16:9 anamorphic to old 4:3 TVs . . . .

I like filming in 16:9 frame mode. It looks great on widescreen TVs. I want to be able to burn the video onto DVDs with the black bars on the top and bottom so it will play as 16:9 on older, dumber 4:3 tvs. Is anyone doing this without spending a ton of $$$? I just started this whole video editing thing this fall, and am getting addicted. I want to be able to burn DVDs for family and friends that will be 16:9 wherever they are played. Thanks for any help . . . .

im guessing that when you say you film in 16:9, that your camera is actually shooting in that aspect ratio. what camera are you using?

i can shoot that way, but my camera accomplishes it by actually putting black bars on the video. keeps the aspect ratio, but doesn't allow for full-screen on wide-screen tvs (as far as i know, never tried it).

if you have an editing program its simple to create a black bar mask to overlay. as far as i know, you cant create a dvd version that will play equally well on newer AND older "dumb" tvs.

the only way to do this is to create two versions of your film, an anamorphic one and a regular academy one. that way at least people have the choice.

I have a Canon GL-2. It shoots the anamorphic 16:9. Uses same CCD area, but "squishes" the sides in. When viewed on a 4:3 tv, everything is skinny (including me, so it's not all bad!!). When viewed by a widescreen TV all is well.