescreen, they're just making the original image viewable on a standard 4x3 television. :)I wasn't complaining about your comment trust me on this.I'd like to get a plasma screen but I know a small one on a stand it about 400.00.HDTV we probably can afford and I've asked my mom and she's not caving and saying she'll get it.OH well.I'm sure in the future the plasma screens will get cheaper.Mel :cool:

Haha.... it's not letterbox. Letterbox is 2.35:1. This is shot in 1.85:1.

But, it's funny, when they released the first season to DVD they changed the aspect ratio to 1.35:1.

Haha.... it's not letterbox. Letterbox is 2.35:1. This is shot in 1.85:1.

But, it's funny, when they released the first season to DVD they changed the aspect ratio to 1.35:1.

The first season DVD was transferred at a 1.33:1 (4x3) aspect ratio, just as the image was sent out for NTSC broadcast, as opposed to the 16x9 image sent out for the ATSC broadcast.

?? Letterbox isn't neccessarily 2.35:1 material. Letterbox is simply a term for a widescreen image with the black bars added to make the entire image fit a 4x3 standard television set. "Letterboxing" is done with a variety of aspect ratios.

Some more detailed explanation:
http://www.firsttvdrama.com/show2/letterb.php3

:)

"black bars." No! The portions of the screen that is black is unoccupied space. It is not a black bar.

"black bars." No! The portions of the screen that is black is unoccupied space. It is not a black bar.


It is unoccupied space that is filled with black bars. ;)

Oh, shut up!

Oh, shut up!
They don't need to shut up it is black bars with the picture in the middle they are right.Mel :o

"black bars" :::shakes head, covers eyes, goes in corner and cries::::

"black bars" :::shakes head, covers eyes, goes in corner and cries::::I always thought it was portions of the screen and I too was told they are Black Bars.Whatever they are they are really annoying the stupid things.Mel :cool:

www.widescren.org/ (http://www.widescren.org/)

There ya go. I mean, I don't want to spend countless amounts of energy trying to you all there is no such things as "black bars." All it is, is portions of the screen that are not being used.

The same people who say that widescreen is "black bars" might as well say that when you turn the tv off... you're not really turning the tv off... you're turning the black screen ON!!!!

Maybe you should please check that link www.widescren.org/ again because when I clicked on the link it said error site not found.bye.Mel :wave:

Maybe you should please check that link www.widescren.org/ (http://www.widescren.org/) again because when I clicked on the link it said error site not found.bye.Mel :wave:

Sorry. It's www.widescreen.org/ (http://www.widescreen.org/)

Sorry. It's www.widescreen.org/ (http://www.widescreen.org/)No Problem thanks.Mel :)

The same people who say that widescreen is "black bars" might as well say that when you turn the tv off... you're not really turning the tv off... you're turning the black screen ON!!!!

As your link widescreen.org states: "In reality, these "black bars" are actually unused areas of the screen. The areas are black to allow for better contrast."

"Unused areas of the screen" refers to the fact that none of the original content is placed in these areas, not that your tv isn't receiving a signal at all for these areas. The black bars (or whatever you would personally like to refer to them as) are part of the video signal. It is in fact receiving a black signal (which they could make any other color they wanted) to improve contrast.

And there's no need to get all upset over someone who's been well educated in these areas stating fact. I am ISF certified, and have been calibrating new televisions for a local electronics store for over four years.


Educate yourself:
http://www.imagingscience.com/
http://www.hometheaterspot.com
http://www.avsforum.com/

I'm done arguing this topic.

Have a good day! :)