Sony HD100 & Wega XBR400 (1 Viewer)

[John Schmiedt]

I'm not really that familiar with HDTV STBs and was not planning to get into it yet, but since my DirecTV receiver went out the other day I was looking for a new revceiver and ran into what seemed like a good deal on a Sony HD100 HDTV/DTV receiver at CC(599). When I set it up I ran into some issues I'm hoping someone can help me out with here.
Biggest problem is an aspect ratio problem. I have an OTA and figured to get good reception since I can get Baltimore & DC stations thru my roof top antenna. All locals here broadcast a digital as well as analog signal. I thought I could get the regular digital signal during times when no HDTV programming is coming through & it would be free of snow, etc. I can get the stations, but with the exception of one they all come out as windowboxed on my WEGA. I am using the component outs & have tried both the variable 480i/1081 setting and the all 1080i output on the HD100. No luck, it's always windowboxed on digital(non HDTV) signals. The Wega locks into 16:9 mode when I guess it senses a 1080i signal. The HD100 locks into wide letterbox display when using the component outs. So, I have no way to adjust the image. Is this normal? I thought I'd be well off getting a Sony receiver to go with a Sony TV. But watching a tiny windowboxed image on a 36 inch screen isn't my idea of a step up. I suppose I could feed the Wega thru a S-vid port and use 480i out of the HD100 and only use the component out for true HDTV signals, but that seems to defeat the purpose of ease of use for my SO that I wanted & need for permission for this purchase.
Second problem is the optical out. I have a Yamaha receiver that senses the inputs and assigns priority to optical/coax digital and then the regular AV. I have both the optical out from the HD100 & the AV output of my TV going to the TV/DBS input on the receiver. Problem is the receiver always picks the optical signal as being on, even if the HD100 is turned off. I have to physically unplug it to get the receiver to switch. Seems like the HD100s optical out is always outputting a signal, even when off. Anyone know if this is normal?
Any help is appreciated.
I guess maybe I need to wait somemore or get a STB that allows more aspect controls?
John

 

[MikeM]

John, I have this same setup. When you see a channel that is showing that annoying "windowbox' mode with black bars all around, all you have to do is flip up your remote and hit the "OUTPUT SELECT" button. Change the mode from "Variable" to "480i" and blam, you're all set. (Just remember to change the mode back when a true 1080i show comes on, otherwise you'll be saying...."Hmm...how come the Tonight Show isn't letterboxed?")
You can do this with the remote alone. No need to hook up your setup differently.
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[John Schmiedt]

Thanks Mike,
In playing around yesterday I found that out. Still not what I really want to have to do, but it's an OK solution.
Do you know what the Wega does when it gets a 480i signal on the component ins? Does it upconvert to 480p?