Posted by Jeff Rife on 03/29/06 18:08

Goro (evilninjax@yahoo.com) wrote in alt.video.dvd:
> http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents
>
> Million Dollar Baby will include anamorphic widescreen video (1080p &
> 480i resolutions, 2.40:1 aspect ratio)
>
> Phantom of the Opera (2004) will include anamorphic widescreen video
> (1080p & 480i resolutions, 2.40:1 aspect ratio)
>
> Finally, The Last Samurai will include anamorphic widescreen video
> (1080p & 480i resolutions, 2.40:1 aspect ratio)

Well, this is bad news.

The term "anamorphic widescreen" for DVD meant that the normal 4:3 image
is supposed to be stretched to fill a 16:9 screen. This allowed them to
gain scan lines of resolution without needing a different format.

*BUT*, it also implies that the horizontal pixel count won't be "correct".

In other words, a DVD *should* have 853x480 pixels for a 16:9 movie, but
it only has 720x480. Likewise, this would seem to mean that an "anamorphic
widescreen" HD-HVD *should* have 1920x1080 pixels, but will have less
(maybe 1440x1080?).

Or, do they mean that the 2.40:1 movies will be encoded at 1920x800 (which
is all the movie needs) and the player will send out black bars at the
top and bottom to fill in the full 1080 scan lines? That would be great,
although it's not "anamorphic"...but then I wouldn't be surprised to see
studio marketing people misusing a technical term.

--
Jeff Rife | Sam: How's life treatin' you, Norm?
|
| Norm: Well, Sammy, it's not...so I sure
| hope you are.

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