Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater DVD output on HDTV

sorry if this sounds like a stupid question.
When i play a widescreen movie on my DVD player connected (via component cables) to my new HD plasma monitor, shouldnt the 'Normal' display mode display the picture on the entire screen (with possible small bars on the top and bottom bacause the movie is in a ratio slightly different from 16:9)? Currently, i have to turn the zoom or full or justified mode on to cover the whole screen from left to right - the normal mode covers an area in the center only .

thanks for explaining this to me.

mshukla,
Excuse the simple question, but are you sure the DVD is a widescreen version?

Could also be a setting on the DVD player you may have to change. What kind of a player is it?

Yes, the dvd is definitely widescreen, i have tried with multiple DVDs .
the player, i cant remember the model right now but it is a full functional Sony model with component out and 5.1 audio etc. no settings that i know of. i can post back with the model number in a few hours.
thank you

My HDTV has a button on the remmote for picture shape to change between the various modes.. Sure its not your tv?

yes, the Panasonic TH-42PHD6UY has 4 modes, Normal, Full, Justified and Zoom.
a regular 4:3 aspect picture occupies an area in the middle with two side bars when run in Normal mode. you can run on justified/Full/zoom mode if you want the picture to strecth to the full screen.
But with 16:9 aspect pictures, the Normal mode should, to my understanding, display no sidebars, no top or bottom bars. Of course most movies arent 16:9 so if i have 2.35:1, it should still display with no sidebars and some top and bottom bars.
of course i may be missing something

Welcome to the world of non-standard widescreen. I have the Panny 6UY, HD DirecTV (HD Tivo on order), and run DVI and component to the plasma. Your experience is common. Just because a DVD is widescreen doesn't mean you won't get bars. I'm writing this from memory so I can't recall the exact numbers for the aspect ratio. But if you look at widescreen DVDs, they are NOT all listed w/ the same aspect ratios. Hence they will not always "fill" the screen. For example, the Matrix widescreen DVDs still have the bars on top and bottom. It's a user preference if you want to zoom to get rid of the bars, you'll lose part of the picture. I watch in full mode and live w/ the bars. It all comes down to preference. Nothin's perfect...

I think he's complaining of bars on the sides of the screen, not the top and bottom.

If you check the TV's menu's there is a setting which allows the TV to automatically check the format of the incoming signal and adjust accordingly. I also have a Panasonic (PT50LC13) and on my system it is under the SETUP - VIDEO menu and is called ID-1, set this to ON and you should be good to go.

Hello, I'm 99% sure the setting will be on your DVD player. There should be 2 ways to set up the DVD player, basic or advanced. You should be able to fix your problem in either set up, but I always prefer going through the advanced set up.
There will be a setting for your screen type, 4:3, Pan & Scan or 16:9

Make sure that the 16:9 is selected.

Good luck.

thanks, yes, i am concerned about the side bars. I know i have to live with the top and bottom bars because of the differences in the aspect ratios of films.
and in response to HAY's post earlier, i have checked my DVD settings and it is set to 16:9.
I am more curious than concerned now. It may be that the picture will never strecth out fully sideways in Normal mode unless the input is 720i/p or 1080i. Anybody care to comment on that?
thank you all