TV and DVD aspect ratios: set at 16:9 or 4:3 ???

[cpotoso]

I have a regular 27" TV that has the option to set up the aspect ratio as either "16:9" or "4:3". The DVD unit has three options: "4:3 P&S", "4:3 LB" and "16:9".

I can watch widescreen DVD's with the correct aspect ratio if I select either

1) "4:3" on the TV and "4:3 LB" on the DVD;

or

2) "16:9" on the TV and "16:9" on the DVD.

Which one is better? Does one of these present a highe resolution? (i.e. the second option preserve the full 480 lines)

Thanks for your help

[guns1inger]

I live in PAL land, but have a similar setup. I have my DVD player set to 16:9, and let the TV switch depending on the source. Some DVD's, especially older ones and ones from certain studios, are not properly encoded with the 16:9 flag, and so have to be switched manually.

In answer to your second question, sending a 16:9 signal to TV and letting ti switch to 16:9 mode will give you the best quality picture for anamorphic (16:9 enhanced, widescreen enhanced, enhanced for widescreen TVs etc.) DVDs. For 4:3 and matted letterbox you will still view them with the TV at 4:3, so it doesn't make a difference.

[Gurm]

Regardless of what your TV actually does, unless it has some horrifying retrograde hardware, it's always best to send the 16:9 signal. Why?

Because most DVD's are 16:9 enhanced, meaning there's EXTRA information on the disc that your DVD player will just "throw away" in either 4:3 mode.

[cpotoso]

Thanks to both of you for the informative reply. It is sometimes difficult to tell how good or bad the resulution really is, especially as changing the aspect ratio of the TV and DVD involve various steps and one can't see both screens simultaneously