Noob Question about Plasma TV's

 

New member
Username: Sasquatch98226

Post Number: 1
Registered: Feb-05
Ok I bought a Plasma TV and have it hooked up to my HT system. Components listed below.

Harman Kardon AVR 630
Harman Kardon DVD-22
Vizio PH-42 Plasma TV
Paradigm Monitor 5's
Paradigm CC-370
Paradigm ADP-170
Klipsch KSW-10
Monster Power HTS 5100-MK2

So my question is this. I thought that when I watched a Letterbox DVD on the new TV that the screen would be filled with the picture as it is a 16:9 TV. I still have the black bars on the top and bottom of the screen. Is this normal, or is it something that can be changed within the settings of the components?

The DVD is hooked to the receiver through component video and fiber optic cable. The video signal is then sent from the reciever to the TV via another set of Component cables. Any ideas?

Thanks
 

Silver Member
Username: Ncavman

Post Number: 128
Registered: Dec-03
You are seeing the DVD correctly and for best picture quality you should not be stretching the image to get rid of the bars.

Look on the back of your DVD case, it will list the screen size. Most are not 16:9 (1.85:1) and are usually some other size that is not exactly 16:9. You are seeing the frame the way the producers of the DVD intended for you to see it.

You could stretch the picture to get rid of the top and bottom bars but you will be ruining the picture quality. Anamoprphic DVD's should fill your screen top to bottom and they have been vertically resized before you receive the signal.

See this for a simplistic explanation:

http://www.dvdweb.co.uk/information/anamorphic.htm
 

Silver Member
Username: Rysa4

Post Number: 474
Registered: Jul-05
There is nothing wrong. Use your zoom feature on your plasma to minimize if you want. This shouldnt stretch the picture but will cause a loss of some video data around the edges but lessen the black bar area.

I watch mine on full with black bars as intended by the movie editors/producers.
 

New member
Username: Matt_whitlock

Post Number: 7
Registered: Mar-06
Here's a few other useful articles on this subject:

How various DVD aspect ratios will appear on your TV screen

How To Configure Your DVD Player For a Widescreen TV
 

Silver Member
Username: Dakulis

Spokane, Washington United States

Post Number: 966
Registered: May-05
What ncav, Mark and Matt said.
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