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Huge Bars on Sides and Top and Bottom? (1 Viewer)

Arthur S

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This is probably a real basic question but here goes.

On some TV broadcasts the picture has large bars on the sides of the picture and VERY large bars on the top and bottom of the picture.

This is on a 16:9 CRT RPTV.

I can understand why it would have the bars on the top and bottom, but with a widescreen TV, why does the picture have the bars on the sides?

These broadcasts make for a pretty small image.

Thanks

Artie
 

PerryD

Supporting Actor
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Aug 28, 2000
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If you are watching a standard def show that happens to be broadcast in widescreen, you'll need to manually zoom, otherwise you'll get the effect you are describing. Obviously, this should never occur while watching a high-def broadcast or DVD.
 

Arthur S

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By the way, this only happens on some movies they broadcast. Does this mean that the movie was originally shot in 2:35 and that because it is being broadcast in 4:3 I still get the bars on the sides?

I think I have tried all the zoom modes on my TV and they all create some stretching distortion. It seems that to preserve the correct geometry I have to keep the original aspect ratio and put up with all the bars.

Next time one of these is broadcast I will turn on my 4:3 TV and see if I get any bars on the sides.
 

Steve Schaffer

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Steve Schaffer
Arthur,

If you are watching a widescreen movie being broadcast in it's original aspect ratio on a non-HD 4/3 channel you will get side as well as top and bottom bars. One example of this would be watching ER, a letterboxed show, on the standard definition NBC channel. On very rare occasions Showtime HD will present a movie in 4/3 letterbox on it's HD feed, and it does the same thing.

If you can change your stb's outgoing scanrate to 480i or 480p, your set's zoom mode should correct this.
 

PerryD

Supporting Actor
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Arthur, it might help if you mention what the movies are and on what channels this is occuring on. I watch a lot of high definition, and I don't have a problem with this at all, but then again, I don't watch much non-high-def programming.
 

Arthur S

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Will do Perry. I will also check out ER on the non HD channel as Steve Schaffer suggested.
 

Arthur S

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To those who suggested using a zoom mode with these broadcasts, thanks! I tried my zoom modes again and it is definitely a better way to go.

One of the zoom modes is just about perfect because it only leaves small bars at the top and bottom and causes only a very little bit of geometric distortion without chopping off heads or making people look bloated.

Artie
 

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