Your Opinion On Cropping Video

[MrColeslaw]

What I mean by this is when a movie or TV show is released on DVD, but is cropped to another aspect ratio, for whatever reason. I'll give you an example below.

Spoiler

Images from The Chipmunk Adventure

Original 4x3 Aspect Ratio (from all home video releases prior to the 2014 DVD release)

Cropped 16x9 Aspect Ratio (from 2014 DVD Release)

I was just wondering, has anyone else come across this, and does it bother you? It sure bothers me; all it does is lose image on the top and bottom of the frame; a lot of newer TVs can change the aspect ratio anyway, so why crop it? It just bothers me, and seems pointless if it results in loss of part of the image.

 

[Bl4zeTMG]

It's better than stretching it.

Example:

 

[PhilipB]

Just the other night, I was watching a BBC compilation of Cilla performances. This was a clip show made entirely out of archive footage from the 60s, 70s and 80s. So naturally, you'd assume they would make this show in 4:3, right?

Of course not! In their infinite wisdom, they cropped everything to 16:9. This not only chops off important parts of the picture, but also degrades the quality of the video. This is stuff shot in studio on videotape, not film, so it's not exactly the highest quality material in the first place.

The ironic thing is that, if you wanted to watch it cropped, zoomed or stretched, you could make that option yourself! IF the programme went out in true 4:3. Instead, we're ALL forced to watch it cropped, whether we like it or not.

So, I think I'd say I'm on the fence about it…

 

[MrColeslaw]

It's better than stretching it.

Example:

Most newer TVs have an option on the remote to change the aspect ratio or crop, which, if the DVD wasn't cropped, could easily allow for people to choose which way they'd like to view it. I wonder why instead of just cropping it, why not include a 4x3 and a 16x9 version on the disc? I've only seen this done on DVDs where it's basically just the movie, with maybe 1 or 2 short special features, so I really doubt disc space is an issue. It just bothers me in cases where the footage is something I really enjoy.

Of course not! In their infinite wisdom, they cropped everything to 16:9. This not only chops off important parts of the picture, but also degrades the quality of the video. This is stuff shot in studio on videotape, not film, so it's not exactly the highest quality material in the first place.

In a case like a compilation, documentary, or anything where only parts of the media are 4x3, why don't they just add bars to the sides? Sometimes, they even add bars they aren't black, they're like stretched, blurred copies of the 4x3 footage (it's a nice effect, and does no harm to the original source material). I don't get where the idea of cropping everything to 16x9 came from; it's weird, because only certain channels crop their footage, while others just add black bars.