Question about HDTV.

[King Darkness]

I just got my HDTV hooked up yesterday, looks AMAZING!!

But I have a few questions for those who have had it for awhile.

I have my HD through Directv.

Some of the HD channels are in 4:3, with the black bars on the sides. Is this normal??? In my settings options I have my TV specified as being 16:9, and another setting saying to "stretch" if the image doesnt fit my screen.

Is this normal for some HD broadcast to have the bars on the sides???

Also, my HBOHD channel has a thin white flickering line at the very top of the image, and it is also in 4:3, with the black bars running vertically on either side of the image?!?!?!?!

Can someone PLEASE tell me if this is normal, or WTF could be the prob!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

 

[KitFisto]

Yes, it's normal. What you're seeing is a non-HD show or commercial. Take the Simpsons for example. They are a non HD show so on an HD channel feed you're going to get the black bars on the sides.

 

[King Darkness]

Yes, it's normal. What you're seeing is a non-HD show or commercial. Take the Simpsons for example. They are a non HD show so on an HD channel feed you're going to get the black bars on the sides.

Oh, I see. Thanks for the info!

Any idea but the flickering white bar on my HBOHD channel???

 

[KitFisto]

Oh, I see. Thanks for the info!

Any idea but the flickering white bar on my HBOHD channel???

That one I am not sure about. I don't have HBO. I used to have it months ago and I don't ever remember that happening, but maybe someone else can speak to that one.

 

[King Darkness]

That one I am not sure about. I don't have HBO. I used to have it months ago and I don't ever remember that happening, but maybe someone else can speak to that one.

Thanks for your info though

I was gonna be sad if I was gonna have to get a new receiver.

 

[KitFisto]

Thanks for your info though

I was gonna be sad if I was gonna have to get a new receiver.

I hear you. It can be confusing when you first get into it. If you want the "wide" version of a non-HD show just flip to the alternate non-HD feed and the whole screen will be filled, but everyone will look all squished

 

[darthviper107]

If you want to get rid of the black bars there should be a setting to either zoom in so that it fits it to the sides (but cuts off the top) or to stretch it to the sides (but I can't stand people with fat heads). It looks like you have that already set but try and fool with those display modes and see what happens.

The white line is an odd problem, ask DirecTV people to see if they might know anything about it.

And 4:3 isn't neccessarily non-HD, it's just a different aspect ratio, it could still be HD but is just a different shape.

 

[King Darkness]

I hear you. It can be confusing when you first get into it. If you want the "wide" version of a non-HD show just flip to the alternate non-HD feed and the whole screen will be filled, but everyone will look all squished

Cool, I think I like it better in the 4:3 than all squished looking.

 

[KitFisto]

If you want to get rid of the black bars there should be a setting to either zoom in so that it fits it to the sides (but cuts off the top) or to stretch it to the sides (but I can't stand people with fat heads). It looks like you have that already set but try and fool with those display modes and see what happens.

The white line is an odd problem, ask DirecTV people to see if they might know anything about it.

And 4:3 isn't neccessarily non-HD, it's just a different aspect ratio, it could still be HD but is just a different shape.

I have never heard or seen of 4:3 HD. For TV programs it's always 16:9. I could be wrong, but 4:3 HD would be a new one on me.

 

[Jesseawilson]

Just make sure you understand that there are aspect ratio settings on both your DTV receiver as well as your TV. If you've already set your DTV receiver to 16:9 then check your TV for a stretch or what I like more that my Hitachi had was called a "smooth wide" setting which only stretched the outside 1/4 of either side of the screen and left the center half intact. Since that's the part you focus on the most you never noticed that the outside was distorted except for maybe when there were words scrolling across the bottom. So you might want to check for a setting like that as well and see what you like the best.


The Jew

 

[King Darkness]

I guess I'll can Directv about the white line thing.

 

[King Darkness]

Just make sure you understand that there are aspect ratio settings on both your DTV receiver as well as your TV. If you've already set your DTV receiver to 16:9 then check your TV for a stretch or what I like more that my Hitachi had was called a "smooth wide" setting which only stretched the outside 1/4 of either side of the screen and left the center half intact. Since that's the part you focus on the most you never noticed that the outside was distorted except for maybe when there were words scrolling across the bottom. So you might want to check for a setting like that as well and see what you like the best.


The Jew

Yeah on my TV there is an aspect option called H Fill, and another called Just, that fill the screen. Doesnt distort the image to much, but it is evident.

 

[Darth Caedus]

Remember that not all shows are broadcast in HD. so a non-hd show on an hd channel will have the black lines on the side because they are broadcasting a 4:3 show in 16:9 format. that happens sometimes with time warner HD channels for my cable company.

 

[darthviper107]

I have never heard or seen of 4:3 HD. For TV programs it's always 16:9. I could be wrong, but 4:3 HD would be a new one on me.

There aren't really any displays that display that, but by default HD video is in 16:9 but can be made to have 4:3 aspect ratio, but that's not usually done and if you get any HD movies then they'll always be in widescreen.


Although, what's sad is that movie resolution is actually still larger than 1080p but instead of filling up the full 1920x1080 with an image they'll just squash the anamorphic widescreen down and have black bars.

 

[user 1190]

Did you get the new dish king? The 5 LBN one? I have never noticed white lines on HBO on mine. But I found out that i will have to replace my HD Directivo unit soon if I want to keep local HD channels.