Panasonic DMR-EZ27 - can I record HD/widescreen without the result being stretched?

My Time Warner/SA 8300HDC DVR was staying quite full of stuff I had
recorded, some of which I wanted to save. I bought a used DMR-EZ27 to try
and learn how to burn to DVD those things I wanted to keep. With only one or
two failures, I quickly got the basic hang of it and was able to burn copies
of several things.

I have HD cable service and a 40" Samsung TV. The EZ27 is set for 16:9. When
I record something that is broadcast in 4:3 format (say an older movie shown
on TCM) the DVD recorder automatically stretches it so that the full
widescreen is filled upon playback - perfect. If the original movie is
broadcast in letterbox mode (and the full screen isn't filled without
adjusting the playback settings on my cable box), the recorder automatically
stretches the width, but the height says the same. If I record an HD show
that is broadcast to fill my full widescreen, the recorder keeps the full
width but shrinks the height.

Do I need to change some settings on the recorder to force it to record the
mode in which the original is in so that I can adjust it manually? Or is the
recorder always going to default to what it's doing now?

I did some web (and forum) searching for answers. I saw several things
related to what the recorder would do with DVD RAM media vs regular + and -
media, but I don't have enough experience under my belt to decipher all the
nuances I found.

Thanks in advance for any pointers. If there's other info I need to provide
or something I need to explain more clearly, please let me know how to give
you better info.

RTFM?

Panasonic DMR-E100H DVD-R Part 1.pdf, p10:

DVD-RAM
The aspect ratio of the recorded images will be the same as that
of the originals.

DVD-R
The aspect ratio of the recorded images will be 4:3.

The only way to make DVDs with the correct aspect ratio is to record
on HD with the following setting OFF ...

Panasonic DMR-E100H DVD-R Part 2.pdf, p20
DVD-R Rec for High Speed mode
TV Aspect [Norm (4:3)]

.... dub it to DVD-RAM, and then transfer it to PC using the DVD-RAM,
and author it there. It's a bore, but it works. My website has a
section on the DMR-E100H, including a page that describes how to do
this:
http://tinyurl.com/94ogut
.... standing in for ...
http://www.macfh.co.uk/JavaJive/Audi...cDMRE100H.html

On Thu, 3 Sep 2009 22:34:43 -0400, "Jeff" <SVJeff@hotmail.com> wrote:

> My Time Warner/SA 8300HDC DVR was staying quite full of stuff I had
> recorded, some of which I wanted to save. I bought a used DMR-EZ27 to try
> and learn how to burn to DVD those things I wanted to keep. With only one or
> two failures, I quickly got the basic hang of it and was able to burn copies
> of several things.
>
> I have HD cable service and a 40" Samsung TV. The EZ27 is set for 16:9. When
> I record something that is broadcast in 4:3 format (say an older movie shown
> on TCM) the DVD recorder automatically stretches it so that the full
> widescreen is filled upon playback - perfect. If the original movie is
> broadcast in letterbox mode (and the full screen isn't filled without
> adjusting the playback settings on my cable box), the recorder automatically
> stretches the width, but the height says the same. If I record an HD show
> that is broadcast to fill my full widescreen, the recorder keeps the full
> width but shrinks the height.
>
> Do I need to change some settings on the recorder to force it to record the
> mode in which the original is in so that I can adjust it manually? Or is the
> recorder always going to default to what it's doing now?
>
> I did some web (and forum) searching for answers. I saw several things
> related to what the recorder would do with DVD RAM media vs regular + and -
> media, but I don't have enough experience under my belt to decipher all the
> nuances I found.
>
> Thanks in advance for any pointers. If there's other info I need to provide
> or something I need to explain more clearly, please let me know how to give
> you better info.
>

======================================

Please always reply to news group as the email address in
this post's header does not exist. Alternatively, use one of the
contact addresses at:
http://www.macfh.co.uk/JavaJive/JavaJive.html
http://www.macfh.co.uk/Macfarlane/Macfarlane.html

RTFM is usually good advice, but not in this case. The EZ27 manual says
that the recorder will only record a 16:9 image on DVD-RAM discs. That is
not correct. What is really should say is that it will only set the 16:9
flag on RAM discs. The video content is the same no matter what disc
format you use. If you have a wide screen TV, that is not problem, you just
have to make sure the display format is set to WIDE 16:9. However, if the
16:9 flag is not set on an anamorphic recording, it will not display
properly on an older 4:3 TV (unless is has an aspect ratio feature).

Personally, I record everything to +RW discs (they do not need to be
finalized), and then copy them to my computer where I can edit, add a proper
menu and manually set the 16:9 flag if necessary. The final DVD is then
burned to -R discs that will display properly on any TV.

-Bill

"Java Jive" <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:2vu1a51nfj5e8s4ce608stng8opjf0i2t2@4ax.com...
> RTFM?
>
> Panasonic DMR-E100H DVD-R Part 1.pdf, p10:
>
> DVD-RAM
> The aspect ratio of the recorded images will be the same as that
> of the originals.
>
> DVD-R
> The aspect ratio of the recorded images will be 4:3.
>
> The only way to make DVDs with the correct aspect ratio is to record
> on HD with the following setting OFF ...
>
> Panasonic DMR-E100H DVD-R Part 2.pdf, p20
> DVD-R Rec for High Speed mode
> TV Aspect [Norm (4:3)]
>
> ... dub it to DVD-RAM, and then transfer it to PC using the DVD-RAM,
> and author it there. It's a bore, but it works. My website has a
> section on the DMR-E100H, including a page that describes how to do
> this:
> http://tinyurl.com/94ogut
> ... standing in for ...
> http://www.macfh.co.uk/JavaJive/Audi...cDMRE100H.html
>
> On Thu, 3 Sep 2009 22:34:43 -0400, "Jeff" <SVJeff@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> My Time Warner/SA 8300HDC DVR was staying quite full of stuff I had
>> recorded, some of which I wanted to save. I bought a used DMR-EZ27 to try
>> and learn how to burn to DVD those things I wanted to keep. With only one
>> or
>> two failures, I quickly got the basic hang of it and was able to burn
>> copies
>> of several things.
>>
>> I have HD cable service and a 40" Samsung TV. The EZ27 is set for 16:9.
>> When
>> I record something that is broadcast in 4:3 format (say an older movie
>> shown
>> on TCM) the DVD recorder automatically stretches it so that the full
>> widescreen is filled upon playback - perfect. If the original movie is
>> broadcast in letterbox mode (and the full screen isn't filled without
>> adjusting the playback settings on my cable box), the recorder
>> automatically
>> stretches the width, but the height says the same. If I record an HD show
>> that is broadcast to fill my full widescreen, the recorder keeps the full
>> width but shrinks the height.
>>
>> Do I need to change some settings on the recorder to force it to record
>> the
>> mode in which the original is in so that I can adjust it manually? Or is
>> the
>> recorder always going to default to what it's doing now?
>>
>> I did some web (and forum) searching for answers. I saw several things
>> related to what the recorder would do with DVD RAM media vs regular +
>> and -
>> media, but I don't have enough experience under my belt to decipher all
>> the
>> nuances I found.
>>
>> Thanks in advance for any pointers. If there's other info I need to
>> provide
>> or something I need to explain more clearly, please let me know how to
>> give
>> you better info.
>>
>
> ======================================
>
> Please always reply to news group as the email address in
> this post's header does not exist. Alternatively, use one of the
> contact addresses at:
> http://www.macfh.co.uk/JavaJive/JavaJive.html
> http://www.macfh.co.uk/Macfarlane/Macfarlane.html

On Fri, 4 Sep 2009 07:30:22 -0700, "William Skaggs"
<eaglecrest@att.net> wrote:

>RTFM is usually good advice, but not in this case. The EZ27 manual says
>that the recorder will only record a 16:9 image on DVD-RAM discs. That is
>not correct. What is really should say is that it will only set the 16:9
>flag on RAM discs. The video content is the same no matter what disc
>format you use. If you have a wide screen TV, that is not problem, you just
>have to make sure the display format is set to WIDE 16:9. However, if the
>16:9 flag is not set on an anamorphic recording, it will not display
>properly on an older 4:3 TV (unless is has an aspect ratio feature).
>
>Personally, I record everything to +RW discs (they do not need to be
>finalized), and then copy them to my computer where I can edit, add a proper
>menu and manually set the 16:9 flag if necessary. The final DVD is then
>burned to -R discs that will display properly on any TV.

Yes, this is a limitation from the DVD-Video specification (at the
time when real-time home recording to DVD wasn't in the planning).

The manuals and specifications are useless for this parameter. I have
not seen any manual or description of a DVD-recorder that decribes
what really happens.

There are, however, models that _really_ records 16:6 signal format as
4:3. I tried a Thomson machine that converted 16:9 SIGNAL format to
4:3 signal format with the content put in a letterbox. This was done
already in the recording and not the playback.

As a sidenote I can mention that some +RW machines can record the
aspect flag in real time (in my case from the status signal in the
SCART input) and then replicate it at playback, both from HDD and
DVD+RW. The flag is also read by TMPGEnc DVD Author (and MPGEG Editor)
if I import it on the computer. This flag can not be read by a
standard DVD-player, so there it is only flagged as 4:3.

/Jan

> There are, however, models that _really_ records 16:6 signal format as
> 4:3. I tried a Thomson machine that converted 16:9 SIGNAL format to
> 4:3 signal format with the content put in a letterbox. This was done
> already in the recording and not the playback.

Thanks again for the feedback. The technical aspects are over my head as
someone just getting started in DVD creation, so I guess I'll just have to
live with the stretching and shrinking of DVD recordings made with my
Panasonic unit.

On Sat, 12 Sep 2009 22:45:13 -0400, "Jeff" <SVJeff@hotmail.com> wrote:

>> There are, however, models that _really_ records 16:6 signal format as
>> 4:3. I tried a Thomson machine that converted 16:9 SIGNAL format to
>> 4:3 signal format with the content put in a letterbox. This was done
>> already in the recording and not the playback.
>
>Thanks again for the feedback. The technical aspects are over my head as
>someone just getting started in DVD creation, so I guess I'll just have to
>live with the stretching and shrinking of DVD recordings made with my
>Panasonic unit.

I mentioned the above example as an exception to what most recorders
do. I'm not familiar with you model but I don't think Panasonic models
really converts the signal format.

I think you should look again at the settings in you cable box
My guess is that it is set up for a 4:3 TV and to convert 16:9 signal
format to 4:3 signal with the content in letterbox.
I also guess that you have set the aspect control in the TV to 16:9.

If you have a separate "VCR" output from your cable box, try that
ouptut directly to your TV and see how it handles 4:3 and 16:9 signal
format. If it is different also try "TV" output from the cable box.
You should be able to select both correct geometry and the wrong
geometry with the manual aspect control in the TV set at 4:3 or 16:9.

(For material in 4:3 signal format with contents in letterbox you
would use a zoom mode to better fill the screen but the geometry shall
be correct with the 4:3 setting with black all around.)

There is actually no difference in the signal timing etc. between a
signal format in 16:9 and 4:3. The only difference is the FLAG to tell
the diplay device in what aspect the signal shall be diplayed to get
the correct geometry.

The problem with recording a 16:9 signal onto a DVD in DVD-Video
format is that (most models) lies and set the aspect FLAG to "4:3".

This is a problem for those who have a 4:3 TV (without 16:9
capabilities). They can not get the correct geometry from a disc with
content in 16:9 signal format flagged as 4:3.

Users with a 16:9 TV need to override the aspect control and set the
TV to 16:9 (or 4:3) manually.
/Jan

Jan B <nospam@nospam.se> wrote:
> On Sat, 12 Sep 2009 22:45:13 -0400, "Jeff" <SVJeff@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>> There are, however, models that _really_ records 16:6 signal format as
>>> 4:3. I tried a Thomson machine that converted 16:9 SIGNAL format to
>>> 4:3 signal format with the content put in a letterbox. This was done
>>> already in the recording and not the playback.
>>
>>Thanks again for the feedback. The technical aspects are over my head as
>>someone just getting started in DVD creation, so I guess I'll just have to
>>live with the stretching and shrinking of DVD recordings made with my
>>Panasonic unit.
>
> I mentioned the above example as an exception to what most recorders
> do. I'm not familiar with you model but I don't think Panasonic models
> really converts the signal format.
>

I just noticed this thread. The EZ-27 does not convert the format.