Scott:
There are different broadcast aspect ratios as well as different film aspect ratios. To get a definitive response, do a search on aspect ratios, but I will provide a bit here...
The two broadcast ratios are 4:3 ("normal" TV) and 16:9 (widescreen TV). You only see widescreen that fills up the screen when you are watching HD TV. Films have a variety of aspect ratios including 1.66:1, 1.85:1 (this will fill up your screen if you have a widescreen TV and are watching a widescreen DVD set to output a widescreen signal and is equivalent to 16:9), and 2.35:1.
Assume that you have a widescreen TV (and thus asking this question). When you receive a normal TV signal it comes to you in 4:3 (equivalent to 1.66:1). There are black bars on the sides of the screen. Your TV may allow you to "zoom" in or to "stretch" the image to fill up the screen but there are consequences either way (i.e., the top and/or bottom are cut off with zoom and the picture is distorted when you stretch). [Note: you might also get a 4:3 TV picture which is a letterboxed movie. This image will have black bars on all four sides].
For DVD players playing DVDs that are "widescreen - enhanced for 16:9 TVs" you will get either no black bars which means that the aspect ratio of the movie is 1.85:1 (or you sometimes see 1.78:1). However, many DVDs that are enhanced for widescreen TVs were shot in 2:35:1 and they will have black bars on top and on the bottom. Many older DVDs or DVDs of older content were produced with a 4:3 aspect ratio (1.66:1) and will still have black bars on the sides.
Hope this helps.
There are different broadcast aspect ratios as well as different film aspect ratios. To get a definitive response, do a search on aspect ratios, but I will provide a bit here...
The two broadcast ratios are 4:3 ("normal" TV) and 16:9 (widescreen TV). You only see widescreen that fills up the screen when you are watching HD TV. Films have a variety of aspect ratios including 1.66:1, 1.85:1 (this will fill up your screen if you have a widescreen TV and are watching a widescreen DVD set to output a widescreen signal and is equivalent to 16:9), and 2.35:1.
Assume that you have a widescreen TV (and thus asking this question). When you receive a normal TV signal it comes to you in 4:3 (equivalent to 1.66:1). There are black bars on the sides of the screen. Your TV may allow you to "zoom" in or to "stretch" the image to fill up the screen but there are consequences either way (i.e., the top and/or bottom are cut off with zoom and the picture is distorted when you stretch). [Note: you might also get a 4:3 TV picture which is a letterboxed movie. This image will have black bars on all four sides].
For DVD players playing DVDs that are "widescreen - enhanced for 16:9 TVs" you will get either no black bars which means that the aspect ratio of the movie is 1.85:1 (or you sometimes see 1.78:1). However, many DVDs that are enhanced for widescreen TVs were shot in 2:35:1 and they will have black bars on top and on the bottom. Many older DVDs or DVDs of older content were produced with a 4:3 aspect ratio (1.66:1) and will still have black bars on the sides.
Hope this helps.
