[Suntan]

I'm rounding 3rd on finishing the basement HT and have started thinking about whipping up an automated masking system for a scope screen.


It would be much easier between 1:2.4 and 16:9 without having to accommodate 4:3.


Realistically now, how much do people actually watch 4:3 content on the big screen? I still watch some TV that is still formatted 4:3, but I don't really envision watching that down in the basement.


I don't really care about the bling factor of showing my friends I can make the masking move with my remote control, but I do see advantage in the form of lazy-ness factor in being able to switch back and forth between the two widescreen formats without having to get up. That said, a couple of low cost, manually applied masks for 4:3 would be acceptable if it would only happen to be the once-in-a-while watching of something like Casablanca or Dumbo (with the kids of course.)


Thoughts?


-Suntan

 

[Prof.]

What's 4:3!!?.

..Absolutely no movies..when you have a CIH screen..

 

[Art Sonneborn]

I watch a lot but I love old films. If you are a person who likes anything pre 1953 then you may want 4x3 masking. What is really fun is the German silent films which are 1.1:1 !

Art

 

[Suntan]

Is there ever a need for anything other than scope, 16x9 and possibly 4:3?


What do people do when some shows are 1:2:35 and some are 1:2.4? Are you masking so the extra of the 2.4 gets clipped off the sides, or that the top/bottom of the 2.35 gets clipped off? Or can you even notice?


-Suntan

 

[oman321]

Sometimes we split the difference and go 2:37

 

[CAVX]

Why is this thread in the DIY section? I think it a valid question and should be moved to the main section. Personally, I don't watch much 4 x 3, however, I am glad that my BD player horizontally squeezes 4 x 3 discs (DVDs) to be compatible with my CIH system.

 

[Art Sonneborn]

I agree this would be great for the main area. I have about two hundred pre 1953 films that were filmed in academy ratio.


Art

 

[mtbdudex]

When my kids watch 4:3 in the basement HT I just "expand" it to 16:9 to fit my masks. So what if people look a little fatter than in real life.....More and more even their shows are 16:9 HDTV.


For movies in 4:3, I also just expand them to fit 16:9.

Sure, some video purist may gag at what I'm doing, but you know what works for me.

To each his own.

 

[Kelvin1965S]

I think I've watched only one 4:3 film since getting my first projector over two years ago, so I haven't bothered masking for it. In fact I haven't bothered masking for 16:9 either, as I'm too lazy to get round to it yet.

 

[Suntan]

I put it here because I am planning to build my own automated masking. But I am trying to get a feel if it is worth making the more complicated version, or the easy version.


In any case, I'm fine if it gets moved.


-Suntan

 

[taffman]

Like Art, I am a lover of old movies. You have to realize that the best films ever made are unquestionably in 4:3 format. By not showing 4:3 you are excluding all the great classics of the golden age of Hollywood. Much as I love the impact of projecting 2.35 films on my CIH screen, the plain fact is that most of the modern 2.35 Blu Ray releases are junk, basically viewable at best a single time, and certainly not worth owning. The old 4: 3 films are truly entertaining with truly great actors and produced with great care and film craftsmanship, often unforgettable viewing experiences, and many of them are must haves in any serious film collection. My collection is overwhelmingly 4:3.

So IMO you MUST provide for 4;3 in your masking system.

 

[Suntan]

I would accommodate it. The question is, will it get used enough to 'automate' it vs. just make the 4:3 masking manual.


-Suntan

 

[RobertR]



Quote:
Originally Posted by mtbdudex /forum/post/16837319


For movies in 4:3, I also just expand them to fit 16:9.

Sure, some video purist may gag at what I'm doing, but you know what works for me.

To each his own.

It's not a matter of being a "video purist", but rather, respecting the original film AR. I have to wonder why you bother showing 2.35-2.4 films in their original AR instead of cropping them to 16:9.

 

[CAVX]



Quote:
Originally Posted by mtbdudex /forum/post/16837319



For movies in 4:3, I also just expand them to fit 16:9.

Sure, some video purist may gag at what I'm doing, but you know what works for me.

To each his own.

I'm not even a purist and I am gagging...Are you aware that BD players squeeze 4 x 3 discs for 16:9 displays so you don't have to change the AR of the display? This is how I get around 4 x 3 material on my CIH whilst leaving the lens in place.

 

[Suntan]

Ok guys, enough about the squeezing and stretching. Although I really don't lose too much sleep at night worrying if the director has the movie displayed the way he wants it, I don't watch shows distorted because well the picture is distorted.


Simply put, I'd rather just watch the correct AR without masking than stretch or squeeze.


That said, I don't watch a whole lot of 4:3. Other than maybe renting a couple of oldies in the spring months when no good releases are coming out, that incessant Miracle on 34th St' that my wife makes me watch each season and the older Disney/kid's movies; That's about it.


Other than the old movie die-hards, how have other people dealt with 4:3?


Are there any blu-rays of IMAX movies or such that are actually formatted in 4:3 *and* would actually make good use of a larger 4:3 display (if you didn't limit yourself to CIH?)


-Suntan

 

[Art Sonneborn]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Suntan /forum/post/16854595


Although I really don't lose too much sleep at night worrying if the director has the movie displayed the way he wants it


That said, I don't watch a whole lot of 4:3. Other than maybe renting a couple of oldies in the spring months when no good releases are coming out, that incessant Miracle on 34th St' that my wife makes me watch each season and the older Disney/kid's movies; That's about it.


Other than the old movie die-hards, how have other people dealt with 4:3?


Are there any blu-rays of IMAX movies or such that are actually formatted in 4:3 *and* would actually make good use of a larger 4:3 display (if you didn't limit yourself to CIH?)


-Suntan

Wow ! Just because watching any and all films that are pre 1953 is not your cup of tea doesn't mean that you need to dengrate those of us who enjoy those films. Despite that what is the difference if it is IMAX in 4x3 or a pre'53 film,the techniques are the same.


Art

 

[Suntan]

I think you mis-read my post. I was not denigrating anyone’s choice of material. I was primarily trying to nip the whole squeeze/stretch vs. OAR argument in the bud before it turned into yet another one of those threads. There are plenty of OAR arguments in the archives at AVS and I don't think we need another one. In any case, I believe we share the same view, squeeze/stretch is not an option.


Now, with that said. The reality is that I am not likely to watch too many oldies. However, I would be inclined to watch more IMAX/Documentary type shows if they really make use of space that Blu Ray allows. As this is my train of thought for justifying the added complexity to *automate* the 4:3 position, the amount of use it will likely get is very valid. Documentary vs. Classic matters less. Make sense?


...As for my views about Miricle on 43th St. I make no apologies for them. I want to punch that Santa myself every year I have to watch that “Holiday Ritual.”

-Suntan

 

[Art Sonneborn]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Suntan /forum/post/16862695


I think you mis-read my post. I was not denigrating anyone's choice of material. I was primarily trying to nip the whole squeeze/stretch vs. OAR argument in the bud before it turned into yet another one of those threads. There are plenty of OAR arguments in the archives at AVS and I don't think we need another one. In any case, I believe we share the same view, squeeze/stretch is not an option.


Now, with that said. The reality is that I am not likely to watch too many oldies. However, I would be inclined to watch more IMAX/Documentary type shows if they really make use of space that Blu Ray allows. As this is my train of thought for justifying the added complexity to *automate* the 4:3 position, the amount of use it will likely get is very valid. Documentary vs. Classic matters less. Make sense?


...As for my views about Miricle on 43th St. I make no apologies for them. I want to punch that Santa myself every year I have to watch that Holiday Ritual.

-Suntan

Got it. I think if you look at any of the high quality 4x3 material out there you would instantly know that BD hammers SD in resolution.The question is is in your case do you watch much of it ?


Art

 

[CAVX]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Suntan /forum/post/16854595



Simply put, I'd rather just watch the correct AR without masking than stretch or squeeze.

The technique is simply in keeping the end user happy. Previously 4 x 3 DVDs would be stretched when viewed in 16:9 mode. The end user was supposed to change the setting of the display to 4 x 3, however many did not release this was required. By having the player do it automatically just takes the guess work out the equation.


I am simply taking advantage of this new benifit.

 

[Suntan]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Art Sonneborn /forum/post/16864601


I think if you look at any of the high quality 4x3 material out there you would instantly know that BD hammers SD in resolution.The question is is in your case do you watch much of it ?

Art

That's just it. I haven't really looked into what is out there. I know BR will beat SD visually. I'm more interested in knowing if the shows are available.


I like good documentaries, and I really like good ones that really show off nature and the world with great visuals. However, it seems as if the last couple of documentaries to be released with high quality visuals spend the whole time telling me to drive cars that Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn want me to drive, and to read books that Al Gore wants me to read. I'm not interested in watching politically skewed documentaries.


A lot of older IMAX documentaries (filmed with high quality in 4:3) were not overloaded with political ideology and instead just focused on talking about nature. Thus the question about whether or not they are available, with a high quality transfer, in BR.


I guess I will just go look through Netflix's offerings to see what is out there, and read the reviews about the quality of the transfers on their site.


-Suntan