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Netflix and Aspect ratios


Jay Young

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Right this minute I am watching Shutter Island in full screen 16:9. Not in the gloriously wide 2.39:1 of which it seems was the original release format.

 

Now I have to admit that I rather like the Netflix, it's cheap and I get to watch new cinema every day.

 

However, why is it that Netflix digital instant on download super cool wow won't let me watch the film in the correct aspect ratio?!

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Right this minute I am watching Shutter Island in full screen 16:9. Not in the gloriously wide 2.39:1 of which it seems was the original release format.

 

Now I have to admit that I rather like the Netflix, it's cheap and I get to watch new cinema every day.

 

However, why is it that Netflix digital instant on download super cool wow won't let me watch the film in the correct aspect ratio?!

 

That sucks, I guess they are using a similar feed as the movie cable channels get. Most of those don't do 2.35 letterboxing either.

 

We get the Netflix DVD's, but mostly to watch classic movies, docs, and mini-series, not recent movies. I was thinking about trying Netflix streaming someday but I've heard that they don't have a lot of the more obscure stuff on DVD available for streaming.

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I've just started using Netflix and have streamed a few things. It's okay. Irritating on occasion when the feed needs to reload, but for anything "serious," I like to get the DVD. Silly comedies or documentaries are fine to stream. :)

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I've found a bunch of classics on streaming, though with no consistency. I watched Mad Max through my Wii, but had to get Road Warrior in the mail. But there's Kurosawa, Tati, Lang and all sorts of cool guys on there.

 

And isn't streaming included in the price of by-mail services these days?

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Netflix's Starz Play streaming movies are the worst when it comes to aspect ratio and compression. You can pretty much bet the first thing you'll see when one loads is "This film has been modified to fit your television screen", usually to 4:3. :(

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Right this minute I am watching Shutter Island in full screen 16:9. Not in the gloriously wide 2.39:1 of which it seems was the original release format.

 

Now I have to admit that I rather like the Netflix, it's cheap and I get to watch new cinema every day.

 

However, why is it that Netflix digital instant on download super cool wow won't let me watch the film in the correct aspect ratio?!

i recently experienced this, but it was 2.39:1 squashed to 4:3 just awful. i used my ps3 to watch it on my standard tv. later i brought it up on my computer and the movie was in its original aspect ratio. i think its some problem with the netflix application for devices that messes it up

Edited by Damien Andre
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Anything "starz play," it seems sscrews up. I watched Mr Mullen's Assassination of a High School President in 1.85:1 which really sucks, and yes, got Shutter Island in 1.85 as well. I like the streaming options and I use it a lot, they're getting more and more all the time, but for things I really want to watch, I recommend getting on DVD/BluRay and/or purchasing.

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