FIOS just installed a few days ago. Local channels appear full screen, but most don't, such as ESPN. Even with 16:9 ratio turned OFF, the top and bottom 2 inches of the tv screen are blacked out. This makes the picture quite small. This didn't happen with Comcast cable, from whom I switched. The installer couldn't figure it out - he said it was probably the tv. That seems unlikely to me.
Any ideas on how to remedy this?
In the Menu under Settings, TV. HD Overide, there are additional settings. Verizon provides the picture as recieved. If it is letterbox, that is what you will see. Even if you have 4:3 set for your screen size. You may still need to make some other adjustments. I had the same TV as you at 34" in size. I believe it is stretch, or Pan and scan you are looking for. If you adjust these settings, remember you will be croping the sides if it is widescreen content. Perhaps others can add more.
I have a Standard Def. box, not HD. There is no HD Override option in my menu settings selections. Thanks for the response, though.
Some of the SD channels are in letter box now like FearNet and National Geo Wild, other channels show certain shows that way. It is annoying.
If you try to watch an HD channel on an SD TV, you will get the letterbox style image as the box downsizes the image to allow a 720p/1080i image to fit on a 480i resolution. Make sure you are watching the SD version of any channels and see if that changes the behavior (SD channels are typically those below channel 500 on the box).
Lasagna, he already said he had and SD box.
Since this was installed two days ago and Verizon doesn't distribute SD STB's anymore -- everything's HD except for the terminal adapters, are we sure about that?
OP ... are you running with one of the small terminal adapters (no menu or guide available, etc.) or a standard STB? What is the model number of the STB you have?
Verizon still distributes SD boxes - it's an option in their Double Play internet / tv. I can't even get HD channels with this SD box.
Model: Motorola QIP2500-3
This appears to be a normal SD box. I have a full menu guide.
Me & ekem015 already told you what the problem is.
So what you're saying is there is no way around this with a CRT tv? Do these channels that broadcast only in 16:9 appear full picture with no cutoff in an lcd tv?
No, on an HD TV it looks worse because it has black bars on the top/bottom like you, plus on the sides.
if it's the 2500 model, then there are no settings in the set top box for changing the aspect ration, but there are in your TV. So you may have to play with your TV Aspect ratio.
Motorola has a good PDF file that discusses the aspect ratio and what to expect to see and when.
Why doesn't the movie fill the entire screen? Can I change the setting?
A: Make certain your video settings match your screen's aspect ratio. For example, if you have a widescreen TV, be sure to set it to 16:9 aspect ratio. Be sure your Set-Top Box's video settings also match your TV's aspect ratio. If you still have black bars at the top and bottom and/or along the sides that you want to remove, use your TV's zoom or full-screen feature to blow up the image to fill the screen. Keep in mind, though, when you zoom a letterbox movie, you will lose the edges and possibly distort the image by making things tall and thin. Likewise, if you zoom a pillarbox movie, you will lose the top and bottom and possibly distort the image by making things short and fat. Your TV may have several different video settings; be sure to try them all until you are pleased with the way the movie fits your screen.
ESPN is only broadcasting in 16:9 now; even with their SD signal. There is no more 4:3 ESPN.
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