Tim_Rogerson wrote:All it says on the disk menu is 'mono' or 'stereo' - doesn't say whether its 1.0 or 2.0. How do I find out?
Do you have a proper AV receiver? Or do you check the specs via some computer software etc? With receiver, just use "Pro Logic" (not Pro Logic II etc). If the 2.0 sound ONLY comes from the "front center" channel (via Pro Logic), it's mono. If it's coming from all channels, it's stereo/surround (it's fine just to add stereo).
Tim_Rogerson wrote:Also - how do I tell if its anamorphic or not? Presumably the fact that it is in the OAR doesn't necessarily mean its anamorphic?
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/misc/anamorphic_dvd.htmTim_Rogerson wrote:Not sure what the difference between 'open matte' and 'clearly cropped' is since I thought all 4:3 films were cropped in some form or another
This was my bad, since I originally thought that the aspect ratio on the DVD is 1.85:1 and not 2.35:1 (it's the latter, I'm sure).
But yes, many 4:3 versions of the 1.85:1 (and 1.66:1) films are actually open matte. They just "remove" the mattes from the top and from the bottom (and therefore actually show more image on the top and on the bottom). 4:3 is not the OAR, though. And sometimes the "open matte" version still slightly crops the image from the sides.
Pan&scan is different, since it crops and re-frames. Very badly.
James-Masaki_Ryan wrote:Does the back of the case say "Anamorphic"? Early Fox DVDs stated "Anamorphic" or nothing. (Nothing meaning Non-Anamorphic).
I'm afraid back covers cannot be trusted. Meaning that even if the back cover says "anamorphic" (or just "16:9" as sometimes when they mean anamorphic) one should check the actual disc. Same thing with audio, subs, dubs, etc etc.
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