Cropping 4:3 television to make 16:9 content
Dec 12, 2019 04:59:55 #
therwol
Loc: USA
I can't stand this practice. My wife and I watch a fair amount of reruns of old series like The Waltons. With some of these shows, they simply cut the top and bottom off of the pictures so that you just end up mostly with head shots, and not very good ones. You may still not see all of the top of someone's head. If these shows were shot in widescreen format to begin with, as with the movies of the era, then the framing would have been entirely different. I was going to buy the Blu Ray release of the Anne of Green Gables set until I discovered that this is exactly what they did in the remastering. You can make a higher definition copy of the original film without this cropping nonsense. TCM broadcasts in HD but preserves the original format of older films.
Dec 12, 2019 06:15:38 #
When this happens, I change the ratio of the picture through my CABLE remote. To the proper ratio of the original film.
It works for me.
It works for me.
Dec 12, 2019 06:38:25 #
They will also stretch the frame to meet the edges. This distorts the image and looks terrible. I’d rather see the as-shot square TV frame personally. I do believe though that many old movies shot before the sixties were closer to 4:3 because movie houses weren’t outfitted with wide screens then.
Dec 12, 2019 07:20:32 #
Mr. SONY
Loc: LI, NY
That's because they have to satisfy consumers who complained about having black bars on the sides
of the image when displayed on a 16:9 screen.
Bad move on their part to satisfy ignorant viewers.
of the image when displayed on a 16:9 screen.
Bad move on their part to satisfy ignorant viewers.
Dec 12, 2019 08:46:20 #
If I had to watch Waltons reruns, I might be tempted to jump off a cliff or something. 
Dec 12, 2019 09:34:49 #
therwol
Loc: USA
Peterfiore wrote:
When this happens, I change the ratio of the picture through my CABLE remote. To the proper ratio of the original film.
It works for me.
It works for me.
It works if your source material is 4:3 but is being stretched across your screen. This is something that can be corrected in the television or cable settings. It doesn't work if material has been removed from the original (top and bottom) to give the illusion that the show was shot in widescreen format. You can't put it back.
Dec 12, 2019 09:36:32 #
therwol
Loc: USA
jaymatt wrote:
If I had to watch Waltons reruns, I might be tempted to jump off a cliff or something.
Well, that would certainly fix the problem
Dec 13, 2019 07:50:42 #
I’d use the distortion as an excuse to not have to watch, personally. But, back to your issue, I’d seriously check your picture settings. If it isn’t “normal,” set it there or “full.” Without seeing your tv, first thing that crosses my mind is that you’re in a zoom mode of some kind?
Dec 13, 2019 11:37:21 #
Peterfiore wrote:
When this happens, I change the ratio of the picture through my CABLE remote. To the proper ratio of the original film.
It works for me.
It works for me.
Dec 13, 2019 12:10:05 #
Peterfiore wrote:
When this happens, I change the ratio of the picture through my CABLE remote. To the proper ratio of the original film.
It works for me.
It works for me.
Dec 13, 2019 14:42:24 #
therwol
Loc: USA
47greyfox wrote:
I’d use the distortion as an excuse to not have to watch, personally. But, back to your issue, I’d seriously check your picture settings. If it isn’t “normal,” set it there or “full.” Without seeing your tv, first thing that crosses my mind is that you’re in a zoom mode of some kind?
We're talking about two issues. Yes, there are TV adjustments that will make 4:3 content show as it was shot with bars on the side. I watch many reruns in the correct format. (I won't list all of them that they haven't decided to screw up yet.) I watch old movies on DVD in the correct format. I have my TV set up correctly.
What I'm talking about is cropping the original content to give the illusion that it was shot in widescreen format to fit a widescreen TV. They cut off the top and the bottom. I can easily demonstrate that by putting in my Waltons DVDs and seeing the missing content. You can't put back the missing content with TV settings if it isn't there. Everything just turns into head shots, and I suspect that people just don't know the difference.
Dec 13, 2019 16:27:18 #
Dec 14, 2019 00:35:48 #
jaymatt wrote:
If I had to watch Waltons reruns, I might be tempted to jump off a cliff or something.
Rolling on the floor laughing!
Some of those old shows weren’t tolerable when new. Now, they seem even more trite and irritating.
“G’night, John Boy.”
Dec 14, 2019 00:38:23 #
therwol wrote:
We're talking about two issues. Yes, there are TV... (show quote)
I’m a fan of watching all content without any cropping. Give me the original aspect ratio. Black bars don’t bother me nearly as much as cropping and distortion.
Dec 14, 2019 00:48:01 #
therwol wrote:
I can't stand this practice. My wife and I watch... (show quote)
Many people get rid of the old as soon as they acquire the latest electronics. I kept two old TVs with conversion boxes and happily watch old TV programs OffTAir, with better sound than a new TV. Much of the widescreen view is wasted on the new TV sitcoms, etc.
One flatscreen TV with a sound system and separate viewing area provides high quality for the few programs worth the time and attention.
Anyone who prefers the old 4:3 programming and lives in a city should have a tube TV - just ask your neighbors for a (free) one, or look around before bulk trash pick up day. The conversion boxes are not expensive.
Boris
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