Squeezed picture on Montana PBS

[jdbob]

Anyone else notice this? Some of the programs (just noticed it on Washington Week) are squeezed horizontally so they take up the full vertical dimension but less of the horizontal dimension. Everyone looks really thin

It's the same on two different systems so I don't think it's anything here. One system is a ViewSat MAXHD running a 16:9 LCD and the other is a Merc II running a 4:3 CRT.

 

[emuman100]

I notice this too. I don't think they are properly correcting the aspect ratio. The source is 16x9 and it's broadcasted at 4x3.

 

[B.J.]

I guess that we're going to see a lot more tall skinny/short fat people on PBS, since they'll be mixing HD/SD shows and various modes of handling the mode they're in.
Doesn't seem to be any good way to do it to please everyone.
The ngis site has a file that describes some different ways of handling the different aspect ratios, etc.
http://www.pbsngis.org/HD Upconverted Package Types.pdf
and I think I saw another file there once that had more options,
but since the viewers have different capabilities, and the stations will do things differently, there is going to be a strange mixture of things for a while I think.

 

[colbec]

My current viewing of PBS is through a computer solution (Linux + Kaffeine + Geniatech card) which offers some help dealing with this kind of problem. Page up and down changes channels, then F5-F8 offers alternative aspect ratios and Ctrl(Shift)++/- zooms in and out. So changing channels and adjusting the pic to the screen can be done quite quickly and effectively.

 

[jdbob]

I notice this too. I don't think they are properly correcting the aspect ratio. The source is 16x9 and it's broadcasted at 4x3.

I had a feeling it might just be the letterboxed source from PBS that was getting mangled. Sounds like someone configured something wrong

 

[Mr Tony]

our local PBS (KTCA) on the SD channel seems do that "small box inside of a big box" (letterbox I guess?) on some programs...seems weird and on my HDTV.

 

[eurosport]

On my HD 16:9 set it looked just like the 4:3 w/black bars pic on the main PBS HD feed- (although much lower resolution). At the time I saw it, Montana and the national PBS were showing the same program, and for a split-second, I though Montana PBS was in HD now!