Where'd my letterbox go?

[sm5574]

I searched the forums, but I didn't find anything that quite ansered my question.

I have the 625 receiver running through a standard 4:3 television. Until quite recently, I was able to watch widescreen programming in a letterbox format. Now everthing seems to be full screen, with the sides chopped off. I don't know of any settings that I have changed.

I have heard it mentioned that the * button on the remote changes the aspect ratio, but all it does for me is to pull up the menu. Nor have I found any menu option to change the aspect ratio. I also have not come across any aspect ratio option on my television's menu. (It's a somewhat older TV -- I'd say 10+ years old.)

How can I watch shows in letterbox again?

Thanks!

 

[HDRoberts]

The 625 is SD only. It can only show what the broadcasters are giving out in SD. The * button only works on HD receivers that get SD 4:3 and HD 16:9 (and combination thereof) to change format.

 

[sm5574]

So I have to get a different receiver?

 

[HDRoberts]

If you want to pay $10/month extra for HD, you could do that. But if a broadcaster is not putting out that outside stuff, there is probably not much there to miss. All I'm saying is there is no setting you changed, it is the network. Flip around, you'll probably find something letterboxed

 

[sm5574]

Okay, it's just weird. It's shows that have been letterboxed up till now (e.g. "Supernatural") and suddenly they aren't. And it's on different stations. So I didn't know if I changed something or if Dish did or the broadcasters. So you've convinced me that it isn't me. Did Dish change something with their SD broadcasts due to the upcoming switch to digital only broadcasts?

Anyway, if I pay the extra $10, will I get everything in HD that is available to get in HD and be able watch any of that letterboxed on my SD TV? Will both tuners (assuming I get a dual tuner DVR) be able to record and play back the content on my SD TV?

 

[HDRoberts]

Yep. In fact, the TV2 output is SD only. There are standard RCA connections for SD TVs. There may also be a fee, though, to upgrade receivers.

PQ will improve to, and you'll be ready to make the jump to HD.

But I'd carefully consider it. And I've never tried it before, so I may not be thinking this through clearly.

 

[kb7oeb]

Did Dish change something with their SD broadcasts due to the upcoming switch to digital only broadcasts?

Yes, they changed from using the over the air analog signal to the over the air digital signal. The digital signals are 16:9 and dish is cropping the sides for use on the SD LIL.

Switching to an HD box will only help you if Dish offers HD in your market and they usually only have the big 4 so you would not be able to fix Supernatural. Some of the networks are working on a way to signal if a show needs to be cropped or letterbox but its not there yet.

You could purchase one of the digital converters and watch your locals via antenna, all the converter boxes let you choose to letterbox. That won't let you DVR shows but you could at least get the letterbox.

 

[sm5574]

Thanks KB7. That's what I suspected. I'm in the Dallas area, and I believe Dish does carry the CW in HD here, but I'll have to check tonight to make sure.

 

[dennispap]

Yes, they changed from using the over the air analog signal to the over the air digital signal. The digital signals are 16:9 and dish is cropping the sides for use on the SD LIL.

Switching to an HD box will only help you if Dish offers HD in your market and they usually only have the big 4 so you would not be able to fix Supernatural. Some of the networks are working on a way to signal if a show needs to be cropped or letterbox but its not there yet.

You could purchase one of the digital converters and watch your locals via antenna, all the converter boxes let you choose to letterbox. That won't let you DVR shows but you could at least get the letterbox.

Dish hasnt changed over all of the ota analog to ota digital yet. Dallas should be digital since april.
Click the link for the dates of scheduled cities ( of course all dates are subject to change)
http://mstv.org/docs/sattransschedule.pdf

 

[Javaman]

I was wondering why shows like Saturday Night Live and Conan O'Brien were cutting off text and graphics from the sides of the picture. I have a 522 and SD. So there is nothing DISH can do to fix this without me having to buy new equipment of some sort?

 

[HDRoberts]

I was wondering why shows like Saturday Night Live and Conan O'Brien were cutting off text and graphics from the sides of the picture. I have a 522 and SD. So there is nothing DISH can do to fix this without me having to buy new equipment of some sort?

Complain to your local NBC affiliate who seems to think center cut is better than letterbox of SD customers.

 

[Javaman]

I was wondering, does anyone know if DirectTV customers are seeing the same problem?

 

[kb7oeb]

Complain to your local NBC affiliate who seems to think center cut is better than letterbox of SD customers.

Dish is doing the cropping, not the affiliate.

 

[HDRoberts]

Dish is doing the cropping, not the affiliate.

Dish can't do much about it.

A good chunk (most is a lot of markets) of programming is still 4:3. Set the converter to letterbox and you get a pillerbox many times. I bet there would be a lot more complaints about that. It can't just be a software update for SD receivers as the infrastructure is only designed to uplink 4:3 SD signals. Maybe they could automate a switch of some sort, but that could be problematic. And I don't think Dish wants to pay people to watch locals 24:7 to decide if the should uplink 4:3 or 16:9 letterboxed to 4:3. My only thought is that this could be controlled by the network at the Dish headed, as there is probably separate signal path for the SD signal and the HD signal.

 

[kb7oeb]

A solution is in the works, the networks are working on a way to signal converter boxes to crop or letterbox the picture with AFD.

NBC-U Preps for AFD, by James E. O'Neal