Currently I'm recording all my dvds off my Dish dvr in anamorphic widescreen to a Samsung dvd recorder. However, since the Samsung doesn't have any way to force a 16:9 flag, I have to transfer the resulting data to my PC, use 3rd party software to flag it as widescreen, the burn back to a new disk.

I'd like to avoid having to do this every time by getting a new recorder that has an option to FORCE the 16:9 flag during record, but it seems all the new units made in the last few years lack this important feature. I see the new Pannys do it for DVD-RAM only. There were some older toshiba's that had this option, but they are increasingly hard to find and expensive (Ebay, etc). I also would prefer to get something that has HDMI output if possible.

Thanks,
m

The Toshiba XS series has always offered this option. From the introduction of the XS32 through the most recent 2006 model the XS55. You can set the flag as a recording option but as importantly you can subsequently adjust the recording if it was not set as a recording option. Very flexible. This is also available on the DKR2 (2004) which is a model without a HDD. And the KX50 which includes a HDD. All XS series models have HDDs.

I believe some 2007 Toshiba models also have this feature if reports are correct. I can't confirm this as never having tested it personally. 2007 models do not offer HDDs.

The XS54 and the XS55 are very hard to find. The XS35 is typically available on ebay for around $200 from reliable sellers. Other models are the XS32, XS34 and the XS52.

I'd start by looking into Toshiba. Then check out Sony. I think Sony also offered this feature.

As far as HDMI and 16x9 flag setting with Toshiba the KX50, XS52, XS54 and XS55 offer it. And I believe some 2007 models do as well.

Currently I'm recording all my dvds off my Dish dvr in anamorphic widescreen to a Samsung dvd recorder. However, since the Samsung doesn't have any way to force a 16:9 flag, I have to transfer the resulting data to my PC, use 3rd party software to flag it as widescreen, the burn back to a new disk.

I'd like to avoid having to do this every time by getting a new recorder that has an option to FORCE the 16:9 flag during record, but it seems all the new units made in the last few years lack this important feature. I see the new Pannys do it for DVD-RAM only. There were some older toshiba's that had this option, but they are increasingly hard to find and expensive (Ebay, etc). I also would prefer to get something that has HDMI output if possible.

Thanks,
m

Just thought I'd point out that you don't have to do this if you are playing back this content solely on 16:9 displays. The flag only comes into play when you are attempting playback on a 4:3 display. Point being that if you are going to play back only on 16:9 displays you don't have to limit yourself to recorders that properly flag anamorphic widescreen content. Of course, if you want/need compatibility with 4:3 displays then as Emily Latella says "Nevermind".

Yep, that's the main reason. Also, I'd like to not have to switch the "wide" setting on my 16x9 TV everytime I play a recorded dvd.

thanks

Just thought I'd point out that you don't have to do this if you are playing back this content solely on 16:9 displays. The flag only comes into play when you are attempting playback on a 4:3 display. Point being that if you are going to play back only on 16:9 displays you don't have to limit yourself to recorders that properly flag anamorphic widescreen content. Of course, if you want/need compatibility with 4:3 displays then as Emily Latella says "Nevermind".

As far as HDMI and 16x9 flag setting with Toshiba the KX50, XS52, XS54 and XS55 offer it. And I believe some 2007 models do as well.

Too bad toshiba doesn't seem to have user manuals online for most of their newer models. I hate to buy something in order to find out if it will work and risk having to return it.

Too bad toshiba doesn't seem to have user manuals online for most of their newer models. I hate to buy something in order to find out if it will work and risk having to return it.

Read this thread. Especially towards the bottom. It took a few posts to understand what was going on. It looks like the OP is trying to do exactly what you are. My guess is that you are recording using the "squeeze" method. SrLANGuy is trying to do what you are and has ordered a 2007 Toshiba.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=890880

Nextoo,

Thanks for the link. From what he's saying it sounds like the D-R550 might be just what I need.

The Toshiba D-R550 that I just ordered can only set the anamorphic widescreen flag on DVD-R and DVD-RW media.

I use -R/-RW media almost exclusively so that won't be a problem. Now to find out if the less expensive D-R400 has the same feature. It's pretty much the same as the D-R550 but lacks a built in tuner.

I'm sure it will.

Does it work the way you want it to when you set the flag on the PC? If so then SrLANGuy may have solved his problem with the Toshiba.

edit - actually I should not have said "I'm sure it will". But I bet it will. Most tunerless models perform the same as their tuner enabled siblings from a recording feature set (sans tuner option of course)..

[QUOTE=nextoo]
Does it work the way you want it to when you set the flag on the PC? If so then SrLANGuy may have solved his problem with the Toshiba.
QUOTE]

Yes, it works...but sure gets old fast having to extract, process then burn again every time :)

Found the R400 locally and plan to pick one up tonight and check it out.

I got my Toshiba D-R550 about a week ago. I've recorded a few DVD-R discs and it works perfect. I can set the recording input to 16:9 and record the "anamorphic" (squeezed widescreen) output from my DirecTV HR20 HD DVR. I can even record a normal 4:3 show on the same disc, as long as I change the recording input setting to 4:3 and change the output of my HR20 to 4:3. When you play back the content on any DVD player or PC, it automatically switches to widescreen for the 16:9 shows. I love it!

I got my Toshiba D-R550 about a week ago. I've recorded a few DVD-R discs and it works perfect. I can set the recording input to 16:9 and record the "anamorphic" (squeezed widescreen) output from my DirecTV HR20 HD DVR. I can even record a normal 4:3 show on the same disc, as long as I change the recording input setting to 4:3 and change the output of my HR20 to 4:3. When you play back the content on any DVD player or PC, it automatically switches to widescreen for the 16:9 shows. I love it!
right on!! this is what i like to hear (finding out about dr550) thanx! i too, would like to know if the dr400 can do the same thing.

D-R400 working like a champ! Very happy with it.

-M

I got my Toshiba D-R550 about a week ago. I've recorded a few DVD-R discs and it works perfect. I can set the recording input to 16:9 and record the "anamorphic" (squeezed widescreen) output from my DirecTV HR20 HD DVR. I can even record a normal 4:3 show on the same disc, as long as I change the recording input setting to 4:3 and change the output of my HR20 to 4:3. When you play back the content on any DVD player or PC, it automatically switches to widescreen for the 16:9 shows. I love it!

I just bought a D-R400 and wanted to see if I could get clarification on something. I'm using DVD-R discs and recording HD content off of my Dish receiver. I set the recording input to 16x9 and record the "squeezed widescreen" talked about above, but when I play it back on my widescreen TV (on the D-R400, with the playback aspect set to 16x9), it plays back in that same squeezed widescreen format. I can't get it to automatically switch back to true 16x9 widescreen. How can I get it to do that?

EDIT: I believe I've found my answer. My Dish HD box does not send anamorphic widescreen through S-video or composite. So I believe I either have to get a new cable provider/box, or I'm out of luck. My old Dish 811HD box did send the widescreen signal over S-video/composite, but the upgraded MPEG4 box does not.

I've heard that from more than one person. I wonder if they purposely do that to discourage people from backing up to DVDR's, that only have S or composite in's. Otherwise they could just have a software switch in the sat. box, turning off/on WS output of the box. Sounds fishy to me.

What I don't understand though is I only use a 16:9 display, but when recording 16:9 content, it then puts black bars around each side of it and people were saying getting a recorder with the flag would cure that, but obviously not... becuase I am only using a 16:9 display!

Maybe it's just because of my tv mode and if I put it in zoom mode it would look proper again? Maybe that is the problem... the fact that it's originally coming from a cable box, thus on the input my cable box is on it puts it at the aspect ratio it needs to be and has the tv mode automatically in "full" mode.

Although still why is it not recording it in a way where full mode gets the proper picture instead of zoom mode when using the recorder? Sigh.

Such a headache figuring all of this out. I just know in the past it recorded it where there were black bars only on the sides, not above and below it also. Then suddenly it started doing this.

What I don't understand though is I only use a 16:9 display, but when recording 16:9 content, it then puts black bars around each side of it and people were saying getting a recorder with the flag would cure that, but obviously not... becuase I am only using a 16:9 display!


I think you not only have to have a 16x9 TV, but the recorder also needs to have the ability to record in 16x9. Does your recorder have an option to record in 16x9? If there is no option, it probably only records in 4x3, even if you have a 16x9 televsion. This would be why you are getting a square picture with black bars on the sides, when taping shows that are 4x3, or a letterboxed picture (black bars on top and bottom) with black bars on the sides, when taping shows that are 16x9.

What I don't understand though is I only use a 16:9 display, but when recording 16:9 content, it then puts black bars around each side of it and people were saying getting a recorder with the flag would cure that, but obviously not... becuase I am only using a 16:9 display!
What is usually happening with a postage stamped image, black bars on all four sides, is, that the STB is putting out widescreen material via the composite or S-Video connectors letterboxed (black bars on top and bottom). The STB knows that these are strictly 480i connections, so it is trying to save you by letterboxing the content, thus making sure the aspect ratio is correct for a 4:3 (480i) television. The content is therefore downrezzed to 480i, and NOT flagged as 16:9. When you play it back, the lack of a flag makes the DVD player thinks it's 4:3 material being presented on a 16:9 television, so it pillarboxes the content (black bars on the right and left). You have the STB putting black bars on the top and bottom, and the DVD player putting themon the right and left, and what you end up with is black bars all around and a small image in the center.

First, make absolutely sure the image you are recording is not letterboxed. many boxes put out full screen via the component and HDMI, but letterbox the composite and S-Video. You must make sure it isn't. Second, make sure the DVD player isn't pillarboxing the output. this is usually just a matter of selecting the correct display setting.

Formatting the Toshiba D-R400:

What works for me:

Recorder Defaults set to 16:9. Then connect two sets of cables:

Any signal fed through the HDMI output is formatted as 16:9.

Any signal fed through the component video outputs is formatted 4:3.

Switching between the two outputs (using the TV's input control) takes care of formatting problems.

To further add to this discussion, I was just at my local Sony Style store earlier this week when I noticed they've recently brought out two new models which support the 16:9 flag (referred to them as Digital Wide Recording) and HDMI outputs. These are Sony's RDR-GXD455 and RDR-VXD655 (DVD/VCR combo), both of which also include an HDTV tuner... in case you were wondering. Hope this helps much.

That would actually be an SDTV tuner - digital ATSC, but not HD.

That would actually be an SDTV tuner - digital ATSC, but not HD.

... which will tune in the HDTV channels but display (live to TV) and record them at SDTV (480i/p) resolution.

This is typical of all of the DVD recorders we've seen with ATSC/QAM tuners. Their outputs are set to SDTV resolution, and there is no way, on the current products, to get 1080i or 720p resolutions delivered to a TV.

It doesn't help to have the somewhat confusing feature of "upconverting to HD resolutions using the HDMI connection." This means that the 480i/p SD signal output from the digital tuner is upconverted, not natively passed through at HD resolution.

It doesn't help to have the somewhat confusing feature of "upconverting to HD resolutions using the HDMI connection." This means that the 480i/p SD signal output from the digital tuner is upconverted, not natively passed through at HD resolution.Unfortunately, upconversion on DVD recorders and low-end players is still little more than a marketing gimmick to help sell the things. The average consumer reads it on the box, the salesman tells him what it will do and he assumes it has to be better -- after all he just spent $70 on and HDMI cable so this upconversion has to be hot. In order to get a player with better upconversion than is provided by a good TV, one needs to spend some money on a high-end Denon or Oppo player with at least DCDi.