Disgusted With Cropping

[RAJH]

I've been a VOOM member since November. If I knew then that VOOM would crop the majority of its movies I wouldn't have joined up. In my opinion a cropped movie is a ruined movie. I just can't watch it.

Even though I purchased two receivers in November and am getting HBO (HBO does not crop most movies) free for being an early adopter I would dump VOOM in a heartbeat if one of the other services starts to offer an equivalent package with OAR (original aspect ratio) movies.

 

[barth2k]

from what I've seen, voom crops 90% of the movies. an uncropped movie is a fluke, it seems. hbo DOES crop most of its movies too.

showtime and hdnet movies are the only ones that seem to have an oar policy.

 

[vurbano]

it doesnt bother me. Most of the future sales of HD sets will be to more Joesix pack types that dont want OAR. Get used to it.

 

[cmercer]

I do not want the aspect ratio of the original exhibition to be altered. Some people quote "intended" as if they know what the director intended to do and didn't. I have seen a petition to change the original 4X3 of Night Gallery to 16x9 for the DVD release. I want to see every inch that was originally shown (top botom and sides).

 

[Sean Mota]

rajh,

I also want OAR and have been very outspoken about it to VOOM. I do not know if OAR will keep me it from getting the service since there are only two HD channels (as it was mentioned earlier in the thread) that consistently do movies in its OAR -- Showtime-HD and HDnet Movies.

I will discount Showtime-HD from the list, IMHO, because they bring very little new HD content. Showtime is pathetic when it comes to bringing new content! So in my book the only channel that does OAR consistently is HDnet Movies. No one else!

Every other channel only does a few now and then in OAR. This is big too me but not big enough to drop VOOM right now because others who have been in the business longer also have done crop movies.

I do not know if you've got VOOM first and then register but here when I've got VOOM back in November of 2003, I started a thread talking about the HD Cinema Movies and pointed out that most or all of them were not OAR.

 

[Dvlos]

Are you kidding me almost all the movies on HD are cropped, and some are OPEN MATTE. In any case, as said Showtime, TMC, and Starz show OAR movies, however they don't ALWAYS show it this way. Check out the OPEN matte thread in the programming forum. If you switch to D* or E* you're going to get teh same channels (less) and still have cropping. Sorry but the average Joe just bought a $3,000 HDTV he doesn't want to see his movie with black bars. I'm all for some sort of Voom Zoom (Patented!) feature that lets thedeliver the movie OAR and then at a push of a button it fills your screen, I don't see why this couldn't be possible.

 

[lostcause]

Many TVs and dvd players already have this built in. It's a simple zoom function. You lose some resolution when you zoom, but at least it gets rid of the black bars for those that just can't stand them.

 

[gutter]

I am afraid Dylos is right. most people want to fill their new wide screen from end to end regardless of the OAR. I like the OAR too. I am not sure that VOOM can control how the movies are delivered to them. But when they do not show OAR the resolution is not as good as they have to be zoomed up to fit the screen as was earlier said. also remember that film movies are not HD...they are chemical process not digital. A good HD transfer is give as good as the original. Today most transfers are done digitially from the actual negative. However, most of the old movies that VOOM shows are done from positive prints. Although there are some older movies that look much better than more recent ones. I think the old technicolor process holds their color much better. So don't blame VOOM entirely. It may be just what was delivered to them.

 

[RAJH]

Sean,

I found this site in December and have followed it ever since. I especially appreciate your input.

Its a shame. It appears that most people are cattle, content on whatever is fed them. As long as most people don't care and don't complain we will continue to get cropped movies.

I am not content. I want my movies shown in OAR. HD-DVD is just around the corner and as soon as it make sense to do so I will drop VOOM and focus on my HD- DVD collection.

 

[cmercer]

HD broadcasts should be a method of converting the original material in the best possible manner to its original intent. If it was originally shot on film, it should be a quality transfer process. Not a shape. Fit the original shape inside the box provided. Mine will be 48 x 64 or 40 x 85 instead of 48 x 85 and I will miss none of the director's original intentions. I am not being robbed of part of my screen. I am gaining content. I hope I can see it. Maybe with opera glasses.

 

[cmercer]

Maybe it has already been doen, but this would be a good topic for a poll.

Which do you prefer?

Cropped
Stretched (Shrunk)
OAR

By the way. Most HD receivers will do stretched for you and it does not have to be broadcast this way.

 

[gutter]

Maybe it has already been doen, but this would be a good topic for a poll.

.

A poll was already done on here and OAR was prefered. but you are right. If it is broadcast OAR with black bars, most receivers can zoom up to fill the screen for those that prefer that.

 

[negreenfield]

Maybe it has already been doen, but this would be a good topic for a poll.

Which do you prefer?

Cropped
Stretched (Shrunk)
OAR

By the way. Most HD receivers will do stretched for you and it does not have to be broadcast this way.

I think we've done this a couple times, all polls went the more for OAR I believe.