ESPN HD Aspect Ratio??? (1 Viewer)

Peter Yang · Oct 8, 2003

I am using Dish HD receiver and only EXPN HD picture aspect ratio is not rught. Why is that? Is there any reason why ESPN have to broadcast with wrong asepct ratio???

Jack Briggs · Oct 8, 2003

Describe what you're seeing, Peter. What do you mean by saying the aspect ratio is "not right"?

Jeff Gatie · Oct 8, 2003

All native 4:3 SD broadcasts on ESPN-HD are stretched to fit the 16:9 frame, unlike other stations that broadcast 4:3 content pillar-boxed. True HD content is not stretched because it is native 16:9, naturally. There have been discussions about this before and ESPN does have an explanation on their website (essentially they are catering to screen fillers who do not like black bars).

Sonnie Parker · Oct 9, 2003

It's pitiful though.... they should let us do our own kind of stretching because their's sux big time. I'd much rather see a good HD signal with side bars than I had stretched like they do it. It takes away from the HD quality IMO.

I watch ESPN on my regular satellite receiver for now. I haven't seen any true HD on ESPN yet.

Lew Crippen · Oct 9, 2003

they should let us do our own kind of stretching because their's sux big time. I'd much rather see a good HD signal with side bars than I had stretched like they do it. It takes away from the HD quality IMO.

Therein lies the rub—most TVs lock in on 16:9 the moment they detect a 1080i or 720p signal and at that point you can’t do anything with the picture.

ESPN is reacting to what they perceive as their customer’s preferences. If you think this is not the case, there are a lot of posts in this forum, which specifically is OAR, where people have questions about using the various stretch modes on their sets.

Think what the demand must be for those who are not concerned with OAR issues.

Click to expand...

Sonnie Parker · Oct 9, 2003

My Toshiba shows 4:3 with side bars on the SHO-HD and HBO-HD. Are you saying some other sets automatically stretch the picture to fit 16:9?

I can't imagine anyone preferring to watch ESPN-HD in its stretched mode, but I haven't read enough posting to say that it's not preferable. I suppose if ESPN says it is then quite possibly it is.

Either way, I don't mind the Toshiba's TW1 stretch mode... I've become accustomed to it and prefer ESPN-SD Toshiba stretched vs. ESPN-HD ESPN stretched on any day.

Does ESPN actually show any programming in true HD or is every program stretched?

I should e-mail ESPN and give them my obvious minority vote.

Lew Crippen · Oct 9, 2003

. Are you saying some other sets automatically stretch the picture to fit 16:9?

No, what I’m saying is that most sets have that image locked in and you can’t change it. What you are seeing is a 16:9 telecast with the 4:3 image plus the side bars as fillers to make up a 16:9 image. Most TVs will not allow a change.

So it is the opposite on ESPN, when they are telecasting a SD, 4:3 image. They stretch the 4:3 image to fit the 16:9 frame and you cannot change it (most sets).

ESPN does show some HD telecasts. Their Sunday night football is HD I am pretty sure. But most right now is SD. We hope for more in the future.

Click to expand...

Tim K · Oct 9, 2003

It's pitiful though.... they should let us do our own kind of stretching because their's sux big time. I'd much rather see a good HD signal with side bars than I had stretched like they do it. It takes away from the HD quality IMO.

They only stretch their standard def 4:3 material and then broadcast it on their HD station. Their "true HD" material like "Playmakers" and the Sunday Night NFL game are broadcast in 16:9 720p format. So, you are not getting a stretched HD signal, you are getting a stretched, upconverted standard definition signal which isn't much better than their analog broadcast anyway.

Click to expand...

Nathan_R · Oct 9, 2003

Therein lies the rub—most TVs lock in on 16:9 the moment they detect a 1080i or 720p signal and at that point you can’t do anything with the picture.

In Peter's case, with the Dish 6000, he can adjust aspect ratios. However, this won't help as the source is that nasty stretched 4x3 most of the time.

For the record, I agree-- let us do the stretching or zooming on our own. The broadcasters should provide OAR.

Click to expand...

Sonnie Parker · Oct 10, 2003

I haven't seen any programming so far on ESPN-HD that has not been stretched. Playmakers is stretched.

I don't consider anything that is stretched to be "True HD".

Maybe someone should start a poll and we can forward the link to ESPN and let them know the majority want OAR or "True HD".... NO MORE STRETCHING!

Sonnie Parker · Oct 10, 2003

Here we go:

Jeff Gatie · Oct 10, 2003

Sonnie, Playmakers is not stretched, it is true HD. If you are getting it stretched, make sure you are watching it in "Full" mode on your set. If you are, call your cable company and complain; they are obviously doing something wrong.

Dalton · Oct 10, 2003

Playmakers is stretched on my ESPN HD also. I just got HD Cable through Cox here and while HBO, Showtime, and Discovery HD are all great and use the right aspect ratios, ESPN sucks bigtime. I am really hoping Sunday Night Football looks right. So far ESPN HD is a HUGE dissapointment.

Tim K · Oct 10, 2003

As mentioned, if playmakers and sunday night football are stretched there is something wrong. Most of us out here are getting true HD from ESPN. Check all of your settings or call your cable company...maybe they aren't broadcasting ESPN HD and are mistakenly broadcasting the ESPN regular feed on the HD channel or something.

Dalton · Oct 11, 2003

I'd love to call the cable company and complain but they never understand what the hell i am talking about. The ignorance out there when it comes to HD is ridiculous. I am going to give a shot but i don't hold much hope of success. Other than the ESPN HD stretch nonsnese, HD looks superb. HBO and Showtime HD make it hard to look at my 480p DVD's.

Todd Schnell · Oct 11, 2003

Previous thread on the same topic here.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=160890

Todd

Sonnie Parker · Oct 11, 2003

No matter how I set my TV or STB I can not see anything ESPN-HD shows in true HD... it's all stretched.

I use a Dish Network 6000u receiver and I have contacted Dish Network concerning this but they say it's ESPN. They've been known to not know what they are talking about before so I won't put it past them to not know what they are talking about concerning ESPN.

Jeff and Tim, if both of you are seeing true HD with ESPN-HD then obviously Dish must not be broadcasting it properly or something funky is happening with our Toshiba RPTV. I see all of our other HD channels fine.

Jeff Gatie · Oct 11, 2003

Sonnie,

Does your box convert 720p to something other thatn 1080i? This would not explain the stretching, but might explain the lack of HD (it may downconvert).

Garrett Adams · Oct 12, 2003

Some folks here may be receiving ESPN-HD HD programs in SD (I'm not one of them). However the Playmakers example shown was a promo commercial. Such commercials are often shown only in SD whether it's on an SD or HD feed.

Sonnie Parker · Oct 12, 2003

My Toshiba upconverts 720p to 1080i.

I stand corrected. NFL Sunday Night on ESPN-HD was true HD with no stretching. It's the first time I've watched it and it was awesome.

I wonder if the Playmakers I'm seeing is maybe an encore showing and they don't show it in true HD? I'll try to remember to catch it when it airs a new show.

Still yet they should not stretch any of the SD... let us do our own if we want to do so.

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