[drjrt]

I just got my PJ but haven't ordered my screen yet. I had decided

on a dual masking NTCS/HDTV format. The first movie the kids wanted

to see (projected on a blank wall ) ended up being 2.35 which led me

to question my commitment to NTCSHDTV dual format. We watch

essentially no TV. My question:


1) What will the majority of movies be in the future? Is there a trend or

is it still variable?


2) does anyone have statistics on new or old movies and their

native formats?


3) If we almost exclusively watch movies (new and old), should I really be looking supporting a wider format up front instead of trying to redo my HT a few years from now?


Of course in the end I will be limited by the size of my room...

 

[scoob5555]

I, too, am interested in these numbers. Scope (2.35) used to be big and is still used on blockbusters and other movies, but I don't know if there are any trends one way or the other.


For ease of masking, buy a large 2.35:1 screen and mask only in the horizontal. No masking for the 2.35 movies, partial masking for 1.85 movies, a little more for 1.78 HD, and all the way to 1.33 for OLD movies.

 

[Wireless]

I think having a 2.35:1 screen would make the most sense for constant height. Unfortunately all of our sources for the forseeable future, DVD & HDTV, are geared toward a constant width format. The majority of the material I watch is scope so I really wish the powers that be would have chosen something like 980x480 for DVD and 2206x1080 for HDTV. I know the numbers look funny but I'm trying to get from anamorphic ratios to screen ratios, anyway you probably get the point.

 

[schmidtwi]

This topic was covered a few months back here . Seems everyone has their own opinion. The best opinion (IMHO) was from Art Sonneborn who said:


"I think this discussion boils down to two things. The first is what do you watch( eg what is the proportion of various aspect ratios on your shelf or in what you like to watch). The second is how many and which compromises are you willing to accept. Until we have true scope PJs or true scope software all constant height techniques with FPDDs or CRT are compromises of some sort."


I plan to use a 2:35:1 screen in my new HT, as I love anamorphic movies first, HDTV next, and regular 4:3 TV (or old movies) next. My previous screen was a 4:3, and I suffered through anamorphic films with only an 8' wide screen with no masking. That won't happen again.


Movie formats will likely not stray from the 2:35:1 & 1:85:1 AR's, as they are making them for movie theaters, not HT's. But I'll be enjoying them just as the producers wanted me to...