widescreen aspect and panasonic new range dvd recorders....

[amichael]

I have the panasonic DMR-EX85 and have also tried this on the DMR-ES25 with the same results.
Basically, as the manual says, you can only record a 16:9 source onto a dvd-ram disk and will playback as a proper anamorphic 16:9 picture. Record on any other type of disk OR it's hard disk and it goes on as a 4x3 picture.
The odd thing about this is that if you playback the recorded 4x3 image (originally a 16:9 source) then it does actually display the correct aspect ratio ONLY if you set the TV to display the full image, and by this I don't mean 16:9 or 4x3 or even automatic, but FULL (panasonic TV's have this option).

Now I don't want to keep changing the aspect ratio of my TV from automatic just to display DVD's I have recorded. As I said earlier this would not be a problem if I use dvd-ram disks all the time as the auto function will automatically display them correctly.
SO, anyone out ther know what I can use and how to amend a recorded image on my pc so that it can recognise automatically a 16:9 dvd-r ? ifoedit ? ulead movie factory v5 ?
obviously I don't mind ripping the dvd onto my hard disk and sorting it out and burning back onto another dvd.

[roma_turok]

You can change from aspect ratio in DVD from 4:3 to 16:9 in VobBlanker.

[nova828]

I just tried that (i'm not the original poster, but I was about to post the same question) and it didn't work.

I have a DVD I recorded from SCI-FI channel and it was originally a 16:9 picture inside a 4:3 frame. (Eureka) When I changed the aspect ratio as shown above I get a 16:9 picture, but the black bars at the top and bottom are encoded along with the picture so I still end up with the same problem. What I need to do is find a way to cut off the black bars entirely so the 16:9 picture fills the entire screen. My TV doesn't have a zoom feature that will do that for me at all.

[roma_turok]

I just tried that (i'm not the original poster, but I was about to post the same question) and it didn't work.

I have a DVD I recorded from SCI-FI channel and it was originally a 16:9 picture inside a 4:3 frame. (Eureka) When I changed the aspect ratio as shown above I get a 16:9 picture, but the black bars at the top and bottom are encoded along with the picture so I still end up with the same problem. What I need to do is find a way to cut off the black bars entirely so the 16:9 picture fills the entire screen. My TV doesn't have a zoom feature that will do that for me at all.

You need crop black bars and reencode to 16:9 mpeg2

[amichael]

it's beginning to be a bit of a headache and I am really surprised this is not a mjaor concern with many people. This is how the machine works - who has head of such crap. recording a 16x9 image as 4x3....I mean come on, eeryone should be up in arms and slagging this machine instead of praising it's picture quality.

[gshelley61]

There are some DVD recorders that allow you to manually set the AR flag to 16:9 prior to recording (certain Toshiba and Sony units come to mind). However, changing the AR flag after the fact is just as effective... just a little more time consuming. I use Restream to do this. I usually do some trimming and re-authoring of my DVD recordings on the computer anyway, so this added step is no big deal.

[amichael]

I would have to disagree with that comment - it's extra work un-necessary.

I didn't know that sony/toshiba were better at handling the AR.

I am just so surprised in ALL the reviews I have read about this player and worse of all, peoples comments on this particular player (and there have been quite a few) NO ONE has mention this small, but very important fact. Do people think it makes them look intelligent having to switch the AR of their TV to accomate viewing a recorded tv program ?

My tv is normally set to automaticly switch to w/s mode when the signal comes through various channels on my tv and watching a dvd, BUT I am supposed to switch the AR when watching something recorded from this player (even though it was originally widescreen) - absolutley ludicrous !! I had copied something from my dv camera recently onto the HD and that maintained the correct ratio (!), but it seems tv channels do not. furthermore if I wanted to burn the dv image from the hd to a disk - I then lose the AR.....WHAT CAN I SAY !