Setting up Vip211 with Sony HD 4:3 TV

pduncan

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Jul 13, 2006
278
3
I am a new HD customer with a VIP211. I also have a Sony KV-40XBR800, that has HD compression. When the TV is given an HD signal (1080i or 720p), it compresses the picture to a 16:9 size. With an SD (480p/i) signal, it stays in 4:3 mode.

I noticed that in the HD setup of the Vip211, you can chose the tv type for 16:9, 4:3(1) and 4:3(2). You also have the options to chose the resolution at 480i/p, 720p or 1080i.

From what I read in the booklet that came with my receiver, my set up should be... 4:3(1) with the resolution set at 1080i.

For some reason, when it is at this set up, everything is sent at the 16:9 display setting, regardless of if the signal is HD or SD.

When we were with Comcast, the Motorola box switched between HD and SD depending on the resolution of the signal, then my television processed the signal accordingly. If the TV saw an HD signal (1080i/720p), it would go into 16:9 mode and compress the signal. If it saw an SD signal (420p/i), it would stay in 4:3 mode.

What do I need to adjust to get my Vip 211 to do the same?
 
I think when you set the 211 to output 1080i, it up-converts SD signals to that res. So your TV thinks it should be 16:9 even though it is actually SD. Try using an S-video connection (for your SD channels) along with the separate HD connections.
 
Last edited:
The ViP211 doesn't have automatic resolution change system. If they did, there'd be too much lag between HD and SD channels. There's already a delay when the 211 is going from a MPEG4 channel to a MPEG2 channel.

I, too, have that TV and set my resolution at 480p at 4x3 (2). It looks OK that way since that's DVD resolution. When I want to watch HD, I set it to 1080i (16x9). I rarely HD these days because I only have a 921, but the 480p is good, too, so I just leave it on that. Other than the 4x3 format, that TV has the best picture out of any TV I've seen out of.
 
SummitAdvantageRetailer said:
The ViP211 doesn't have automatic resolution change system. If they did, there'd be too much lag between HD and SD channels. There's already a delay when the 211 is going from a MPEG4 channel to a MPEG2 channel.

I think you are wrong, here. In my case, all video signals coming from the VIP211 are upconverted and passed to my HDTV as 1080i via component cables.

Go to menu, then system setup (6), then HDTV setup (7) to open the receiver HDTV setup screen.

While in this menu, select the aspect ratio option that matches your TV:

4x3 #1 is the setting to use on a 4x3 TV which uses internal vertical compression. When fed with a 16x9 program, a compatible TV automatically makes the picture letterbox format (black bars top and bottom), to perserve the correct horizontal and vertical proportions. OR

4x3 #2 is the setting to use on a 4x3 TV which does NOT have internal vertical compression. When fed with a 16x9 program, such a TV will not show black bars at the top and bottom, and the picture will appear tall and skinny.
 
SummitAdvantageRetailer said:
The ViP211 doesn't have automatic resolution change system. If they did, there'd be too much lag between HD and SD channels. There's already a delay when the 211 is going from a MPEG4 channel to a MPEG2 channel.

I, too, have that TV and set my resolution at 480p at 4x3 (2). It looks OK that way since that's DVD resolution. When I want to watch HD, I set it to 1080i (16x9). I rarely HD these days because I only have a 921, but the 480p is good, too, so I just leave it on that. Other than the 4x3 format, that TV has the best picture out of any TV I've seen out of.


Best TV I've seen also! Blows Plasma, LCD away. I think the only thing that might touch it would be SED.... IF (and that's a big IF at this point) it ever comes out.

I've tried what the others have said. Even when I change the tv type to 4:3 (1), the output of the vip211 stays in 1080. I guess I'll just have to live with it. Right now I have the SD output on an SD input via Svideo connection, then HD in the HD input. Then, it doesn't really matter what the vip211 is set to. I just change the input on my TV then Whalla........ it works. Would just be nice to not have to switch inputs.
 
rdinkel said:
I think you are wrong, here. In my case, all video signals coming from the VIP211 are upconverted and passed to my HDTV as 1080i via component cables.

Go to menu, then system setup (6), then HDTV setup (7) to open the receiver HDTV setup screen.

While in this menu, select the aspect ratio option that matches your TV:

4x3 #1 is the setting to use on a 4x3 TV which uses internal vertical compression. When fed with a 16x9 program, a compatible TV automatically makes the picture letterbox format (black bars top and bottom), to perserve the correct horizontal and vertical proportions. OR

4x3 #2 is the setting to use on a 4x3 TV which does NOT have internal vertical compression. When fed with a 16x9 program, such a TV will not show black bars at the top and bottom, and the picture will appear tall and skinny.

Believe me, when I first hooked up the 921 and a HD upconverting DVD, I tried to go through everything to get this receiver to go widescreen only when it's on an HD channel.

But this particular Sony TV goes into widescreen whenever it detects a 1080i or 720p signal. It doesn't read whether the picture is in HD or SD, it just detects the 1080i or 720p signal and automatically goes into widescreen mode with black bars on top and bottom. So if you're watching ESPN HD and ESPN has those grey bars on the side, you're only watching a small square in the 4x3 TV with black bars on top and bottom and grey bars left and right. For SD channels, you get black bars on top and bottom and black bars on left and right. You can get rid of the black bars left and right if you stretch the SD picture.

That's why I leave it on 480p. At that resolution, the TV won't go into the automatic 16x9 widescreen mode. Sure the HD picture will be cut off but the SD will come in fine.

I even tried to find a setting in the factory menu but couldn't find one. So I resorted to 480p. So unless if the receiver can change the output resolution based on picture, the TV will always show black bars top and bottom on 720p/1080i signals.
 
I have a Sony KV32HS420 and it does the same thing with my 211. However, there is a button in the remote that allows you to Zoom In when you have SD showing in 16:9. The button is "SCREEN". Have you tried using it?

Edit: Just look at the manual for your TV and the remote doesn't have the button.
 
Last edited:
Hey Summit....

You ever had any problems with the XBR. Had mine 3 years now, it's been flawless ...(fingers crossed)
 
Please explain. HD = 720p or 1080i. So you seem to be saying that whenever your TV detects a 720p or 1080i signal it goes into widescreen mode otherwise it doesn't. Isn't that detecting if the signal is HD or SD? Perhaps you mean that the TV cannot determine the aspect ratio (or rather it assumes what it should be). Isn't HD programming almost always 16:9 (or some other "wide" format)?


SummitAdvantageRetailer said:
...
But this particular Sony TV goes into widescreen whenever it detects a 1080i or 720p signal. It doesn't read whether the picture is in HD or SD, it just detects the 1080i or 720p signal and automatically goes into widescreen mode with black bars on top and bottom. So if you're watching ESPN HD and ESPN has those grey bars on the side, you're only watching a small square in the 4x3 TV with black bars on top and bottom and grey bars left and right. For SD channels, you get black bars on top and bottom and black bars on left and right. You can get rid of the black bars left and right if you stretch the SD picture....
 
ThomasRz said:
Please explain. HD = 720p or 1080i. So you seem to be saying that whenever your TV detects a 720p or 1080i signal it goes into widescreen mode otherwise it doesn't. Isn't that detecting if the signal is HD or SD? Perhaps you mean that the TV cannot determine the aspect ratio (or rather it assumes what it should be). Isn't HD programming almost always 16:9 (or some other "wide" format)?

The TV goes into the letterbox widescreen mode since 720p and 1080i resolutions are 16:9 widescreen formats and the native TV format is 4:3.

If I somehow force the TV to display 720p or 1080i on the whole screen (which is impossible), on HD broadcasts you'll have left and right portions cut off. It'll be fine for SD broadcasts but on HD broadcasts, it'll be cut off. I guess the TV has no way of knowing whether the picture in the 720p or 1080i resolution is in HD or not. Plus, I don't think the TV owners will like that their HD picture will be cut off as this TV was quite expensive at the time for its size.
 
pduncan said:
Hey Summit....

You ever had any problems with the XBR. Had mine 3 years now, it's been flawless ...(fingers crossed)

Well, in 3 years, I've had this one circuit board replaced once and the focus adjusted once after that repair. After that board burnt up, I was scared that this TV isn't as reliable as other Sony TV's out there. I was told that the repair would've cost around $300 outside the warranty. The circuit board burnt out near the end of my 2-year XBR warranty. The TV's are made in the USA, too, which is pretty rare for a Sony product. So I'm happy with 'em, even if I have to watch HD through a letterbox. If DISH HD receivers can automatically change resolution output based on HD/SD picture, that'd be great but sadly they're not equipped to do so.
 
***

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)