I've bought a Panasonic DMR-ES10 and see from the instructions that if I want to record a full 16:9 widescreen program I can only use DVD-RAM. Using DVD-R means recording in 4:3 format only.

I've also read here that its only the "flag" which isn't recorded by the DVD-R. So far that seems true. I can record (actually I'm "archiving" programs from a Pace Twin Freeview recorder) and playback 16:9 if I set the aspect ratio manually on my TV (something which usually happens automatically).

But... when I take the finalised disk to my Mac and play it there the picture is 4:3 all squashed up.

My question is: is the problem of recording 16:9 "correctly" on DVD-R a Panasonic problem or is that the way all DVD-R recorders work.

If its the former I'm not happy!

Its not a panasonic problem, its to do with the DVD-R specification. I read something explaining it online somewhere...its not Panasonic specific anyway.

Why record to DVD-RAW or RW, dump the files to PC, edit them in DVD authoring software and set the 16:9 flag yourself. Bit of a hassle I know but done easily enough.

"Yes. All DVD recorders will record an anamorphic (16:9) signal if that is what is being fed to them. All TV images, including widescreen ones, are transmitted in 4:3 (an old TV shape). Widescreen programming however is broadcasts in a deformed fashion, i.e. the wide picture is squashed into a 4:3 ratio (this is known as an anamorphic transmission). To identify such broadcasts (so your TV can stretch them) a Widescreen Switching Signal (WSS) is transmission with the programme. And this is where the problem occurs for DVD recorders - the Widescreen Switching Signal (WSS) is not always recorded.

This is not a massive issue. Widescreen TVs and even most 4:3 TVs have an 'Aspect' or 'Widescreen' button that will return an anamorphic widescreen image to the correct ratio (by stretching the picture or adding black bars). Thus the effect of not recording the Widescreen Switching Signal is that users will have to press a button on their TV handset.

Recording in Video Recording (VR) Mode onto a HDD, DVD-RAM or DVD-RW (VR) will generally preserve the WSS and thus enable proper ration viewing without any user intervention. But recording onto a DVDR in the DVD-Video format - using DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RW (Video mode), DVD+R DL, DVD-R DL - will generally NOT record the WSS. In such situations you would need to press your Aspect or Widesceen button on your TV to enable non-distorted viewing.

There are a few exceptions: the Toshiba RDXS34 allows users to manually set the flag on a DVD-R disc. All credit to the Sony range though - these models will record the flag automatically whether recording in VR mode or Video mode provided you use either DVD-RW or DVD-R - they will not do so if you use DVD+RW/DVD+R. "

It's a bloomin' pest, isn't it. I'm archiving from a variety of sources, including my Pace Twin onto DVD-Rs, so have to either use anamorphic which then comes out as squishyvision on my old 20" TV, or letterbox, so I have to zoom when watching on my widescreen TV, loosing significant PQ.

I'd change the flag myself, but don't have a DVD burner on my Mac (just a combo drive).

Grrr.