Sony BD player playing 16:9 DVDs as 4:3 (1 Viewer)

So I recently hooked up my Sony BD player (BDP-S350) to my Sony TV (KDL-55EX645) using component cables - the two inputs that use HDMI in my receiver are already in use.


The menu / home page shows properly on the TV, and 16:9 blu rays play as expected. Any 16:9 DVDs I put in, however, play as if they were 4:3; the picture is compressed and the black bars are showing on the side, as seen below. Yes, it is definitely a 16:9 DVD, and yes, I have tried a couple of other 16:9 DVDs, all with the same result. Curiously, when I start a DVD (vs. blu ray), the menu screen will quickly compress from filling the whole screen to 4:3 size for a split second before the DVD starts to play.





I've checked all the settings on the BD player and the TV I'd have thought would apply. I've tried most options for each and nothing seems to fix this. I'm completely baffled and hope someone has some advice! Here are the settings I've currently got on the BD player and TV:





Thanks in advance... I consider myself moderately competent in setting these things up, but can't solve this issue to save my life!!

For Screen Format, choose Limited instead of Original. (I believe that's the one that uses "limited").

Hi Jeremy!


I'm no expert, but a couple of possibilities spring to mind:


- For your "DVD Aspect Ratio" does it also include something along the lines of "Normal 16 x 9" display? I've found that "Letter Box" doesn't always mean what one might think it would.


- Failing any settings within your Blu-ray Player being the culprit, I do also wonder about the "4:3 Default/Wide Zoom" and the grayed out "Normal" designation for "Display Area".


CHEERS!


Tony

Why not buy an inexpensive HDMI switch? And what else you got hooked up?

Hi guys, thanks for the suggestions.


The only other option for Screen Format is Fixed Aspect Ratio, and the picture still comes through compressed.


The other option for DVD Aspect Ratio is Pan & Scan, which I believe is for 4:3 DVDs and, again, still doesn't play the DVD properly. I've been through all the Wide Zoom options, as well, each doesn't change anything - the alternatives to Normal are Full Pixel and -1 which also don't properly expand the picture.


I'll look into a HDMI switch - didn't know there was such a thing - and the other inputs I've got are a DVR and Apple TV which are used much more often than the BD player.


Thanks again for the ideas, folks, but no joy unfortunately. Solving this puzzle has almost become more important to me than just getting it working properly!

The more I think of it, the HDMI Switch seems to be the best solution. The devices that we have connected via HDMI have no Aspect Ratio issues. Unfortunately, closed captioning generally won't play via HDMI, either, which is my understanding regarding why some use component cables as a viable (Though clearly not perfect!) alternative!


CHEERS!

Tony Bensley said:

The more I think of it, the HDMI Switch seems to be the best solution. The devices that we have connected via HDMI have no Aspect Ratio issues. Unfortunately, closed captioning generally won't play via HDMI, either, which is my understanding regarding why some use component cables as a viable (Though clearly not perfect!) alternative!

CHEERS!

Click to expand...

BD doesn't have Closed Caption. STB embed Closed Captions in the stream. HDMI doesn't support CC, cause it was never a requirement. Your TV likely doesn't provide CC except via its own tuner.

But...that is different discussion for another day.

schan1269 said:

BD doesn't have Closed Caption. STB embed Closed Captions in the stream. HDMI doesn't support CC, cause it was never a requirement. Your TV likely doesn't provide CC except via its own tuner.

But...that is different discussion for another day.

Click to expand...

Apart from Blu-rays themselves having no closed captioning (Though this does make sense!), I was pretty much aware of the rest. The only thing was I thought I'd read something about newer HDMI cables possibly being designed to allow for closed captioning, but this may have just been speculation.


Anyway, enough off topic banter! Hopefully, the HDMI Switch solution works for Jeremy!


CHEERS!

I have a Sony BDP (590 or 690, not sure which) and here is how I have those settings configured:


TV Type: 16 x 9


Screen Format:Normal


DVD Aspect Ratio: Pan & Scan


CInema COnversion Mode: Auto


and all of my discs display accurately.

That is curious behavior. I also have a Sony BDP-S350 and it has never done that. It is connected to my plasma display with hdmi but it was once connected with component cables and 16x9 dvds displayed fine.