21:9 Resolution?

[bcjenkins]

What's the point here? Vizio just announced a new TV that sports it.

B

[razrsharpe]

ability to show movies shot with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio (ie most blockbuster movies) full screen without black bars on the top and bottom (like on 16:9 televisions)

21:9 = 2.33:1

Cinescope

[voidpt]

and the joy of having regular 16:9 broadcasts stretched or shown with black bars on sides. aaah, the joys of progress, marketing and standardization

[Nelbert]

It's not aimed for general SD or HD viewing. It's aimed at 2.35:1 content.

Phillips release a couple in 2009 over here in the UK/Europe branded as Cinema 21:9 TVs. The starting price of £3000 made it even more niche than it's aspect ratio but they must have sold enough as they now have a 3D version of it on the market.

It's often a sought after resolution for projector users and removes the black bars seen watching 2.35:1 films on 16:9 screens.

[bcjenkins]

Does it pillar box 16:9 content?

B

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by bcjenkins

Does it pillar box 16:9 content?

B

Yes or stretch it. But like others said it is not meant for HDTV 16x9 watching. I personally would be all over one for a theater room if I didn't already get that aspect from a projector and if it was a higher quality tv then vizio.

[stanger89]

There are a "lot" of use (OK probably not a lot) that have been running this sort of setup for a long time, it's called Constant Image Height. Long story short, letterbox bars are the right way for movies to be shown. Movies have gotten wider and wider over the years, not shorter. A CIH setup, be it a 2.3x:1 projection screen and an anamorphic lens (or zooming) or a "21:9" TV, allows all aspect ratios to be shown in correct relation/proportion to each other, "scope" (2.3x:1) wider than HDTV (1.78:1), wider than SDTV (1.33:1).

http://www.widescreen.org/multimedia.shtml

[ayjax]

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

Yes or stretch it. But like others said it is not meant for HDTV 16x9 watching. I personally would be all over one for a theater room if I didn't already get that aspect from a projector and if it was a higher quality tv then vizio.

I have to agree... A projector is the way to go for a movie room which is where this TV will most likely end up

[benjatelcom]

Well Vizio's entry is compelling... Generally you can't touch a projector worthy, and the anamorphic lens for less than 5k. Plus a screen.

Hope we are seeing a trend towards anamorphic, and some projectors start shipping with the capability built in.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by benjatelcom

Well Vizio's entry is compelling... Generally you can't touch a projector worthy, and the anamorphic lens for less than 5k. Plus a screen.

Yeah, except a 50" flat panel really isn't a substitute for a 120"+ projector

Hope we are seeing a trend towards anamorphic, and some projectors start shipping with the capability built in.

I doubt we'll see any projectors with integrated anamorphic optics, it's just too costly/complex. But there are already some native scope projectors out there:
http://www.avielo.com/product-optix-superwide235.html
I think Sim2 has or is going to have one as well. Kind of though there was another, but can't find it at the moment, maybe DPI.

[PLUCKYHD]

My Panny AE4000 will do anamorphic without a separate lens. Granted it doesn't keep full resolution (ie it is wasted at top and bottom, but is the cheapest way I know to get 21:9 on a projection. I use mine at 16x9 though btw