Quick overscan / borders question

[Bum_Rush]

Quick question (maybe):

I know that most TVs automatically overscan, so if I don't add borders to a files before I convert it to a DVD-compliant resolution, the TV screen will cut off a little bit of the image.

The files I am converting are all AVI captures that were originally TV broadcasts. Of course, my computer screen doesn't overscan, and I can see the entire picture with no borders. But, didn't I watch the original broadcast in overscan anyway?

I'm confusing myself a little. For example: Say I was watching an episode of Friends on my TV, but I was recording it at the same time. The picture I was seeing on my TV was the overscanned picture. Later, when I veiwed the captured AVI on the computer, I saw the real entire picture.

Now, if I was going to take this AVI that was the real picture, and output it to DVD, if I did NOT add borders, wouldn't I see it the same as the original broadcast on the TV anyway? Meaning that if I added borders to compensate for the overscan, I'd be seeing the whole picture on my TV, which would actually be better than I originally watched it?

Sorry, not so quick I guessed. I'm just wondering if adding borders is just a luxury for people that HAVE to see the whole picture, but in actuality, without borders, it was how I originally saw it anyway.

[BJ_M]

when it is broadcast -- they dont expect you to watch the overscanned portions and ussually nothing worth watching in that area (broadcast tv we are talking about - not cinema) ..

so you are correct anyway