DVD Display Format

Can anyone tell me what all the different display formats on DVDs mean as I find them a bit confusing!

Does Widescreen always mean that the picture will be 'cropped'?

Thanks!

It is a bit crazy having all these different formats the main thing to remeber is when your buying a dvd writer for pc or dvd player make sure it dual format player meaning that it will write or read in any dvd format.

Thanks Eddie but it's really for watching films on DVD I wanted to know about the display format as I don't really like the 'cropped' picture on widescreen.
I know that sometimes Widescreen is supposed to give a better picture?

liz, have you tried using zoom when you are in widescreen mode?

Liz, Widescreen is the way the filmaker shot it and wanted it you to see it, like you were at the pictures and is in the aspect ratio 16:9. Most TV's are 4:3 (almost square) so when you watch a DVD in regular format on TV the sides of the orginal picture are missing. Your TV screen is full of picture but not all the picture that the film maker intended you to see. This is actually the "cropped" you are referring to.

If you watch a DVD on your 4:3 TV in Widescreen mode then it will look like you are watching it through a letterbox, ie dark band at top and bottom. That is because in order to fit the whole with of the picture in at 16:9, there will be a gap at the top and bottom of the picture.

So if you have a big TV the watching in Widescreen is better because you se everything you were meant to see and you soon forget about the black bands top and bottom if the film is any good.

If you are watching on a wee TV, it may be a strain to watch in Widescreen - its your call.

If you flick between the two you can see the difference, in crowd scenes for example, Widescreen will have more people in it left and right as they will have been cropped out in 4:3.

Hope this explains it. widescreen is not "cropped" it is regular viewing that is "cropped" and at the end of the day ots all about your personal preference!

For me - Widescreen every time, that was the way the film maker shot it so to do him/her justice, I'll watch it that way.

Thanks everyone. I have learned something today!

Liz

I have a LCD widescreen with 4 settings, 16:9, 4:3, panoramic and fill all. I still lose the sides of the picture no matter what I set it on. I have noticed the same on the TV at work as well??

Kenimac1,

Not sure I can help you there. If you see the same picture on all 4 viewing styles, how do you know you are losing the sides? What are you comparing against?

I notice it on the credits where I lose some of the writing at the sides.