The "Incorrect Aspect Ratio" Thread

[Woodoo4Vudu]

Re: The "Incorrect Aspect Ratio" Thread

Farscape premiere OAR is 1.33:1 but is stretched to fill the screen on Vudu (couldn't preview before purchasing, I tried ep 2 & 3 and they were proper OAR and not stretched thank god. Also Top Dog is non anamorphic letterbox and doesn't fill the wide screen.

[Capt-Cupcake]

Re: The "Incorrect Aspect Ratio" Thread

I eMailed FOX about it and got this reply back from them....
---------------------------------------------------------------
"Thank you for your email and interest in Fox Products! Die Hard 2 and The Abyss: Special Edition are only available in 16x9 through VUDU.

Thank you,
Fox Customer Care"
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Sounds like they have no plans and do not care to fix the issue....

the SAME EXACT response I got about Revenge of the Nerds 3 and 4! We need to bombard them and let them know that is not an acceptable response!

[Jacob305]

Re: The "Incorrect Aspect Ratio" Thread

what is the email for fox digital movies?

Jacob

[tbdave]

Re: The "Incorrect Aspect Ratio" Thread

Birds Of Prey: Season 1

It's 4:3 letterboxed with black bars on all 4 sides (aka Windowboxed). Too bad. If it was 16x9, I'd probably buy it.

[prkprkprk]

Re: The "Incorrect Aspect Ratio" Thread

Birds Of Prey: Season 1

It's 4:3 letterboxed with black bars on all 4 sides (aka Windowboxed). Too bad. If it was 16x9, I'd probably buy it.

Added it!

This thread is now two years old and hardly anything has been fixed.

[Capt-Cupcake]

Re: The "Incorrect Aspect Ratio" Thread

what is the email for fox digital movies?

Jacob

I sent you their e-mail address. Check your private messages.

[Jacob305]

Re: The "Incorrect Aspect Ratio" Thread

I sent you their e-mail address. Check your private messages.

thanks.

Jacob

[tbdave]

Re: The "Incorrect Aspect Ratio" Thread

I was going to buy Capote since it's on sale for the Academy Awards. But I passed after checking the preview. OAR is 2.35:1, and Vudu is 1.85:1.

[Tim000]

Re: The "Incorrect Aspect Ratio" Thread

PLANET OF THE APES (2001) is in the OAR for the opening title sequence, switches to 1.78 for the remainder.

[prkprkprk]

Re: The "Incorrect Aspect Ratio" Thread

Just updated the list. Sorry for taking so long!

[JKraley]

Re: The "Incorrect Aspect Ratio" Thread

"High Art" (1998)

Something seems very wrong when viewing the streaming VUDU version of this movie I purchased with full cross-platformed UV digital copy privileges.

This movie ONLY HAS AN "SD" STREAM OPTION, however: when vied through VUDU, the screen looks likea 4:3 old TV ratio, when in actuality, according to the technical specs of the original film, it was filmed and should be shown as: 1.85:1

This is frustrating because, since the film is UV cross-platformable, I tested streaming it through Verizon FiOS and it displayed it perfectly, but it's a small rectangle in the black rectangle of my flatscreen.

VUDU's UV copy would be perfect IF they just stretched the horizontal out so that the people don't look like anorexic aliens...

Any solutions or "work arounds" in order to view this correctly through VUDU? Or am I stuck with a poor compressed stream from VUDU until they fix and reupload it to their servers for us paid owners (and potential renters)?

Thank you in advance.

[prkprkprk]

Re: The "Incorrect Aspect Ratio" Thread

"High Art" (1998)

Something seems very wrong when viewing the streaming VUDU version of this movie I purchased with full cross-platformed UV digital copy privileges.

This movie ONLY HAS AN "SD" STREAM OPTION, however: when vied through VUDU, the screen looks likea 4:3 old TV ratio, when in actuality, according to the technical specs of the original film, it was filmed and should be shown as: 1.85:1

This is frustrating because, since the film is UV cross-platformable, I tested streaming it through Verizon FiOS and it displayed it perfectly, but it's a small rectangle in the black rectangle of my flatscreen.

VUDU's UV copy would be perfect IF they just stretched the horizontal out so that the people don't look like anorexic aliens...

Any solutions or "work arounds" in order to view this correctly through VUDU? Or am I stuck with a poor compressed stream from VUDU until they fix and reupload it to their servers for us paid owners (and potential renters)?

Thank you in advance.

I added it for you.

[CT-Scott]

Re: The "Incorrect Aspect Ratio" Thread

Hi guys, new VUDU user here (actually, I'm sort of still in the "dipping my toes in the water" mode now). I just started up a new post with part of my life story and a specific question (not Aspect Ratio related) here, in case anyone wants to take a look:
https://forum.vudu.com/showthread.php?946298

I then spotted this thread and thought, "oh darn, maybe VUDU/UV isn't going to work for me after all". Short version: I care about PQ and widescreen movies, but can live without HD audio. I have an Epson 8350 front projector and a really large 2.35:1 screen (I manually zoom the projector as needed when switching between 16:9 and scope movies). If VUDU/UV crops scope movies, I'd be heartbroken. I skimmed through the list in the OP and was relieved a bit to see that the list wasn't as extensive as I feared it would be. I also saw an early post by a VUDU rep that seemed to suggest that they actually did care about the OAR.

Looking at the movies that show up on the VUDU website, though, I'm disappointed to see that the AR isn't listed.

So, I apologize if the question has already been asked and answered (the thread is long, but I will do some more reading), but my question is: What is VUDU/UV's current position on this topic, and is this issue trending more or less in the right direction? Because VUDU is owned by Walmart I fear that there might intentionally decide to "dumb down" the AR of scope movies to 16:9 in order to serve the "typical Walmart customer" who has no appreciation for OAR and instead might complain about why their widescreen TV is showing black bars when they watch a scope movie.

[mjmbond]

Re: The "Incorrect Aspect Ratio" Thread

AFAIK, Walmart/Vudu have no axe to grind either way when it comes to aspect ratios. They are simply selling the encodes provided to them by the studios. Problems getting the OAR are not confined to just Vudu; Flixter, CinemaNow etc. have the same type issues, though sometimes the encode each retailer sells may vary. That said, there are a lot of encodes without the original OAR.

One thing to wonder about is that Walmart/Vudu's D2D conversion prices are way cheaper than other retailers, especially with the in home 50% off offer. The deals they cut with the studios that allow them to price this way may have some bearing on the encodes available for D2D, though again, other more costly retailers have the same problem. That said, if an encode is updated for OAR, etc. (The Fifth Element comes to mind as an example), Vudu will replace the earlier HDX one you purchased.

[MaxH]

Re: The "Incorrect Aspect Ratio" Thread

Actually, CT-Scott, some of the VUDU staff here on the forums are movie enthusiasts, and take things like OAR as seriously as any of us. I think part of the issue is that when a studio gives VUDU a movie that's been cropped, they have two choices: they can pull the movie and not let anyone watch it until it's available in its OAR, or they can request a new master from the studio and let people watch the cropped one while we wait (and wait, and wait....). I think we can all see, for both business and customer support reasons, why they'd want to go with the second option, as not every customer cares as much as we do.