Child Item

Site Totals

61255 Questions Answered 267 Categories

aspect ratio question

Hello,

I'm still fairly new to flat screens and the new filming aspect ratios.. like on our old 4:3 tube tv you would see the new filming would put black boxes on top and bottom so you would get a more theater view.. the new 16:9 format.. ok, so I get a flat screen 16:9 tv to accommodate this new filming format.. but i have the constant problem of the screen still not fitting my TV.. I thought if we have a wide screen TV that is the same aspect ratio of the filming, it would fit the TV.. but it seems I have to go through my options ('Full' stretched / 'Just' typical 16:9 / regular 4:3 / and 4:3 zoom) just to find the best fit for each program now... some shows like the late night talk shows, Jimmy Fallon and Leno fit the regular 16:9 and don't look odd... but other shows on networks like History and many others seem to film the programs wide view, but they put black boxes above and below and force you to see it in 4:3 mode or else it looks stretched.... you can tell because their logo runs off into the bottom black box.. it looks odd if i put it on 16:9, which you would think it should be on... and if i set it to regular 4:3 it looks like i'm looking at a small computer monitor and wasting a large part of my tv.. so on most shows I watch i'm forced to watch in the 4:3 zoom mode to get rid of the black boxes.. but this causes two problems.. a drop in picture quality slightly and also I lose about an inch off the top and bottom of the picture... is this what everyone else is doing? I know i've heard the reply elsewhere that the TV is just a viewing platform to project what is being shown.. it doesn't have to take up all the space.. I just want it to look natural and not have to adjust every time a new show comes on.. I don't like watching in 4:3 mode as I said.. doesn't it seem if they're going to film in widescreen they would dump the black bars and not make me watch in 4:3 mode???

just seeing if anyone else deals with this..

Comments

film111

The 16X9 size does not mean that all programming will fit. In fact, the majority of movie are supposed to have black bars...they are filmed wider (approx 2.34:1) than most tv shows at 1:78:1. On the latter, you won't have black bars. On the former...you should. Or at least you are supposed to...but cable channels like HBO and STARZ eliminate picture information from widescreen movies in order to cut them down to 16X9...not quite the same thing but similar to what happens when you zoom in on some programming, as you say you've done. And certainly not how the movie was shot or intended to be seen. (which is why Blu-Ray is the best way to watch movies...you see them they way they were filmed.)

So actually, if you watch a film and it has the bars at the top and bottom, be thankful because it means it hasn't been severely altered.

PJL

Is your STB set to 16x9? Is SD override off?

avemaria92

i don't think i have an SD override.. currently i'm on an SD box if that means anything..

but i just think it's odd if you see shows on History channel and many others.. it'll be in 4:3 but the show itself is widescreen with black bars.. and the TV logo will be partway on the bottom black bar.. i just think they should allow normal viewing the way it's meant to be.. it seems the only reason the black bars are on the screen is to fit their widescreen film on a regular 4:3 tube screen.. which was fine when we used that.. but now with my flatscreen i have to use the 4:3 setting if i don't want their faces stretched.. which means black bars on all 4 sides.. it's like they're still assuming i'm on a tube tv.. i've heard it referred to as 4:3 letterboxed.. unless you stretch it, you have to set it to 4:3

film111

I'm not sure what feature just a standard box offers, but it sounds like zooming in might be your only option. That's what I do on the rare occasions when I watch letterboxed programming on the low-def channels. It assumes you're using a tube set because that's what the old boxes were primarily designed to accomodate.

You may be able to upgrade. Try going to the MENU, select CUSTOMER SUPPORT and then HELP TOPICS and then SET TOP BOX EXCHANGE. If your box is eligible for exchange, that should solve your issues.

PJL

@film11 wrote:
I'm not sure what feature just a standard box offers, but it sounds like zooming in might be your only option. That's what I do on the rare occasions when I watch letterboxed programming on the low-def channels. It assumes you're using a tube set because that's what the old boxes were primarily designed to accomodate.
You may be able to upgrade. Try going to the MENU, select CUSTOMER SUPPORT and then HELP TOPICS and then SET TOP BOX EXCHANGE. If your box is eligible for exchange, that should solve your issues.

The OP has an SD box, not HD, so will not qualify for the upgrade. The reason for the upgraded is to add HD channels in MPEG4 (requiring a 7XXX series STB), not just a regular upgrade.

To the OP: if you get an HD STB (as we discussed in your other thread) the aspect ratios will be correct.

avemaria92

i tried the exchange in the menu but it says my boxes are currently compatible.. they're the old 2500's though so i'm going to just upgrade to HD boxes anyhow..

Child Item