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4:3 HDTV explorer 3250 HD handling

#1
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2/12/09 at 8:16pm
  • Joined: December 2005
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In the kitchen we had a 17" 16:9 Sony LCD that conked out on Superbowl Sunday. It was still under warranty and so it was sent to a Sony service center. It could not be repaired so we are going to be getting a similar model LCD, only it's 19" and 4:3. The conked model was a MFM-HT75W and the replacement model will be MFM-HT95

I went over the user guide materials for the cable HD box being used for the TV SA 3250HD.

I can't seem to glean what I want to know. Which is, can the box be set to show 4:3 material completely filling the screen and 16:9 material letterboxed in an automatic fashion. Similar to the pilarboxing on 4:3 material happening automatically on HDTV's set for 16:9.

The cable box guide seems to point out that you need to zoom 4:3 material to fill the screen if your HDTV display is 4:3. But they may be referring to HD broadcasts of 4:3 material (i.e. The Wizard Of Oz on HDTNT).

My connection will employ DVI-D cable unless that turns out to be incompatible then I will use component connection.

So, does anyone have any experience of using a 4:3 HD capable TV with this converter and does it require zooming on non HD 4:3 material?
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#2
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2/13/09 at 8:00am
  • Joined: February 1999
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Re: 4:3 HDTV explorer 3250 HD handling

If this is truly a 4:3 HDTV, with a HDMI connection, then the best solution would be to set the cable box to "HDMI passthru" in the "Advanced Settings Menu" ;and then control the aspect ratio via your TV. (All 4:3 HDTV's that I've seen include a 16:9 aspect ratio option - the resuilt will be that the 16:9 material will show up letterboxed within the 4:3 frame.)

Joseph
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#3
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2/13/09 at 1:07pm
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Re: 4:3 HDTV explorer 3250 HD handling

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joseph Bolus
If this is truly a 4:3 HDTV, with a HDMI connection, then the best solution would be to set the cable box to "HDMI passthru" in the "Advanced Settings Menu" ;and then control the aspect ratio via your TV. (All 4:3 HDTV's that I've seen include a 16:9 aspect ratio option - the resuilt will be that the 16:9 material will show up letterboxed within the 4:3 frame.)

I intend to use the DVI-D connection as there is no HDMI out available on the cable box. I read that the TV that is coming has an HDMI input (as well as a DVI-D) but the TV this is replacing only had a DVI-D input which was not utilized because I initially thought it was only for PC connection.

If I were to use HDMI (or DVI) pass through and tell the cable box that it is a 4:3 TV. Will the 4:3 stuff be shown in full while the 16:9 HDTV stuff be shown squeezed (until the sets 16:9 adjustment is utilized)?
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#4
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2/13/09 at 2:51pm
  • Joined: February 1999
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Re: 4:3 HDTV explorer 3250 HD handling

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Rogers

If I were to use HDMI (or DVI) pass through and tell the cable box that it is a 4:3 TV. Will the 4:3 stuff be shown in full while the 16:9 HDTV stuff be shown squeezed (until the sets 16:9 adjustment is utilized)?

Michael,

If you set the cable box to "pass through" your TV should have total control of the aspect ratio. (And, yes, this should work for DVI -- and even component as long as the cable box has a "pass through" setting.) The 4:3 programming will fill the screen while the 16:9 programming will also fill the screen (squeezed, as you surmised). You can then activate your 16:9 switch on the TV to "unsqueeze" the picture.

Joseph
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#5
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2/13/09 at 7:39pm
  • Joined: December 2005
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Re: 4:3 HDTV explorer 3250 HD handling

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joseph Bolus
Michael,

If you set the cable box to "pass through" your TV should have total control of the aspect ratio. (And, yes, this should work for DVI -- and even component as long as the cable box has a "pass through" setting.) The 4:3 programming will fill the screen while the 16:9 programming will also fill the screen (squeezed, as you surmised). You can then activate your 16:9 switch on the TV to "unsqueeze" the picture.

Thanks for the info.
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