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If you need to B*tch about something... this is the place — Page 200

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DuracellEnergizer said:

B. letterbox movies & TV shows shot in 4:3

I’m sorry for being dull right now, but I honestly can’t figure out what this is referring to.

Army of Darkness: The Medieval Deadit | The Terminator - Color Regrade | The Wrong Trousers - Audio Preservation
SONIC RACES THROUGH THE GREEN FIELDS.
THE SUN RACES THROUGH A BLUE SKY FILLED WITH WHITE CLOUDS.
THE WAYS OF HIS HEART ARE MUCH LIKE THE SUN. SONIC RUNS AND RESTS; THE SUN RISES AND SETS.
DON’T GIVE UP ON THE SUN. DON’T MAKE THE SUN LAUGH AT YOU.

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Movies and TV shows shot in 4:3 but shown letterboxed.

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 (Edited)

When I said “I have compassion for others,” it sounded like “compassion for those who are unable to aquire cigarettes,” but what I meant was, “compassion for those who get in trouble with the law because they smoke under a certain age.” How would you feel if you got in trouble with the law for being a smoker?

DuracellEnergizer said:

I can’t believe there are TV stations which

A. still show panned-and-scanned cuts of movies

and

B. letterbox movies & TV shows shot in 4:3

The latter is particularily pointless and stupid.

I don’t understand it either, Duracell. I don’t remember when the last I watched anything panned-and-scanned was. I find the fact that part of the picture is missing to be way more distracting than black bars on the screen. And I have no clue why they would letterbox something shot in 4:3 unless you mean letterbox on the sides rather than the top and bottom.

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TV’s Frink said:

Movies and TV shows shot in 4:3 but shown letterboxed.

I don’t understand how you can letterbox something that is either the same ratio as the screen or taller, unless you are windowboxing, which is different.

darklordoftech said:

…unless you mean letterbox on the sides rather than the top and bottom.

This is usually called pillarbox, so saying letterbox and meaning pillarbox is misleading.

Army of Darkness: The Medieval Deadit | The Terminator - Color Regrade | The Wrong Trousers - Audio Preservation
SONIC RACES THROUGH THE GREEN FIELDS.
THE SUN RACES THROUGH A BLUE SKY FILLED WITH WHITE CLOUDS.
THE WAYS OF HIS HEART ARE MUCH LIKE THE SUN. SONIC RUNS AND RESTS; THE SUN RISES AND SETS.
DON’T GIVE UP ON THE SUN. DON’T MAKE THE SUN LAUGH AT YOU.

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Dek Rollins said:

TV’s Frink said:

Movies and TV shows shot in 4:3 but shown letterboxed.

I don’t understand how you can letterbox something that is either the same ratio as the screen or taller, unless you are windowboxing, which is different.

darklordoftech said:

…unless you mean letterbox on the sides rather than the top and bottom.

This is usually called pillarbox, so saying letterbox and meaning pillarbox is misleading.

I just looked up the terms. Windowboxing is when an already letterboxed image gets pillarboxed. An example we should all be familiar with is the GOUT.

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darklordoftech said:

I just looked up the terms. Windowboxing is when an already letterboxed image gets pillarboxed. An example we should all be familiar with is the GOUT.

I knew this. That’s why I said it’s something different.

Army of Darkness: The Medieval Deadit | The Terminator - Color Regrade | The Wrong Trousers - Audio Preservation
SONIC RACES THROUGH THE GREEN FIELDS.
THE SUN RACES THROUGH A BLUE SKY FILLED WITH WHITE CLOUDS.
THE WAYS OF HIS HEART ARE MUCH LIKE THE SUN. SONIC RUNS AND RESTS; THE SUN RISES AND SETS.
DON’T GIVE UP ON THE SUN. DON’T MAKE THE SUN LAUGH AT YOU.

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Dek Rollins said:

darklordoftech said:

I just looked up the terms. Windowboxing is when an already letterboxed image gets pillarboxed. An example we should all be familiar with is the GOUT.

I knew this. That’s why I said it’s something different.

I was just clarifying for everyone else. I didn’t want there to be any confusion.

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^Okay. It would be good for everyone to know what we’re talking about. 😄

Army of Darkness: The Medieval Deadit | The Terminator - Color Regrade | The Wrong Trousers - Audio Preservation
SONIC RACES THROUGH THE GREEN FIELDS.
THE SUN RACES THROUGH A BLUE SKY FILLED WITH WHITE CLOUDS.
THE WAYS OF HIS HEART ARE MUCH LIKE THE SUN. SONIC RUNS AND RESTS; THE SUN RISES AND SETS.
DON’T GIVE UP ON THE SUN. DON’T MAKE THE SUN LAUGH AT YOU.

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Why are you bringing up the smoking thing again?

I swear I’ve never seen someone care about something so much that is a complete non-issue.

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Wait I think I get it. You’re complaining they are cropping stuff to be 16:9 when its was filmed in 4:3 or 2,35:1 right?

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I think what he is talking about is taking tv shows that were shot in 4:3 and older movies also shot in 4:3 and cutting off the tops and/or bottoms to make them 16:9. Am I right?

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Warbler said:

I think what he is talking about is taking tv shows that were shot in 4:3 and older movies also shot in 4:3 and cutting off the tops and/or bottoms to make them 16:9. Am I right?

I can only assume that you’re correct. He said letterbox, which in context doesn’t mean the same thing as cropping to 16:9, so I’ll just wait until he responds to our query.

Army of Darkness: The Medieval Deadit | The Terminator - Color Regrade | The Wrong Trousers - Audio Preservation
SONIC RACES THROUGH THE GREEN FIELDS.
THE SUN RACES THROUGH A BLUE SKY FILLED WITH WHITE CLOUDS.
THE WAYS OF HIS HEART ARE MUCH LIKE THE SUN. SONIC RUNS AND RESTS; THE SUN RISES AND SETS.
DON’T GIVE UP ON THE SUN. DON’T MAKE THE SUN LAUGH AT YOU.

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Some tv stations where I live that crop tv shows for their HD signal still send out a letterboxed picture for their standard 4:3 signal so even if your watching it on a standard tv you get letterbox for literally no reason

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^You’re talking about windowboxing, right? When the image is letterboxed and then pillarboxed around the letterbox.

Army of Darkness: The Medieval Deadit | The Terminator - Color Regrade | The Wrong Trousers - Audio Preservation
SONIC RACES THROUGH THE GREEN FIELDS.
THE SUN RACES THROUGH A BLUE SKY FILLED WITH WHITE CLOUDS.
THE WAYS OF HIS HEART ARE MUCH LIKE THE SUN. SONIC RUNS AND RESTS; THE SUN RISES AND SETS.
DON’T GIVE UP ON THE SUN. DON’T MAKE THE SUN LAUGH AT YOU.

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No I’m not even talking about a 16:9 TV.

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 (Edited)

I get it: the network is sending out a 16:9 image, even to standard def TV’s, so when a show is actually 4:3 and would be pillarboxed, you get it really small with black bars all the way around (windowboxed?)

JEDIT: but this is what everyone else is thinking too.

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HansiG said:

Wait I think I get it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTyw6cq86kY

Like this? With the black bar all around the picture?

Yes, that is windowboxing.

doubleofive said:

(windowboxed?)

Yes.

Army of Darkness: The Medieval Deadit | The Terminator - Color Regrade | The Wrong Trousers - Audio Preservation
SONIC RACES THROUGH THE GREEN FIELDS.
THE SUN RACES THROUGH A BLUE SKY FILLED WITH WHITE CLOUDS.
THE WAYS OF HIS HEART ARE MUCH LIKE THE SUN. SONIC RUNS AND RESTS; THE SUN RISES AND SETS.
DON’T GIVE UP ON THE SUN. DON’T MAKE THE SUN LAUGH AT YOU.

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Time

I was pretty surprised to see a pan and scan version of Constantine playing on a local station last night. I think some stations simply don’t have a newer HD master of some films. Why else does TNT still play a full screen version of Total Recall that looks like an analog tape?
Most of the digital subchannels seem to be 4:3, so I suppose running pan and scan films makes sense for them. I seriously doubt the studios are making new pan and scan masters. I’m amazed a pan and scan of the restored Lawrence of Arabia even exists, as this was letterboxed even on VHS back when such things were rare outside Laserdiscs.

There was a 16:9 version of one Lost In Space episode included as a bonus on the Blu Ray set. The cropping was obvious to these old eyes, but who knows if younger audiences will notice if it’s broadcast this way?

The way Cartoon Network stretches out older 4:3 material annoys me no end. As I only get the SD feed, I can’t even unsqueeze the image.

Where were you in '77?

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They’re probably just sending out a straight downsized signal of their hd signal. I’ve noticed it too, but if you switch to th hd feed it comes through correct.

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If only that was an option with my crappy cable company. If the new company taking over the phone services out here offers me a better deal, I may cut the cord. 😉

Where were you in '77?

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SilverWook said:

If only that was an option with my crappy cable company. If the new company taking over the phone services out here offers me a better deal, I may cut the cord. 😉

Please cut the cord. Cable companies won’t be missed.

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There are so many dishes in the neighborhood now, I’m amazed they haven’t gone under. Been putting up with their substandard service since the 80’s. I won’t miss them either!

Where were you in '77?