MovieChat Forums > Displays and Projectors > UK TVs - 16:9 subtitle problem question

UK TVs - 16:9 subtitle problem question

posted 14 years ago by TrevorAclea
5 replies | jump to latest

First off, please bear in mind I've got a rather limited technical vocabulary so will almost certainly be using the wrong terminology, so apologies in advance.

I'm looking for an upgrade on an old Sony model which had one feature I found invaluable: the ability to scroll/raise or lower the image when watching a film in widescreen mode. A lot of the DVDs I watch are foreign films and, infuriatingly, even now many simply set the subtitles too low for a 14:9 or 16:9 setting so you have a choice of either watching in 4:3 or losing part of the subtitles. The FQ moel allowed me to move the image area to compensate for that.

Do any new LCDs or LED widescreen TVs available in the UK offer that facility? If not, how about plasma TVs? I'm looking to upgrade to a 40inch screen, but it's the usual case of none of the local TV salesmen knowing anything about their product and the manufacturers only offering very limited details on their websites.

Any help would be greatly appreciated - especially since the old set is finally giving up the ghost and turning itself off on a regular basis! Thanks.

"Security - release the badgers."

[–] wearyourlove 14 years ago

There should be no issues on a 16:9 TV, as the subtitles will either display on the picture itself (1.85:1 movies or below) or below the picture on the empty black area (2.35:1 movies and above).

[–] TrevorAclea 14 years ago

Unfortunately there is on some DVDs where the subtitles are just placed too low: any settin other than 4:3 and the bottom subtitles will be cropped. It's only on some discs and it's a disc problem rather than a player/TV one, but it's irritating when it happens.

"Security - release the badgers."

[–] critic-2 13 years ago

Sometimes, when Turner Classic Movies shows foreign films in hi-def, you can't read their subtitles unless you set your screen to 4:3. It's not the fault of the TV, it's TCM's fault.

[–] dangus 13 years ago

One device that gives you full control over image size and position is a media player like the WDTV Live. You'd have to rip your DVDs to a USB drive or shared network drive, which can be done with free software like MakeMKV.

I find this is the best way to watch non-anamorphic widescreen movies (letterboxed within a 4:3 frame) since otherwise neither my TV or nor the DVD player will properly zoom them to full-screen. The WDTV has zoom (with useful increments), and pan so you could easily expand the letterboxed image to full width, and shift it up if necessary.

The WDTV also plays pictures, internet stuff like Youtube, and music. Many new TVs and Blu-ray players include a similar media player ability; take a thumbdrive or SD card with a ripped movie image (ISO or mkv or both) to the store and see how well a TV plays it. Preferably a quality foreign film like Salo, or Japanese robot cat-girl maid p0rn.

[–] Ace_of_Sevens 12 years ago

I realize this is an old post, but unless you are dealing with a non-anamorphic DVD with burnt-in subtitles, there are better ways of dealing with this. It's possible that you have your player set up for a full-screen TV, meaning the movie gets converted from widescreen to fullscreen and back, which degrades the image and places the subtitles wrong. If the subtitles are player-generated, there are player that will just move the subtitles.

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