Backward North America still...backward!

In a video store the other day, a gentleman was asked if he
wanted the WS or P&S version of the movie; He chose the P&S.
This is STILL happening for one major reason; North Americans are WAY
behind in technology compared to the Japanese and Europeans.
As long as they KEEP pushing 4:3 TVs and KEEP showing 4:3 TV programs,
this warped preference of the unsophisticated video viewer will continue.
Digital TV still has less than 10% penetration and they KEEP pushing out the
HDTV broadcast mandates in North America. It's pathetic.

Richard

"Richard" <> wrote in message
news: om...
> In a video store the other day, a gentleman was asked if he
> wanted the WS or P&S version of the movie; He chose the P&S.
> This is STILL happening for one major reason; North Americans are WAY
> behind in technology compared to the Japanese and Europeans.
> As long as they KEEP pushing 4:3 TVs and KEEP showing 4:3 TV programs,
> this warped preference of the unsophisticated video viewer will continue.
> Digital TV still has less than 10% penetration and they KEEP pushing out
the
> HDTV broadcast mandates in North America. It's pathetic.

Which country has the largest population, AND the largest installed base of
4:3 tvs in the world? Unless you have plenty of disposable income, you just
dont go out a buy new widescreen HDTV's becuase they are there. WHen you
are ready to replace your existing tv, you have to weigh the price vs. what
you can afford. The cost differential is still pretty high in NOrth America
as well. Its just a simple matter of money mostly.

Biz

In article <>,
(Richard) wrote:

> In a video store the other day, a gentleman was asked if he
> wanted the WS or P&S version of the movie; He chose the P&S.
> This is STILL happening for one major reason; North Americans are WAY
> behind in technology compared to the Japanese and Europeans.
> As long as they KEEP pushing 4:3 TVs and KEEP showing 4:3 TV programs,
> this warped preference of the unsophisticated video viewer will continue.
> Digital TV still has less than 10% penetration and they KEEP pushing out the
> HDTV broadcast mandates in North America. It's pathetic.

Was he asked if he wanted pan & scan or "full screen"? I'm guessing it
was the latter. If the store clerk had asked the Joe Schmo if he wanted
a P&S version the Joe Schmo would have likely just given the clerk a
blank stare. This is just a rough estimate, but it seems to me at least
8 out of 10 people have no idea what pan & scan is despite the fact that
the term has existed since the 1970's. Pretty sad. People need to be
taught what P&S is. I wish I could make everyone I know sit down and
watch that "Why Letterbox?" featurette on the Die Hard DVD. Infact I
made my mother watch it just so she truly understood what P&S is.

But believe me, it used to be much much worse just a few years ago. Take
a time machine back to 1993 and go into a video store. The clerk would
have handed the gentlemen a pan & scan VHS tape and the option of a
widescreen version wouldn't have even been available, let alone brought
up by either one of them.
--
BL

Black Locust

"Richard" <> wrote in message
news: om...
> In a video store the other day, a gentleman was asked if he
> wanted the WS or P&S version of the movie; He chose the P&S.
> This is STILL happening for one major reason; North Americans are WAY
> behind in technology compared to the Japanese and Europeans.
> As long as they KEEP pushing 4:3 TVs and KEEP showing 4:3 TV programs,
> this warped preference of the unsophisticated video viewer will continue.
> Digital TV still has less than 10% penetration and they KEEP pushing out
the
> HDTV broadcast mandates in North America. It's pathetic.

Were you there when this happened? Did you speak up?

Jay Stewart

"Richard" whined:

> In a video store the other day, a gentleman was asked if he
> wanted the WS or P&S version of the movie; He chose the P&S.
> This is STILL happening for one major reason; North Americans are WAY
> behind in technology compared to the Japanese and Europeans.
> As long as they KEEP pushing 4:3 TVs and KEEP showing 4:3 TV programs,
> this warped preference of the unsophisticated video viewer will continue.
> Digital TV still has less than 10% penetration and they KEEP pushing out
the
> HDTV broadcast mandates in North America. It's pathetic.

BFD. Most people should be so lucky that their biggest worry is stupid
aspect ratios on tvs.

T.B.

TB

TB wrote:
> "Richard" whined:
>
>
>>In a video store the other day, a gentleman was asked if he
>>wanted the WS or P&S version of the movie; He chose the P&S.
>>This is STILL happening for one major reason; North Americans are WAY
>>behind in technology compared to the Japanese and Europeans.
>>As long as they KEEP pushing 4:3 TVs and KEEP showing 4:3 TV programs,
>>this warped preference of the unsophisticated video viewer will continue.
>>Digital TV still has less than 10% penetration and they KEEP pushing out
>
> the
>
>>HDTV broadcast mandates in North America. It's pathetic.
>
>
> BFD. Most people should be so lucky that their biggest worry is stupid
> aspect ratios on tvs.

Why is it, that everytime some guys discuss something, some looney has
to show up shouting "BFD". Why the hell do you think AR is their "biggest"
worry?? This is alt.video.dvd and butchered movies are one big problem
in the US home video market, but it's by far not the biggest.

l8er
ronny

Ronald Stoehr

Black Locust <> wrote in message news:<bl2112->...
> In article <>,
> (Richard) wrote:
>
> > In a video store the other day, a gentleman was asked if he
> > wanted the WS or P&S version of the movie; He chose the P&S.
> > This is STILL happening for one major reason; North Americans are WAY
> > behind in technology compared to the Japanese and Europeans.
> > As long as they KEEP pushing 4:3 TVs and KEEP showing 4:3 TV programs,
> > this warped preference of the unsophisticated video viewer will continue.
> > Digital TV still has less than 10% penetration and they KEEP pushing out the
> > HDTV broadcast mandates in North America. It's pathetic.
>
> Was he asked if he wanted pan & scan or "full screen"? I'm guessing it
> was the latter. If the store clerk had asked the Joe Schmo if he wanted
> a P&S version the Joe Schmo would have likely just given the clerk a
> blank stare. This is just a rough estimate, but it seems to me at least
> 8 out of 10 people have no idea what pan & scan is despite the fact that
> the term has existed since the 1970's. Pretty sad. People need to be
> taught what P&S is. I wish I could make everyone I know sit down and
> watch that "Why Letterbox?" featurette on the Die Hard DVD. Infact I
> made my mother watch it just so she truly understood what P&S is.
>
> But believe me, it used to be much much worse just a few years ago. Take
> a time machine back to 1993 and go into a video store. The clerk would
> have handed the gentlemen a pan & scan VHS tape and the option of a
> widescreen version wouldn't have even been available, let alone brought
> up by either one of them.

Yes, the P&S was my modification. I refuse to use a term that makes it sound
like the version he wanted has any merit.
-Rich

Richard

"Jay Stewart" <> wrote in message news:<WMhTc.98909$J06.18515@pd7tw2no>...
> "Richard" <> wrote in message
> news: om...
> > In a video store the other day, a gentleman was asked if he
> > wanted the WS or P&S version of the movie; He chose the P&S.
> > This is STILL happening for one major reason; North Americans are WAY
> > behind in technology compared to the Japanese and Europeans.
> > As long as they KEEP pushing 4:3 TVs and KEEP showing 4:3 TV programs,
> > this warped preference of the unsophisticated video viewer will continue.
> > Digital TV still has less than 10% penetration and they KEEP pushing out
> the
> > HDTV broadcast mandates in North America. It's pathetic.
>
> Were you there when this happened? Did you speak up?

Did I speak up? No. I used to when this happened, but it's gotten to
the point where those who still choose P&S are simply too stupid to be
convinced the correct aspect ratio version is worth seeing and the proprietors
of video stores are simply trying to be all things to all people in order to
maximize their sales. Kind of like Hollywood and PG rated movies.
-Rich

Richard

Biz, says...
> Which country has the largest population,

Not the United States, so how does this relate to the original post?

Mark Spatny

Sorry should have been installed user base of tvs and/or dvd players. Of
course you knew that, but were too much of a smart ass to just politely
correct me.


"Mark Spatny" <> wrote in message
news: k.net...
> Biz, says...
> > Which country has the largest population,
>
> Not the United States, so how does this relate to the original post?

Biz