2 things that bother me about widescreen format

[gisb0rne]

1. WTF is with DVD's with subtitles that don't fit on the screen? Yesterday I watched "Letters from Iwo Jima" and yet again this was an issue. It seems like 90% or more can't get this right.



2. Watching "HD" shows/movies on Universal HD or TNT that aren't in widescreen but get stretched to fit the widescreen broadcast. X-Files or Northern Exposure, for example. I even saw Contact on TNTHD but it was obviously distorted.

[XXXNoahXXX]

In regards to #2, you know you can change that setting right?

[threeonefour]

i only watch widescreen movies and i always put subtitles on (unless i'm watching with some lame friend) and yet i have no idea what you are talking about in #1. which is surprising because you provided an illustrative picture.

in fact, i have seen letters from iwo jima with subtitles and i had no such problems.

[emon87]

I think your TV is set up poorly.

[JMa]

#1. Widescreen is 16:9, no? Most films are shot in 2.35:1 or so.

[Kimbell175113]

Not the format, mang.

Press buttons on your remote for a while, it'll get better.

[Cry Me A River]

Turn your Zoom off.

[guller]

Find out how to adjust the overscan on your set. Overscan hides the extreme hard edges of the picture sometimes along with timers and other info that nobody wants to see. About 1-2% overscan is good. Your set is probably adjusted to around 10-15% if it is chopping off the subtitles.

It will not be a remote setting. You will have to get into the service mode of your tv (usually by pressing a series of random remote buttons - look online for your code). Sometimes HD mode overscan is different than regular 4:3 mode overscan so you might have 2 settings. Make sure you know what you are adjusting in there though because you can ruin your tv if you adjust random stuff.

[z28dreams]

Also note that your cable box may be forcing the output into a certain format, not just your TV.

It could go like this:

Source (4:3) -> Cable box ( converts to 16:9 ) -> TV (whatever you set it at)

[gisb0rne]

Ok I wanted to clarify what I meant with the chopped off subtitles. Sorry about the poor picture quality but it should be good enough to get my point across. Notice how I have to distort the image in order to see the full subtitles.

Here is a picture of default, non-subtitle display:


Here is a picture with subtitles turned on:


Here is a picture of my picture adjusted so I can see the full subtitles: