The question of dvd recorders comes up often. There's lot's of complication if you're really trying to get the best picture quality. Here's my take:
Some DVD Information:
DVDs can exist with two different aspect ratios (length/height). 4:3 and 16:9. 16:9 DVDs are called anamorphic. In both cases, the DVD is usually 720x480 (the shape of the pixel changes).
Most commercial widescreen DVDs are anamorphic. Movies can be wider then 16:9. In this case the DVD is recorded 16:9 and the picture is shrunk until the full width will fit. The top/bottom is no longer tall enough to fill your screen so the dead space is filled with black (called a letterbox). (Side bars are usually called a Pillar Box)
A widescreen move can also be recorded on a 4:3 DVD using the same method. The letterbox just gets (A LOT) bigger.
The problem here is that a portion of your 720x480 pixels are being wasted recording blackness. This costs the DVD resolution (picture quality). An anamorphic (16:9) DVD is wider then a 4:3 so is wasting fewer pixels recording black space.
Anamorphic DVD on a 4:3 TV:
So say you have an Anamorphic (16:9) DVD and a 4:3 TV. If nothing else happens the wide image would be horizontally scrunched onto you narrow TV and everyone would appear tall and skinny (hmmm, I like the sound of that).
Anamorphic DVDs have a hidden flag (indicator) to identify itself to the DVD Player. If a DVD is Anamorphic AND the "TV Type" is set to 4:3, the DVD Player will vertically scrunch the image to return the tall/skinny people back to their proper shape (creating a letterbox on the TV). But remember, in this case, the letterbox is not actually recorded on the DVD (wasting pixels), but is being created by the DVD Player.
Now, on to the 622:
If its hi-def source and the 622 is in 16:9 mode you will be getting an anamorphic image out of the TV1 video ports (and the TV2 ports if in “Single” mode). When you record this with your DVD Recorder (DVDR) you'll be recording an anamorphic DVD. This is the best resolution you can get.
Problem is most DVD recorders don't set the 16:9 flag so DVD players don't create a letterbox for 4:3 TVs. This doesn't matter if you’re only using a 16:9 TV since they don't require the vertical squish.
There are two solutions to this problem.
Solution #1:
If you're playback is mostly on a 4:3 TV (say making a Disc for a friend), you can have the 622 create the top/bottom letterbox. You do lose some resolution, but for a 4:3 TV you're not missing much.
Set the 622 Display Type to 4x3 #2 to have it create the letterbox.
Solution #2:
Leave the 622 in 16:9 mode and record the Anamorphic DVD. Now we need to set the anamorphic flag on the DVD so a regular DVD player will create the top/bottom letterbox. This can be done on a PC using a freeware program (ifoedit).
Get the Program and install it:
IfoEdit
http://download.videohelp.com/download/Ifoedit0971.zip
Do your initial recording to an RW (so you don't waste a disc).
Pop the Disc in a PC DVD Drive and use Windows Explorer to copy the video_ts folder (there’s no content protection on discs you create).
Use ifoedit edit to set the anamorphic flag (instructions):
AVS Forum
Finally, reburn the DVD with your favorite burning program.
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Appendix:
There are some interesting side effects when watching 4:3 material on a hi-def (16:9) channel....
4:3 isn't wide enough to fill 16:9 so there are bars on the sides. Also, with 4:3 #2 the 622 does the vertical squish to format the widescreen anamorphic for the 4:3 TV.
So, now you have side bars (from the broadcaster), and top/bottom bars from the 622. No reason to record all the bars. Use the 622 Zoom (#/format button) to remove the bars.
