Harman Kardon DVD 50 Owners Manual - Page 22

Setup Menu However, since many movies are produced for a wider screen than the TV set they are played on, there is a problem that is like fitting a square peg in a round hole. In many instances this is taken care of by the disc's producers, who reformat the image to fit within a standard 4 x 3 TV screen. Discs such as this require no special setting. The only downside to this is that when wide-screen movies are converted to 4 x 3, some of the information at the sides of a scene may be cut off due to the difference in picture shape. This is also called a "pan and scan" presentation, as a 4 x 3 viewing area is moved across the wider cinema image. Other discs are produced in what is called a "letterbox wide-screen" format. In this case the entire wide image is fit inside the 4 x 3 screen shape from side to side. This means that you see the entire picture as the movie's director intended, but the height of the picture is reduced to accommodate the added width. The blank areas that appear at the top and bottom of the screen make the image in the center appear as if you are looking into a mail slot, giving this sort of presentation the nickname of "letterbox." The DVD format accommodates both of these formats, though it is up to the producer of the disc to select which way to convert the movie to video. Sometimes you will have a choice of only one of the two formats, while some discs offer a full screen, with the pan and scan version on one side of a disc and the widescreen, but letterbox version, on the other side. The DVD 50 will play either type of disc, and you may select a default that tells which way to present the image when there is a choice. To select an aspect ratio default, you must be viewing the Setup Menu (Figure 1), which is available by pressing the Menu Button 28 while the unit is in the Stop mode. At the Setup Menu, press the ¤ Navigation Button e until the TV Aspect option is highlighted. Next, press the Enter Button `. Select one of the three choices in the options box (Figure 10) using the ⁄/ ¤ Navigation Buttons e. Figure 10 Depending on the type of television set you have, choose one of these three options: s 4 x 3 Letterbox: Choose this setting if you have a standard 4 x 3 television set and prefer to see movies in their original aspect ratio. You will see the entire movie but, when it is presented in a letterbox fashion, there will be black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. Movies or other programs recorded in a 4 x 3 format will appear normal. s 4 x 3 Pan Scan: Choose this setting if you have a standard 4 x 3 television set and always want the image to fill the entire screen. When a wide-screen movie is shown, you may not see parts of the picture at one side of the screen or the other. Note, however, that even when you select this option, playing a wide-screen-only movie will result in black letterbox bars at the top and bottom of the screen. This is due to the way the disc was produced, and it cannot be changed. s 16 x 9 Wide-Screen: Choose this setting only if you have a wide-screen television set (16 x 9 aspect ratio). With this setting, the DVD 50 will adjust the output for widescreen movies so that they fill the entire screen in the proper aspect ratio. Note, however, that in this setting a disc recorded in the 4 x 3 aspect ratio will appear in the wide screen as a boxed image in the center, with black columns on the left and right side of the screen. NOTE: If the wide-screen option is chosen and a wide-screen movie is played on a conventional 4 x 3 aspect ratio set, the image will be distorted due to vertical compression. Make the selection for your desired aspect ratio by pressing the ⁄/ ¤ Navigation Buttons e so that the circle next to your choice is filled in orange. Press the Enter Button ` to finalize the selection. If you have no other changes to make after setting this default, press the Menu Button 28 to remove the Setup Menu from the screen, or press the Play Button g/# to begin or resume playback. Video Output The DVD 50 is among the first 5-disc DVD changers available that offers the option of high-quality, progressive scan output in addition to standard composite video and S-Video outputs. When used with a compatible "digital ready" television, the progressive scan output delivers twice the information of a standard picture for a seamless, cinema-like image. IMPORTANT NOTES ON PROGRESSIVE SCAN OPERATION: The progressive scan outputs may only be used with video displays (direct-view monitors, rear or front projectors) that have progressive scan compatibility. In general, this includes sets designed for use with high-definition television (HDTV), as well as other high-scan-rate monitors and displays. If the specifications for your display show a "horizontal scan rate" figure of 31.5 kHz or higher, then the set is most likely compatible with the progressive scan signal. If you have any doubt as to the compatibility of your display with the high-scan-rate signal, consult the set's owner's manual, ask your dealer or installer, or contact the set manufacturer. If the progressive scan rate output is enabled, but the display device is not compatible, you will not be able to see any image. If your video display is compatible with progressive scan, make certain that you connect the DVD 50 to the display using the Component Video Outputs ¢. Depending on the specifics of your display, the correct input may be labeled "Component Video", "HD Component Input" or some other similar term. If there is a question as to which input jacks should be used on your video display, consult the set's owner's manual, ask your dealer or installer, or contact the set manufacturer. 22 SETUP MENU