Widescreen and standard projects in iDVD

[Camille]

Hello.
I am new to iDVD, and I would like to know what is the difference between chosing to create a widescreen or a standard project.
I have a standard tv (I think it's the name because it is small and is not flat), so U can tell me I need to chose the standard project, because of my TV...
But what if I tell u that I have a friend that has a Widescrenn TV?
Will the project I burnt will not be playable on his TV?
Otherwise, If you burn a DVD in a certain format, u can't play it on another format TV?
So what shall I chose?

Thank you very much,
Camille

 

[Applespider]

If your TV looks more or less square, then it's 4:3 and standard.

If it looks 'widescreen' then it's 16:9 and widescreen.

Both TVs can generally play DVDs formatted each way.

The standard TV will either (depending on model/options) cut off the edges of the picture so you only see the middle of the frame or it will add black letterboxing so you won't use the full width of the TV.

The widescreen TV will do something similar but in reverse.

My camcorder shoots in widescreen so I tend to use that - and tell people to switch view options on their standard TV. However, if the original footage that you're putting into iDVD is only 4:3, there's little point in creating a 16:9 DVD menu.

 

[Camille]

If your TV looks more or less square, then it's 4:3 and standard.

If it looks 'widescreen' then it's 16:9 and widescreen.

Both TVs can generally play DVDs formatted each way.

The standard TV will either (depending on model/options) cut off the edges of the picture so you only see the middle of the frame or it will add black letterboxing so you won't use the full width of the TV.

The widescreen TV will do something similar but in reverse.

My camcorder shoots in widescreen so I tend to use that - and tell people to switch view options on their standard TV. However, if the original footage that you're putting into iDVD is only 4:3, there's little point in creating a 16:9 DVD menu.

so the project I chose is depending on the movie I shot?
I thought I had to decide the kind of project I use depending on the TV I have...

 

[Makosuke]

so the project I chose is depending on the movie I shot?

Yes.

Most big studio DVDs are in anamorphic widescreen, for example, but your DVD player automatically adds the black bars so it doesn't look weird on a standard TV. It's the same with iDVD--use whatever fits the format of video you're starting with.

 

[Camille]

Yes.

Most big studio DVDs are in anamorphic widescreen, for example, but your DVD player automatically adds the black bars so it doesn't look weird on a standard TV. It's the same with iDVD--use whatever fits the format of video you're starting with.

Thanks.
But some themes are MADE for widescreen use???
Like the 6.0 themes?
It's stupid!
And what if I like these themes and I shot with a standard camera???!

 

[theBB]

Thanks.
But some themes are MADE for widescreen use???
Like the 6.0 themes?
It's stupid!
And what if I like these themes and I shot with a standard camera???!

You can still use widescreen themes for standard size iDVD projects. It warns you about it the first time you start working with the menu that this was a theme designed for widescreen projects, but just refuse to change the format of your project and it will scale the themes for you. I am pretty sure they'd look better in widescreen formats, but even in standard size they are quite beautiful.

My camera is 4:3, so even though my TV is widescreen, I create standard size projects. It works very well.

BTW, please lay off on using deragotary terms like "stupid" before you are sure what you are talking about. It sounds very immature.