I just finished trying out my 3rd dvd recorder, the Sony Rdr hx 900.(I sent back a Samsung model because it would stop recording and crash the recorder).
Here's what I wanted to do.
1-Use the recorder as a "through", component out, and view my footage at best quality.This worked with several models.
2-Be able to control the recording settings. For example, I have 16:9 footage that I would like to be able to play back in 4:3 letterbox on a 4:3 tv. After speaking to a couple of people about this issue (thanks Boyd), and getting no help from any company's customer service, I went with the Sony.
Under the "tools" menu in the Sony, you get the option to choose the recording aspect ratio. I burned some 16:9 footage, but selected 4;3 on the "record settings". I finalized the disc and played it back on my wide screen Sony HD tv, and then tried it in a cheap player (Mintek-best buy).
In play back on the wide screen tv,when I chose "normal" (4:3) mode,the footage was vertically stretched. When I switched the tv screen setting to "full", it played in correct 16:9. But when I played the dvd through the home player on a 4:3 tv, it was also stretched, and no letterbox.
Is there a way to create 4:3 lb from 16:9 footage on this recorder?
thanks
Bruce S. Yarock

Hi Bruce,

This isn't really an XL2 question as much as it is a DVD recorder question. So I've moved it to our DVD forum, where hopefully you can get a good answer.

Under the "tools" menu in the Sony, you get the option to choose the recording aspect ratio. I burned some 16:9 footage, but selected 4;3 on the "record settings".

That's your problem right there. If you want to burn an anamorphic DVD then you have to select 16:9 aspect ratio. I assme you picked 4:3 because you wanted to play the disk on a 4:3 set? That's not what this setting is for. It must agree with the format of the source material you're recording and has nothing to do with the type of tv you want to view the disk on.

When you set 16:9 in the recording menu it embeds the anamorphic flag in the video. Then when that disk is played on another player connected to a 4:3 TV it will "understand" the need to provide a letterbox. You recorded at 4:3 disk, so the playback recorder didn't know that letterboxing was required.

So you do NOT want to create a 4:3 disk with letterbox as you say. You want to create an anamorphic 16:9 disk that will tell any DVD player to provide a letterbox. You can't record a disk in 4:3 with a letterbox burned into it on any player I've ever seen, and this would frankly be undesirable since it wouldn't play at full resolution on a widescreen tv.

Heh, heh.... there will be a test on this Monday morning, better review those note from my e-mails ;-)

Boyd,
And I was ready to box up the Sony and send it back to Bh.....I'll try again,and keep you posted on my results.
Thanks
Bruce Yarock

Boyd,
I used the 16:9 setting on the Sony. The dvd played correctly on the home player/4:3 tv except that it isn't letterbox.The image was cropped, or formatted ,to take up the entire 4:3 screen,with the correct aspect ratio.
I was happy that I was finally able to play it back on 4:3 without that vertically "stretched" look...at least I got that far. Is the fact that it didn't record in letterbox, a limitation of the Sony, or does it have to do with the cheap player?
When I then played the dvd on the Sony through my wide screen tv, it allowed me to play it either in full 16:9, or 4:3 formtted,when I selected the 16:9 viewing output. Then I selected 4:3 viewing output, and it letterboxed the image (the same way that a 4:3 tv program is viewed on the wide screen tv).
And the beat goes on......
Bruce Yarock

Bruce: Like I said, I don't think there is such a thing as a DVD recorder which records in letterbox. In other words, you can't record a 4:3 picture that already has the black bars above and below it.

But that shouldn't be an issue. If you record in 16:9 then every DVD player that I've seen (including the cheapo ones) can play it back in letterbox mode.

From what you describe, the settings are wrong on the DVD player which is connected to the 4:3 TV. Every DVD player I've seen allows you to set the TV type to

1. 16:9
2. 4:3 letterbox
3. 4:3 pan and scan

Sounds like your player is set for pan and scan. That would unstretch the image but chop off the left and right side, which is what you're describing. Check this setting on the playback deck; I think you're recording the disk properly.

Sorry, this stuff is actually very easy if you have the thing in front of you, but it's difficult to describe in writing...

Boyd,
BINGO!!!!!
I had no idea that even my cheap Mintek dvd recorder had a set-up menu(Duuuh...). I found it, set it to letterbox, and that's it.
Thanks again for the help.
P.S.- If you're ever down in South Fl., dinner's on me.
Bruce S.Yarock