[opendtv] Re: Popular screen aspect ratios

  • From: "Allen Le Roy Limberg" <allimberg@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2010 18:40:23 -0500

As I recall, Kerns Powers at RCA favored a 16:9 display since it allowed
viewing four 4:3 images in quadruplex.  Good for watching four football
games on a Saturday afternoon.

Al
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, December 20, 2010 5:19 PM
Subject: [opendtv] Re: Popular screen aspect ratios


> Cliff Benham wrote:
>
> > Bert, Cinerama is unique. It's still being shown in theaters today.
>
> But as far as I know, no one is producing Cinerama movies these days,
right? Or even Ultra Panavision or any other 70mm format.
>
> > Again it wasn't the extreme width of the Cinerama image but it's
> > peripheral depth that creates its visual impact.
>
> That makes sense. The curved screen was more goggle-like. As you say, it
fills your peripheral vision better than flat or flatter screens. I
certainly agree with that.
>
> > If you have never seen Cinerama, you missed it.
>
> Cliff, I did. IIRC, the movies I initially saw in the original Cinerama
version were:
>
> Around the World in 80 Days
> It's a Mad Mad ... World
> The Longest Day
>
> ... in that chronological order. I can't think of any more, or of any
after The Longest Day. So, that would be 1962 was the most recent I saw?
>
> Ben Hur was impressive too, but I think it was Ultra Panavision 70mm
anamorphic. And 2001 A Space Odyssey was impressive, but it was "only" the
unsqueezed 2.21:1 70mm Super Panavision. Very similar to today's blockbuster
aspect ratio.
>
> > No other widescreen film process can touch it for the reality it
> > produces in a theater.
>
> Given how rare these ultra-super-wide movies were, it seemed more sensible
to concentrate our efforts on creating a TV display standard, or guideline
at least, that is more in tune with the bulk of Hollywood productions.
That's why, my personal preference back in the 1990s was for ATSC to use
something close to 2:1. It would have been right in the middle, between the
two historical AND current Hollywood wide screen favorites, and TV shows too
would have migrated to 2:1.
>
> Oh well, 1.77:1 isn't half bad. What's bad is that we are still having to
deal with the way-too-narrow 4:3 legacy, even in situations where it's not
necessary.
>
> Bert
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:
>
> - Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at
FreeLists.org
>
> - By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
unsubscribe in the subject line.
>

 
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:

- Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at 
FreeLists.org 

- By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word 
unsubscribe in the subject line.

Other related posts:

  1. Home
  2. opendtv
  3. Archive
  4. 12-2010