HD Channels showing in 4:3 - what's going on?

I just switched from Comcast to Verizon and must say am disappointed ...

I am Not sure What is going on but many of the HD channels I was viewing with Comcast now looks HD but 4:3 ratio. I live in the Seattle area and a good example of this issue is channel 13 (Q13) which typically I saw in HD now looks HD in the sense of good picture quality but its shows in 4:3.

there are many channels like this. Not all shows but way, way more then I had with Comcast.

Maybe Comcast stretched those shows? What ever they did, it looks much better.

Any ideas?

Accepted answers

R_E_L

Thanks Justin.

Its not That I don't see any programming in 16:9 format, its that some of my old station with Comcast are now showing more in 4:3 format then before. That means the STB is set correctly. I also believe that Verizon does pass on the signal they are getting without alteration.

Only conclusion is to make is that Comcast was "working" on the signal they got from the station and have stretched/zoom the picture so it will show in a 16:9 format.

a workaround might be to stetch the picture on the TV, some V's can change the zoom and do the stretching on their own but many models can.

I guess the only thing left is for me to hope That either Verizon will do the same trick or wait for the other stations to start broadcasting in true 16:9.

now i will have to see if i can get used to the picture.

All comments

KenAF

@R_E_L wrote:
I just switched from Comcast to Verizon and must say am disappointed ...
I am Not sure What is going on but many of the HD channels I was viewing with Comcast now looks HD but 4:3 ratio. I live in the Seattle area and a good example of this issue is channel 13 (Q13) which typically I saw in HD now looks HD in the sense of good picture quality but its shows in 4:3.
there are many channels like this. Not all shows but way, way more then I had with Comcast.
Maybe Comcast stretched those shows? What ever they did, it looks much better.
Any ideas?

Note all the channels below 50 are in SD. The HD channels are in the 500+ range.

Most locals only show high-definition during prime-time, i.e. 8-11pm, with exception to major sporting events on weekends and one or two morning news shows and soaps. The rest of the time, they are 4:3 with black bars on the side. With Verizon, you get the locals exactly as they are passed by the affiliate.

R_E_L

Thanks yes, I am talking about the channels over 500 -

it may very much be the case that this is how the providers sends the signal and it was Comcast that made it look wide screen.

Am not sure I could settle for "well Verizon just pass on what they get" if the end result looks inferior to what I had.

I guess it also serves as an eye opening on how many of the shows are not true HD and there is a long way to go. I feel I just saw HD in the nude, the naked truth and i dont like it Smiley Wink ....

KenAF

@R_E_L wrote:
Thanks yes, I am talking about the channels over 500 -
it may very much be the case that this is how the providers sends the signal and it was Comcast that made it look wide screen.
Am not sure I could settle for "well Verizon just pass on what they get" if the end result looks inferior to what I had.
I guess it also serves as an eye opening on how many of the shows are not true HD and there is a long way to go. I feel I just saw HD in the nude, the naked truth and i dont like it ....

Comcast also passes what they receive in the overwhelming majority of their service areas. I suspect it's just a matter of the the time you tuned in.

Whenever you see black bars on a HD channel, those bars are added by the channel, not by the FiOS box. When you see black bars on the right and left of SD channels, those are added by the box. The Motorola STB/DVR gives you the option of (a) displaying SD channels in 4:3 with bars on the sides or (b) stretching everything to fill the screen, making people look fat.

Many cable channels are 24/7 HD, or close to it. But the local networks aren't there yet. For now, most local networks don't offer any locally-produced content in high-definition; this includes both news and synidcated programming like Seinfeld reruns. Primetime content produced by the parent networks is usually in HD (with exception to some reality TV shows), as are most network sports like pro and college football football. As alluded to in the previous post, there are also few morning network news shows like Good Morning America in HD and a few day-time soap operas in HD, but that's about all the HD you get from most local networks on weekdays before Jeopardy at ~7pm on ABC.

More and more local networks are adding cameras to offer local programming in HD, but this takes time. Most syndicated programming ex: old Seinfeld episodes) shown on the local networks will continue to be in SD, upconverted with black bars on the sides.

Justin46

I suspect the HD STB you are using is set up for a non 16:9 TV. Switch to a channel that always broadcasts in 16:9 format, like ESPN (570), CNN (600), or FOX News (618) - even though all of the content may not be 16:9 these channels always seem to broadcast a 16:9 signal with their own custom pillars on the sides. Now, if you don't see 16:9, try this:

1) Hit the Menu button on the remote

2) Scroll down to Settings and hit the Right Arrow

2) Scroll down to Video Settings and hit Right Arrow to get to Video Format (this will show you what the STB is currently set to deliver to your TV, which I suspect is now 480p)

3 Press OK

5) Scroll down to 1080i (or 720p, whichever you want) and press ok

6) Hit the Exit button

Another possibility is that you are not connected to the TV with a connection that supports HD. Are you using HDMI or component? If not you need to, those are the only connections that will transfer HD signals.

I assure you that FiOS delivers true 16:9 HD pictures if your equipment is set up correctly. But of course your comment is correct, not everything broadcast on HD channels is really 16:9 content.

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
IMG 1.6.0, Build 06.89
Keller, TX

R_E_L

Thanks Justin.

Only conclusion is to make is that Comcast was "working" on the signal they got from the station and have stretched/zoom the picture so it will show in a 16:9 format.

a workaround might be to stetch the picture on the TV, some V's can change the zoom and do the stretching on their own but many models can.

I guess the only thing left is for me to hope That either Verizon will do the same trick or wait for the other stations to start broadcasting in true 16:9.

now i will have to see if i can get used to the picture.