MovieChat Forums > Bewitched (1964) Discussion > Aspect Ratio

Aspect Ratio

posted 5 years ago by [email protected] (1732)
5 replies | jump to latest

Does everyone do what I do when watching old shows or a movie - adjust the aspect ratio from
widescreen to "normal?" I, for one, watch old and new shows/movies, and can't stand seeing
these older programs STRETCHED from side to side. I'd rather have the side bars, so the
picture is normal. When I watch a newer film/show, I revert the screen back to widescreen.

I've read of some younger viewers, who cannot deal with side bars and want a "full picture",
even at the expense of the image.

Anyone else?

[–] skipper (315) 5 years ago

I do what you do. I can't stand to see the picture stretched out either.

I wouldn't say that only younger viewers don't like the bars. My parents keep the entire screen filled with the picture. I've told them a million times that it's not supposed to look like that but they don't care. It drives me crazy!

[–] Lily Magnum (264) 5 years ago

I adjust it to 4:3 for old shows. I don't understand why anybody wants to watch a distorted picture. We're still seeing all of the picture of these classics in 4:3. Plus, we're seeing it larger than ever even if it only fills 75% of your screen. I don't even know why people call the dark edges "black bars". Nothing is being blacked out, there's just nothing to see outside the frame! LOL!

[–] phoebemunster (14) 5 years ago

Like others have said, I leave it at 4:3 too. It's pretty much the opposite of the old days, when people had 4:3 TVs and most widescreen movies were presented with the edges chopped off. Seasons three and four of Bewitched are now on Roku in HD in 16:9, but they appear to be brand new scans from the 35mm. They show more on the left and right, but cut off image from the the top and bottom.

[–] MaximRecoil (4599) 7 months ago

"They show more on the left and right, but cut off image from the the top and bottom."

They show slightly more on the left and right (stuff that was never meant to be seen in the first place), but cut off a lot of image from the top and bottom (stuff that was meant to be seen).

If I ruled the world, companies would be fined for releasing movies or TV shows in the wrong aspect ratio; a big enough fine to negate any possible profits they could make off buffoons who think it's better because it fits their glorified calculator screens.

[–] liscarkat (18373) 7 months ago

Sometimes the way they show old 4:3 tv shows is stretched, and sometimes it's cropped. Adjusting the setting to 4:3 sometimes works, but sometimes causes distortion--people look short and squatty, or too tall and thin. The best way to tell if the picture is distorted is to wait for a straight-on shot of something you know is perfectly round, like a wheel or a clock face, and pause the picture to see if it looks round or elliptical. If nothing like a wheel or clock is available, I've used the irises of people's eyes, or shirt buttons.