Problem with Onkyo DV-SP404

[Highbar]

As the title says I'm having a weird problem with my DVD player. I noticed it two nights ago but was too tired to deal with it, and it's doing it again tonight.

I just watched Blow and now I'm watching American Beauty. No issues with either movie. I wanted to watch Boondock Saints but the video gets messed up. When I start the movie it is displayed as a 4:3 image on the TV, I get black bars on the top, bottom and both sides. I've checked all the settings and everything is normal, as my other movies are fine.

I've got the 404 hooked up to my Philips 30" widescreen (it's a tube, ways a ton and is HD, I love the image) via HDMI. The 404 is set to 16:9, 1080i, over HDMI. I've never had a problem like this till now.

Thanks guys, any help would be great.

Tony

 

[tcm5]

The movie is probably not an anamorphic widescreen, you will need to zoom to fill the screen.

 

[Highbar]

No, it's widescreen. I only buy widescreen and it works like it should in the bedroom.

 

[mtrycrafts]

No, it's widescreen. I only buy widescreen and it works like it should in the bedroom.

OK, but does the label on the back states 'Anamorphic?'

 

[Highbar]

Quote from the case "Widescreen Letterbox Version (Aspect Ratio 2.35:1)" Doesn't say "Anamorphic", but neither do half of my movies and they are all fine.

It's like the DVD player is sending out a 4:3 image over the 16:9 signal. When I set the TV to 4:3 I still get the bars on the top, bottom and both sides of that (the image isn't even as wide as the 4:3 setting), set the TV back to 16:9 and same thing.

I've watched movies every night this week without a problem and watch American Beauty after with no problem. I just can't get it.

Thanks again,
T

 

[MDS]

2.35:1 is much wider than 16:9 (1.78:1) and there will always be black bars at the top and bottom. There shouldn't be black bars on the sides unless the dvd player is configured for 4:3 or perhaps the disc contains multiple versions and defaults to letterbox or pan & scan.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Quote from the case "Widescreen Letterbox Version (Aspect Ratio 2.35:1)" Doesn't say "Anamorphic", but neither do half of my movies and they are all fine.

It's like the DVD player is sending out a 4:3 image over the 16:9 signal. When I set the TV to 4:3 I still get the bars on the top, bottom and both sides of that (the image isn't even as wide as the 4:3 setting), set the TV back to 16:9 and same thing.

I've watched movies every night this week without a problem and watch American Beauty after with no problem. I just can't get it.

Thanks again,
T

Does the disc have both formats on it, one on one side, the other on the other?
If not, and plays fine on the other player and TV,

On my setup, newer than the old, non anamorphic becomes a postage stamp on the screen, yet on a regular TV it is fine.
My old player and old projection setup displayed both anamorphic and non anamorphic with no problems. Not sure what to tell you.

 

[Highbar]

It's a one sided disc with just the one format. And yes it runs fine on the other set up. Granted that's just an old 20" tube and composite video but still it's fine.

T

 

[mtrycrafts]

It's a one sided disc with just the one format. And yes it runs fine on the other set up. Granted that's just an old 20" tube and composite video but still it's fine.

T

I have similar experience with non-anamorphic DVDs with regular crt tv and non crt projector. I guess on those dvds you need to zoom.

 

[aarond]

letterbox is the worst type of transfer the black bars are part of the transfer I watched one letterbox dvd and it turned my 61" display into a 30" display with black bars on top bottom and sides.

see audioholics understanding aspect ratios

http://www.audioholics.com/education/display-formats-technology/understanding-widescreen-letterboxed-and-pan-scan

 

[Highbar]

OK, so I'm just going to keep track of all the movies that are displaying this way in the tread. I'll edit this post from now on.

Just put in True Romance from Netflix, and well it was displaying the same way as Boondock. Put in Oceans Twelve and it's playing just fine.

This is really starting to get to me. I don't have the money to buy a new DVD player right now but does anyone know of one that will play non Anamorphic movies with no problem?

Thanks for the help,

T