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    DVD on widescreen laptop

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by mattfenn, May 15, 2005.

  1. mattfenn

    mattfenn Newbie

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    I have the Dell 6000 15.4" widescreen and wanted to know why widescreen DVDs are not taking up the whole screen. I use PowerDVD to view the movies. Am I missing a setting?
     
  2. chandlerjea

    chandlerjea Notebook Consultant

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    Same question here. I have hp zv5000 and there is still a border at the top and bottom of the screen! It's my first widescreen so i'm clueless.
     
  3. Brian

    Brian Working at 486 Speed NBR Reviewer

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    That's because the widescreen of the movie is not the same aspect ratio as your monitor. It's confusing, I know...

    Brian

    www.BargainPDA.com | www.DigitalCameraReview.com | www.NotebookReview.com | www.SpotStop.com | www.TabletPCReviewSpot.com
     
  4. chandlerjea

    chandlerjea Notebook Consultant

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    I understand. :(
     
  5. Quikster

    Quikster Notebook Deity NBR Reviewer

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    to be more specific your laptop is 16:10 and widescreen movies have an aspect ratio of 16:9 hope this explains it some more for you. Also, normal movies and laptops are 4:3

    zx5000 :: 2.4M :: 512 DDR :: 40gb 4200 RPM HD :: 15.4" :: Radeon 9600 Mobilty M10 :: Aquamark3 22,856
     
  6. Budget

    Budget Notebook Enthusiast

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    So does it stretch or does it stay the same?

    And what the hell is hyper threading?
     
  7. asr

    asr Notebook Enthusiast

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    On a Widescreen laptop, 4:3 content would have black bars on either side. And Hyper-Threading emulates 2 processors.
     
  8. StngStr

    StngStr Notebook Enthusiast

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    while watching a movie, right click anywhere on the screen so the list of settings pulls up. Down low one of the choices is view or screen or something similar. Make sure that "Widescreen" is checked. That fixed it for me on my 15.4 widescreen.

    _____________________________
    Ryan
    HP dv4040:
    * 1.73 Ghz Pentium M * 1.0 GB DDR SDRAM * 100 GB 4200 RPM HD * 15.4" WXGA BrightView WideScreen * Intel Pro/Wireless 2200 * 8x CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) * Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 (128 shared) * Win XP Pro SP2 *
     
  9. mikeakajb

    mikeakajb Notebook Consultant

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    if you really don't want any bars make sure like they said your widescreen dvd is the same exact aspect ratio as your notebook monitor. Or if you really want to make sure set the aspect ratio / picture to fit screen.... make sure widescreen is selected so nothing gets distorted and it will crop out the edges... alot less then what they do for full screen movies but still crops out the very very far left and right edges...


    fit to height also is another option or fit to width.

    Dell I6000d
    1.86 ghz
    1 gig 400mhz ram
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    Intel Pro 2915 a/b/g Wireless
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    Nec Dvd +- RW 6500A
     
  10. Cman

    Cman Notebook Consultant

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    I looked for settings like that and found them on both my laptops, however they do not change the aspect ratio of the movies I play on them. I only own or rent DVD movies in widescreen so it looks like I will have to live with the bars on the top and bottom of the picture. Kinda sucks in a way especially on the Fujitsu, it's got a small enough screen as it is being able to use all the viewing area for my widescreen DVD movies would be better.

    Tony



    T. Chan

    Self built PC, P4 3.2Ghz HT

    Acer 1681WLMi

    Fujitsu P7010