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I recently started to experience problems with some of my HD channels having black borders on sides or sides, top & bottom. For instance, right now I am watching How its made HD on the Science channel HD. And I am getting a 2" black around the entire picture on my 62" screen. The 1080i light is lit on my HR20-100. I have experienced this same problem with other HD channels & HD programming, but not all channels. Is this a problem on my end or Directv's? Anybody else getting this?
10 Replies
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9223 views
leehound,
I GET IT. I understand. I know what you are talking about. Yes. I understand!
Discovery Science sometimes shows a STANDARD DEFINITION program which would be seen as a letterboxed program on a regular TV, but instead of zooming it, they show it "Pillar Boxed" on the HD channel leaving a black bar all the way around the channel!
Since you won't go to the page I posted for you, I will reprint it here:
----------------------------
Out of sequence on the page
-----------------------------
Why are there bars ALL AROUND the picture on your new TV?
16x9 image in a 16x9 TV (Window Box)
This type of effect drives quite a few people off their rocker making them want to go back to the store to punch the salesman in the nose! You just paid lots of money for your new TV and you see something that has lots of real-estate showing nothing but a black screen! It is nothing more than the TV station being very, very lazy and just passing through a letterboxed 16x9 image made for a "regular" TV screen (Left) shown on a 16x9 channel or HDTV signal with a pillar box (Right).
There is a simple consumer remedy for this. On your TV's remote there is a "Zoom" or "Aspect" or "Wide" button. Just press this button repeatedly to get the image to fill up the screen with no black bars anywhere. Every 16x9 TV set will have this feature.
The real remedy to this is to have the broadcasters "up-convert" the window box programs to full screen rather than pillar box the letterboxed image, but that may be easier said than done.
------------------------------------------------
Why are there VERTICAL bars on your new HDTV? Why does the picture some times look distorted or fuzzy?
In order to understand why you have black bars on the screen or why you have a weird looking image on your new TV you have to understand the source of the so-called problem.
There are dozens of different movie shapes and two TV shapes. All are rectangles, but they have different widths. It is very difficult to explain in words, so here are some pictures to show you the difference in shapes. All the pictures are exactly the same height. But they vary in width. The difference in width to height is called the aspect ratio. For reference, a regular TV has an aspect ratio of 4x3. If the picture is 4 inches wide, it will be 3 inches tall. This is also known as 1:33 to 1. A new HDTV is 16x9 or 1.77 to 1.
From the first movies made until the mid 1950's and from the beginning of TV until 2000, every program and movie ever made was made in the 4x3 format. This is no coincidence. The standard TV is the shape it is because that was the shape of movies in the theater when TVs were developed. Also many movies were cropped in pan & scan mode (explained above) to fit the 4x3 standard TVs. Most broadcast and cable channels whether they have an "HD channel" or not, still air the "edited for TV" movies which are 4x3. It is only in the last few years that all the broadcast networks started making many of their programs in the new screen size. Some cable networks are just now (2007) starting to make their programs in the new screen size.
So what do you do when you have a wide screen TV and a standard size program?
You have three options:
1) Watch the program in its original size (OAR)
Regular TV/Older Movie on HDTV set (Pillarbox)
This allows you to see the image as it was originally recorded. Or in "Original Aspect Ratio".
2) You distort and stretch the image to fit the screen.
Regular TV / Older movie on HDTV set (Stretch-o-vision)
In this image it looks like Zeus put on a few pounds! The cherubs to either side look completely unreal. All the detail is lost in the distortion.
3)You "Zoom" the image.
Zoomed in 4x3. The red rectangle represents the area that would be seen on an HDTV
It is difficult to see here, but there is a loss of detail since the image is zoomed in. Essentially there is less information for every square inch of picture than there would be if it was the regular image. Some times the higher quality of a high definition broadcast can make up for some of the difference by sending the best possible quality standard definition image possible. But much of the time the image gets a little fuzzier than we are used to with regular TVs and much fuzzier than what you get used to with HD sets. It still looks okay. Just nowhere near as good as is should.
The Discovery Networks use a similar type "zoom" on some of their programs on their HD channels which leaves a slight black bar on either side
Discovery Networks' style zoom.
Notice how there is a little more room below Zeus' feet. But you still lose quite a bit of picture that you could see if the program were shown in original aspect ratio. Discovery does a great job on the up-converts and the images are rarely fuzzy, but the picture quality is not anywhere near the level of a true HD program or movie.
I GET IT. I understand. I know what you are talking about. Yes. I understand!
Discovery Science sometimes shows a STANDARD DEFINITION program which would be seen as a letterboxed program on a regular TV, but instead of zooming it, they show it "Pillar Boxed" on the HD channel leaving a black bar all the way around the channel!
Since you won't go to the page I posted for you, I will reprint it here:
----------------------------
Out of sequence on the page
-----------------------------
Why are there bars ALL AROUND the picture on your new TV?
16x9 image in a 16x9 TV (Window Box)
This type of effect drives quite a few people off their rocker making them want to go back to the store to punch the salesman in the nose! You just paid lots of money for your new TV and you see something that has lots of real-estate showing nothing but a black screen! It is nothing more than the TV station being very, very lazy and just passing through a letterboxed 16x9 image made for a "regular" TV screen (Left) shown on a 16x9 channel or HDTV signal with a pillar box (Right).
There is a simple consumer remedy for this. On your TV's remote there is a "Zoom" or "Aspect" or "Wide" button. Just press this button repeatedly to get the image to fill up the screen with no black bars anywhere. Every 16x9 TV set will have this feature.
The real remedy to this is to have the broadcasters "up-convert" the window box programs to full screen rather than pillar box the letterboxed image, but that may be easier said than done.
------------------------------------------------
Why are there VERTICAL bars on your new HDTV? Why does the picture some times look distorted or fuzzy?
In order to understand why you have black bars on the screen or why you have a weird looking image on your new TV you have to understand the source of the so-called problem.
There are dozens of different movie shapes and two TV shapes. All are rectangles, but they have different widths. It is very difficult to explain in words, so here are some pictures to show you the difference in shapes. All the pictures are exactly the same height. But they vary in width. The difference in width to height is called the aspect ratio. For reference, a regular TV has an aspect ratio of 4x3. If the picture is 4 inches wide, it will be 3 inches tall. This is also known as 1:33 to 1. A new HDTV is 16x9 or 1.77 to 1.
From the first movies made until the mid 1950's and from the beginning of TV until 2000, every program and movie ever made was made in the 4x3 format. This is no coincidence. The standard TV is the shape it is because that was the shape of movies in the theater when TVs were developed. Also many movies were cropped in pan & scan mode (explained above) to fit the 4x3 standard TVs. Most broadcast and cable channels whether they have an "HD channel" or not, still air the "edited for TV" movies which are 4x3. It is only in the last few years that all the broadcast networks started making many of their programs in the new screen size. Some cable networks are just now (2007) starting to make their programs in the new screen size.
So what do you do when you have a wide screen TV and a standard size program?
You have three options:
1) Watch the program in its original size (OAR)
Regular TV/Older Movie on HDTV set (Pillarbox)
This allows you to see the image as it was originally recorded. Or in "Original Aspect Ratio".
2) You distort and stretch the image to fit the screen.
Regular TV / Older movie on HDTV set (Stretch-o-vision)
In this image it looks like Zeus put on a few pounds! The cherubs to either side look completely unreal. All the detail is lost in the distortion.
3)You "Zoom" the image.
Zoomed in 4x3. The red rectangle represents the area that would be seen on an HDTV
It is difficult to see here, but there is a loss of detail since the image is zoomed in. Essentially there is less information for every square inch of picture than there would be if it was the regular image. Some times the higher quality of a high definition broadcast can make up for some of the difference by sending the best possible quality standard definition image possible. But much of the time the image gets a little fuzzier than we are used to with regular TVs and much fuzzier than what you get used to with HD sets. It still looks okay. Just nowhere near as good as is should.
The Discovery Networks use a similar type "zoom" on some of their programs on their HD channels which leaves a slight black bar on either side
Discovery Networks' style zoom.
Notice how there is a little more room below Zeus' feet. But you still lose quite a bit of picture that you could see if the program were shown in original aspect ratio. Discovery does a great job on the up-converts and the images are rarely fuzzy, but the picture quality is not anywhere near the level of a true HD program or movie.
Good data Tony! You didn't mention (or I didn't catch it) stretched letterbox, which has shown up on a few channels (really ugly 
)
)
IS Amiko MIRA 3 any good ???
Can you recommend the best to cover all bases. NO BEEPS on certain channels 101w (NEWSMAX ,NEWS NATION), a clock that keeps working STEADY for timed recording ,solid unit with good lifespan. My Amiko died AND my Linkbox has NO Favorites Button and BEEPS on many channels. Picking up 105 west with a NEW SHED IN THE Way with 6 foot Cband ..95 percent quality ...unbelievable.
Can you recommend the best to cover all bases. NO BEEPS on certain channels 101w (NEWSMAX ,NEWS NATION), a clock that keeps working STEADY for timed recording ,solid unit with good lifespan. My Amiko died AND my Linkbox has NO Favorites Button and BEEPS on many channels. Picking up 105 west with a NEW SHED IN THE Way with 6 foot Cband ..95 percent quality ...unbelievable.
1 Replies
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14 views
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/nrzwDeQ-WV0
Direct YouTube Link - Updates on Artemis III?
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View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/nrzwDeQ-WV0
Direct YouTube Link - Updates on Artemis III?
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
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2 views
Season 2 order already in hand:
'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy' Renewed for Season 2, Tatiana Maslany to Guest Star in Season 1
I've not been optimistic about this show based on what I've read so far. Seems to be aimed at a younger audience. Interesting though that Tatiana Maslany will have some sort of role.
'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy' Renewed for Season 2, Tatiana Maslany to Guest Star in Season 1
I've not been optimistic about this show based on what I've read so far. Seems to be aimed at a younger audience. Interesting though that Tatiana Maslany will have some sort of role.
85 Replies
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3519 views
I don't know, but I still don't like her walking through the station or the academy with out her shoes. It looks unprofessional and very "hippy like" for someone of her status and I personally don't get off to feet, so there is that.
Stay out of my office. I rarely have shoes or socks on in the office. My office and business is at home thoughI don't know, but I still don't like her walking through the station or the academy with out her shoes. It looks unprofessional and very "hippy like" for someone of her status and I personally don't get off to feet, so there is that.
Say, I don't wear socks or shoes in my house either. But for a captain in Star Fleet it looks bad to be walking around the academy with no shoes. Gives off 1960 Hippie vibes.Stay out of my office. I rarely have shoes or socks on in the office. My office and business is at home though
Supporting Founder
Pub Member / Supporter
Apple Fall Hardware Event takes place today, September 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. ET. It marks the debut of new CEO John Ternus and the expected reveal of Apple's first foldable phone.
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1318 views
It seems the phone gets locked into Sat mode. A software patch is coming to avoid that pitfall, but it comes too late for those who already fell in.
Apple confirms iPhone 18 Pro Max AT&T cellular issues, affected devices require hardware replacement - 9to5Mac
Apple has confirmed an issue causing a “small number” of iPhone 18 Pro Max devices on AT&T to lose cellular...
9to5mac.com
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Lifetime Supporter
Comcast is the first to report, with a massive 274,000 loss in video subscribers.
In the 3Q of 2016, Comcast had 21.42 million video subscribers and was the #1 provider, now at 10.39 million and is the #3 Provider, YTTV is #2 ( who also surpassed DirecTV-8 Million and Dish-under 5 Million), Charter/Spectrum is #1.
cordcuttersnews.com
In the 3Q of 2016, Comcast had 21.42 million video subscribers and was the #1 provider, now at 10.39 million and is the #3 Provider, YTTV is #2 ( who also surpassed DirecTV-8 Million and Dish-under 5 Million), Charter/Spectrum is #1.
Comcast Just Lost 274,000 TV Customers & 144,000 Internet Customers In Just Three Months | Cord Cutters News
Comcast Corporation reported its third-quarter 2026 results on October 22, showing continued erosion in its domestic residential broadband internet and video customer bases as competitive pressures intensified across the connectivity market. The company recorded a net loss of 144,000 domestic...
cordcuttersnews.com
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190 views
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bx4mVu7RXKs
Direct YouTube Link - AI Infrastructure Hijacked: Attackers Turned Company AI Against It #shorts
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View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bx4mVu7RXKs
Direct YouTube Link - AI Infrastructure Hijacked: Attackers Turned Company AI Against It #shorts
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
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10 views
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
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I'm surprised Walmart hasn't banned this guy from all of their stores. He has been on their CASE the past few months.
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/f3zr37ekgKM?feature=share
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/f3zr37ekgKM?feature=share
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559 views
I would think that all the packaging would already be accounted for ... they weigh the container, subtract that from the scale, then add the product , so its weighing the Product onlyUnless the specific product or its packaging is known at the time of weighing, estimating the tare weight for a PoS system is a tall order.
I'm pretty sure that produce bags can't get any thinner.
You certainly don't want to put unbagged produce on a belt, scale, or in a clerk's hands (gloved or not).
Booredatwork.com
Time for another AWESOME video from BoredAtWork!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DuF-q5UeHI
Direct YouTube Link - iPhone Duo vs Z Fold8 vs Xiaomi1 8 Fold: Real-World Test
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View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DuF-q5UeHI
Direct YouTube Link - iPhone Duo vs Z Fold8 vs Xiaomi1 8 Fold: Real-World Test
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I've always been super interested in things space related so this is a pretty cool event coming up. Nov 18, 2026 early in the morning, Voyager 1 will reach the distance of one full light day from Earth. Took almost 50 yrs. I was 13 when it launched.
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gjHK3clOwIw?feature=share
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gjHK3clOwIw?feature=share
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103 views
Thanks for that info. I will mark it on my calendar!
