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FullScreenType Help

FullScreenType

This field refers to the type of 1.33:1 (fullscreen) transfer present on a disc, if this can be determined. With dual format DVDs, this determination is relatively easy to make, as direct comparisons can be made between the widescreen and fullscreen transfers. With single format DVDs, this determination is not as easy, although to a large extent the image framing will give away the type of fullscreen transfer that it is.

Valid values for this field are;

None - there is no fullscreen transfer on this DVD

Unknown - there is a fullscreen transfer on this DVD, but we are unable to determine whether it is Full Frame or Pan & Scan.

Full Frame - the fullscreen image is the same as the widescreen image but with the top and bottom black bars removed, revealing additional image. The entire exposed image area is visible. This can sometimes include such surprises as visible boom mikes which would normally be matted off for the widescreen presentation.

Pan & Scan - the fullscreen image has the sides of the widescreen image chopped off, and the transfer focuses in on what is considered to be the most important part of the image. See also A Widescreen Primer Part One.

Auto - the DVD specification allows a 16x9 enhanced transfer to include auto panning vectors. DVDs so encoded will display as fullscreen if a DVD player is set to 4x3 pan & scan mode but as widescreen if a DVD player is set to 4x3 letterbox or 16x9 widescreen mode. The advantage of this mode is that a single widescreen 16x9 enhanced DVD transfer can serve as a passable pan & scan transfer with no need to put another copy of the programming on the disc. Transfers that are Auto Pan & Scan encoded are invariably NOT labeled as such on the packaging, often leading to a typical flurry of emails about a given title not being in widescreen as the review states.

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