Resize SD for 16:9 screen???

[JaredG]

Hi,
I've been lurking for a while, but this is my first post here. I currently have a 522 receiver, but I just bought a 42" plasma EDTV and I'm considering going DishHD.
I have searched the forum, but I haven't found a definitive answer on this.
When viewing SD content with the 622 receiver, can it reformat the picture to fit a 16:9 widescreen properly (no bars) or does it just stretch the picture horizontally so everything looks short and fat?
Any help is appreciated.
Jared

 

[Pepper]

The only way to make a 4:3 picture fit a 16:9 screen without bars is to stretch it. Perhaps you want it zoomed with the top and bottom cut off?

I think it will do both.

A more important question might be, since you have an EDTV not HDTV, what inputs does it have and what resolutions does it support?

 

[lakebum431]

EDTV blah. No thanks. The 622 will zoom to remove the bars (this will not stretch, but you will lose part of the picture as a result). It just depends what you like. I prefer to watch SD with the bars on the side.

 

[JaredG]

Thanks for the replies. I guess what I was wondering was if the sd content was really 4:3 and the receiver would have to stretch it to make it fit the 16:9 screen or if the content was actually broadcast in 16:9 - just not HD. Sounds like it's a stretch job.

Pepper,
My tv has component and hdmi connections, so I'm ok there. The native resolution is 852X480, but I think it converts the 720 or 1080 signals.

lakebum431,
Say what you will about EDTV, but with a HD signal and at my normal 8 foot viewing distance I couldn't see a difference side by side with a quality HD set. End result is I saved some cash because I went there to buy the HD set.

 

[Pepper]

If you couldn't tell a difference then they likely had it connected badly or had low quality source material.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I use partial zoom with my sd channels and normal on hd . It fills my screen and the people don't look short and fat when I do it in partial zoom.

 

[dougruss]

Say what you will about EDTV, but with a HD signal and at my normal 8 foot viewing distance I couldn't see a difference side by side with a quality HD set. End result is I saved some cash because I went there to buy the HD set.

You did good !! :
I've had a 42" EDTV Panny for about a year and Very happy with it at my Viewing distance of 10 feet.

 

[David Dietzel]

Yes, an HD signal going to an EDTV display will look excellent at 42-inches or smaller.

It's a relatively inexpensive way to get yourself into a home theater environment.

 

[JaredG]

Yeah guys. Maybe I'm not smart enough to tell the difference, but I'm satisfied.

Jared

 

[bytre]

Hey, if it looks good to you, be happy!

 

[cebbigh]

With the 622 you can stretch (distorts the picture to fix the screen) or Zoom (cuts the top and bottom off the image and expands the picture, without distorted proportions, to fit the screen). Partial zoom on the 622 probably isn't a bad option at 42". Personally I like it set at normal and have gotten used to the bars on the sides on my 53" RPTV. The rest of the family seems to prefer partial zoom.

 

[JaredG]

Thanks guys. I could tolerate the bars on the sides, but my tv is a plasma and I'm concerned about the bars damaging the screen.
My local HD channels OTA are often broadcast with the black bars on the sides. The signal is HD 16:9, but the image is 4:3 with black bars. The tv will only give me the option of 16:9 or 4:3 in that mode because it knows that the signal is already 16:9. I guess if I want to watch tv, there are going to be black bars sometimes. Maybe I shouldn't worry about it. I don't know.

Jared