Netflix Watch Now Movie Aspect Ratio

Jarrod writes, "I just got Watch Now activated yesterday on my Netflix account, and I noticed something kind of disappointing. Among the first movies I played to check out the video quality was The Matrix and Amadeus, since I've seen both movies a few times. I immediately noticed that they were in fullscreen (1.66:1 aspect ratio) instead of their original widescreen (2.35:1)."

A Netflix spokesperson noted that "The studios decide what to give us for content. Some of the movies are provided in 4:3 format were probably originally done for television rather than the original."

Do you care if the movies are in 4:3 or widescreen?

Comments

[Dbldn11]

Of course I care. Netflix shouldn't just accept content to have content. How lazy of studios to pass out inferior product when computers have the capabilities to do any aspect ratio.

[Kevin H]

I WANT MY WIDESCREEN!!! It's things like this that cause people to revolt and do things that are illegal, like downloading music. Movie studios are already in trouble with pirated movies.

GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT!!!!! :)

[CJ]

Yes I do care - I avoid 4:3 whenever possible and can't believe some people actually prefer it (must be TV junkies). Besides, the two computers at my place that have Watch Now access both have Widescreen LCD monitors.

[incandenza]

By the way, full screen is 1.33:1, not 1.66:1 as stated in the article. (There are some movies in 1.66:1--I've seen two French-language movies in that ratio recently.)

[prozac]

I'm happy with whatever they provide...you have to remember that the public will be getting this in the summer and we are lucky enough to have it now.

[gir]

I have to agree. Watch Now is provided as a free addition to the service. You shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Besides, I'm sure they're not finished with it.

Also, widescreen isn't limited to 2.35:1. 16x9 is itself only 1.77:1. 2.35:1 is about as wide as widescreen gets, and IMO is a little too wide.

[Rusty Ramrod]

Outside of old movies I haven't watched a 4:3 movie in years. Doesn't surprise me that Watch Now supplies them that way though.

[Aron]

" 2.35:1 is about as wide as widescreen gets, and IMO is a little too wide.
"

Too wide? Blasphemy. I only watch 4:1 or wider. The equipment is hella-expensive but that's the price you have to pay to be one of the cultural elites in this country.

[type-cast]

I prefer 1.33:1 if the widescreen version is straight matted. Examples: The Big Lebowski, Fabulous Baker Boys, House of Games, Back to School. I often compare wide and full screen side, finding the framing identical, but the widescreen cuts off the top and bottom. I do not like having heads and feet cut off. It's very noticeable in the 4 films mentioned, as well as others. Don't like pan-and-scan, but not all 4x3 movies are pan-and-scan. Often a movie was shot and composed 4x3.

[peter]

Add another reason to why I'm not interested in this service.

It joins the others; less video quality, sitting at the desk, smaller screen size, being online while watching...blah....blah

Cheers

[hueristix]

I have found that some are indeed in wide screen, i.e. "Robbing Peter" a fairly boring indie film. (probably not available in 4:3)

I too wrote the same letter to Netflix and got the same response, and I bet they respond to the customer feedback as always. The best would be to let the user choose full or wide versions as they see fit.

I bet the studios are scared that vod will destroy the DVD market. To that I say it is inevitable, yet it will take a very long time. Just serve it in all flavors, ipod, streaming, discs, etc.

Too bad the studios would rather play hardball with licensing, lawyers, etc. instead of developing compelling content and giving the consumers what they want.

[Edward R Murrow]

This whole Watch Now thing just seems to be a solution in search of a problem. The graphic above is a perfect example. It's a scene from the Matrix - I'm not sure who would want to watch all the cool stunts in the Matrix on a computer screen when they can watch the DVD on a big screen? With Watch Now, you have to be connected to a fast internet connection which means you're most likely in your home already. Or perhaps you run hundreds of feet of cable from your router to a laptop then run cables from the laptop to the TV. What a frigging nightmare, slovenly mess that must be.

Someone, anyone go to Starbucks and try and do Watch Now over wireless.

I must sign off now so that I can download the latest CSI episode onto my big screen using Comcast's On Demand. By the way, the download of this 1 hour show takes less than 5 seconds.

[gir]

Ah Edward. We so love your FUD.

Connecting your PC to your TV isn't a nightmare, just inconvenient (and not even that if you have the right hardware).

Can you watch your Comcast On Demand CSI episode in StarBucks? Or is it not even an option?

You aren't downloading your 1 hour show in 5 seconds. You're streaming the show, just like Watch Now, and it takes 5 seconds to buffer enough to begin playing (as compared to 10 seconds with Watch Now).

All titles on Watch Now are available to NetFlix subscribers at no additional cost. How much extra does it cost to watch a typical On Demand title? Are they all available at no extra charge?

[Edward R Murrow]

"We so love your FUD"

I have no Fear, Uncertainty or Doubt - not sure what you could possibly be referring to. Unless you're referring to the FUD that Netflix must be feeling with the Amazon.com and Tivo partnership for rental downloads.

After the initial download with On Demand, I can fast forward to specific parts of the content. Also, downloaded content is stored in a "Saved" section which I can watch again without a download for 24 hours. So you're calling that streaming?

Here's the programming details and yes, all available at no charge (lots of HD) on my big screen rather than a PC: http://www.p.comcast.net/m/p/com/mic/index.asp

[ScottM]

I don't think it's "the studios"; I think it's Warner.

I've encountered three P&S films on NF Instant (Amadeus, Westworld, and The Road Warrior), and all were distributed on DVD by Warner, as was The Matrix (according to IMDb's DVD Details pages).

On the other hand, Herzog's Woyzeck (Anchor Bay) and Star Trek:Generations (Paramount) are both in widescreen.

So I'd advise complaining to Warner Home Video, rather than Netflix.

[SegaRolow]

I have a free Bee to Netflix for the next two weeks. I do like the watch now thing. But the need to have Closed Caption with it. They are leaving out Millions of people that are hard of hearing. And the sad thig is 99% of the movies have C.C. And the player can play it. All net flix needs to do it set it up for it.....

[Justin]

I'm noticing how old these posts are and am surprised that this has been going on for so long. I hate watching movies other than intended, but I do like being able to watch movies whenever I like. To solve this bitterness for widescreen, you'd think they might actually tell what ratio the instant movie is... that would solve a lot, no?

[Ben]

Agreed Justin, it should be stated somewhere what the aspect ratio of the watch instantly version of the movie is. Then we can avoid the 4:3 ones. :)

(Unless it was filmed that way of course)

[Rob]

On a related note, I have noted that the aspect ratio appears to be incorrect (image is squeezed horizontally or vertically) when playing back on my LG Netflix enabled BD player but correct on my computer. Any ideas who I need to complain to to get the complaint lodged properly? I also sometimes get a consistently stuttery playback (like a bad 3:2 pulldown).

[blah blah blah]

I'm sick of streaming 4:3 movies. Unfortunately just got two in a row, after my first 10 or so in 16:9. At LEAST Netflix should post the streaming aspect ratio online in the "streaming details" section, so I know to avoid them (rather than having to add it to the queue, then start watching streamed on my Blu-Ray player, only to find out it's 4:3).

[jonbmerill@gmail.com]

What with the fourth comment? All I know is that I came in onto this page when I was looking for some aspect ratio on my Netflix movies. Right now I'm uh watching 'Last of the Living- sin=me zombie movie. But still it's from New Zealand and so you can cock off and give me my @%^#$% aspect ratio. Or don't. It's not on me to care.