OTA HD Picture Size Question

bsilvertab

SatelliteGuys Guru
Original poster
May 12, 2004
126
0
Rockford MI
I have a 32" Philips CRT HD set with a 4:3 ratio. I currently have my 622 hooked though the component inputs to the TV. All of my local HD stations appear smaller on the screen then they should be. I have black bars on all 4 sides of the picture. The only way to fix this is to go into the 622 menu and adjust the HDTV setting to 4:3 #1. This streches the picture up and down then I just have to adjust the aspect ratio on the TV itself and then the picture will encompess the entire screen. I can't live the 622 on the #1 option because all of my SD channels then do not fit correctly. Any advise behond hooking the antenna up directly to the TV with its built in HD tuner?
 
I had a similiar problem with my TV. I found an aspect ratio setting on the tv that defaults to 6x9. I have to reset it to 4x3 every time I turn on the TV as it does not maintain the setting once turned off (my harmany remote does that for me). I have the 622 set on 4x3 #2. This combination works fine. All my SD programming is full screen 4x3 with no streaching and my HD programm is 6x9 letterbox.
 
Must have a 16X9 set to watch widescreen HD

Hope this helps.
If you have a newer HD-ready TV set with component video inputs (marked "RGB" or "YPbPr") or digital (DVI) inputs, you'll be able to watch all DTV formats. However, you won't be able to watch true widescreen TV unless your TV set has a widescreen picture tube or projection screen. Widescreen DTV signals will appear as letterboxed images on 4:3 DTV sets.
 
JKElect said:
However, you won't be able to watch true widescreen TV unless your TV set has a widescreen picture tube or projection screen.
I'm note sure what you mean here. I watch HD 1080i widescreen material all the time on my 4:3 set. It's CRTs can either scan a 4:3 zone, or squeeze the raster scan to fit 16:9.
Widescreen DTV signals will appear as letterboxed images on 4:3 DTV sets.
The appearance may be similar to letterboxing, but the black areas above and below the image are not part of the 16:9 raster scan on my 4:3 set.
 
bsilver-

You say that your local HD stations appear with black borders on all sides. What kind of program material are they transmitting when you observe this? If they are upconverting 4:3 SD material into 1080i (which most stations do), this is exactly what you would expect to see.

Also, with a 4:3 set, you may be better off connecting the S-video output of TV1 for watching all SD material. This is the only way you can fill the whole screen.
 
Thanks for the replys. I wish DISH would release a software version that can tell how much of the picture is actually being viewed onto the screen, so I don't have to mess with settings everytime I watch local HD. I think it is SD content upverted to 1080i. It looks decent, it is just a pain. My Voom channels work great with no adjustments needed.
 
I think that the issue is, and I could be wrong, is that not all of the local programs are in HD. Just digital. Thats why you have black bars on all sides. If you watch a program that you know is being broadcasted in HD, see if you have black bars on all sides or just top and bottom.
I know when I had directv with an ota antenna getting hd locals, most channels would have the black bars all around. When a program was in HD, then I only had black bars on the top and bottom of my sony 4x3.
 
bsilvertab said:
I think it is SD content upverted to 1080i. It looks decent, it is just a pain.

I understand! But upconverted SD is always going to be picture framed (black on four sides) when viewed in an HD mode on a 4:3 set. I still recommend you connect the S-vid output for watching SD material, then start a budget plan to eventually get a 16:9 set. Hold out for a 60" plasma with 1080p!!! :D
 
I have the same issue and solved it by using the S-Video port on the 622 to the S-Video on the TV. Use the Harmony to switch the video inputs on the TV when you switch from an HD channel to an SD channel. I have "Watch SD" and "Watch HD" as two of the buttons on my Harmony.

FYI, the reason this is happening is b/c the 622 (and the 942 and 811 and 211, for that matter), don't have what's called a "pass-through" mode. Ideally, the 622 should send to your TV the exact signal that it's getting in the exact aspect ratio. However, the 622 makes you make that selection manually (4x3 #1) in order to let your TV know it's a 4x3 signal (whether it's SD or HD is irrelevant).

If the 622 was smart enough to send a 4x3 signal *as 4x3* regardless of that setting and over component, this wouldn't be a problem. My guess is that such an automatic determination is too hard for the 622 and, in Dish's mind, not worth figuring out b/c of the small number of 4x3 TVs.
 
All of this goes over my head, but I am just wondering something...When I see bars on the side of my screen, does that mean it is not HD content? I have a HD Read Wide Screen TV. When I watch ESPN HD most of the time the bars are not there, but other times it is there. I assume it is there when the content is not HD, like highlights.
 
I noticed the very same issue when I replaced my 811 on my 4:3 office TV w/ a 211 (I'm assuming they share some code as the issue is so close). I use that room's receiver in conjunction w/ a Slingbox, feeding it via S-Video and the boxing on all 4 sides is very appartent on OTA versus other sat SD channels...this seems like a bug to me.

I'll try the 4:3 option #2 as suggested above and see if that helps.
 
grecni said:
I had a similiar problem with my TV. I found an aspect ratio setting on the tv that defaults to 6x9. I have to reset it to 4x3 every time I turn on the TV as it does not maintain the setting once turned off (my harmany remote does that for me). I have the 622 set on 4x3 #2. This combination works fine. All my SD programming is full screen 4x3 with no streaching and my HD programm is 6x9 letterbox.

ditto. I have a macro that changes my TV back to 4x3 and use #2 then zoom mode or full mode on the 622 depending on HD or SD
 
Right on the SD being upconverted to 1080i, at least on our two stations and the others in this market (or to whatever their networks HD is). This means the set can't tell from a 4:3 and 16:9, both are the same due to the upconversion. When upconverting, most stations do not stretch the picture, but the data stream is still in the HD rate.
 
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