HD DVD screen

Hello,
I have an LG 42" Plasma hdtv. I recently purchaed a Toshiba A-3 hddvd player. The quality is very good, however I would like for the movies I play to fill in the entire screen on my TV. I have tried on the DVD settings and messed around with the 4:3 and 16:9 screen ratio's and get the letterbox formats. does anyone know if there is a way to be able to play my HDdvds on my entire screen?

Are you referring to the black bars at the top and bottom of the movie, or are you getting them on the sides?

If it's the top and bottom, you can't really do much about that part. Movies are all filmed in a variety of different aspects. You could use the zoom feature, but then you would be cutting off the sides.

It is the bars on the top and bottom of the screen.
I know that on blu ray and whenever an HD movie is on tv, that it fills the entire screen and the picture looks so much better. I was just wondering if it is possible to do the same with HD dvds.

it sounds like you might be playing a pan and scan movie? Perhaps? That would explain the bars on the left and right. You shouldn't have that for widescreen.

Ah, the deaded bars on top and bottom. I solved this by making a set of theatre curtains I stick on my set, via velcro, that cover the black bars.

I don't have Blu-ray so I can't really say for sure, but if that's true then it sounds like the player is cropping the sides. While that makes the picture fill the entire screen, you end up losing part of the film as the filmmakers intended it to be seen.

You can do searches on anamorphic for more in-depth explanations on the subject. Some of the sites actually provide detailed image examples (for example, one scene might have three guys standing in a field in the widescreen that you see at the theater, but to make it fit the entire HD screen you won't be able to see the guys on the sides).

So basically with the black bars at the top and bottom, you are seeing the whole picture. If it fits the entire screen, you are missing some of the scene.

[Post edited by hoodaguy on Nov 5, 2007]

I believe the aspect ratio for most HD TVs is 1.85:1 (so anything different than that will most likely have some sort of black bars).

Although I do like Tim's solution, you might try setting your HDTV set's "picture" mode to "Automatic" or equivalent [if so equipped] where it detects blackness and after a few moments it will stretch the screen to fill the space. Check your HDTV's manual under "User Options" for details.

I assure you it's nothing more than simply compulsive behaviour, however. With films presented in a specific aspect for a reason you shouldn't feel bad for the ignored pixels. What would be next...the wall?

Actually, if the bars are on the top and bottom of your screen, it sounds like the film was shot in scope (2.35:1 ratio) rather than flat (1.85:1 ratio). The 1.85:1 ratio (ex.: Saving Private Ryan) should fill your entire screen, while anything in the 2.35:1 ratio (Transformers, Spider-Man 3) will have thin lines at the top and bottom as HDTVs are made to the 1.85:1 scale.

Many times on TV, movies shown in Hi-Def have been reformatted to fit the 1.85:1 ratio. For example, I saw the Bourne movies on TNT in HD, and while they are in the 2.35:1 ratio on my HD-DVDs, TNT reformatted them to 1.85:1 to fit my screen. You can stretch the picture to take away the black bars, but it will distort and stretch the characters and environs.

sean (...not that we all couldn't use a little stretching from time to time... inquisition anyone?...)

certain video programmes aren't supposed to fill up your screen.