XBR400 HD cable aspect ratio (1 Viewer)

[Ken Holmes]

Not sure if this is the right place for this question but I have a Sony XBR400 and was thinking about getting HD cable here in Columbus OH through Insight. Just curious how the picture aspect will look on this 4x3 tv with network programs in HD? Will I have a letterboxed HD picture or will it be full screen 4x3 HD picture or will it be a small 4x3 HD picture with black bars on all sides? Never had an HD signal feed into this tv so I don't know how the signal will be displayed

Thanks in advance,
Ken H.

 

[Jack Briggs]

HD programs will always be in a 16:9 frame, and so your XBR400 will collapse the raster ("do the squeeze") when showing true HD material. If the HD programming features 4:3 material (say, an old film shot in the Academy ratio), the picture will be pillarboxed within the 16:9 window, meaning there will be unused space entirely surrounding the active picture.

 

[Ken Holmes]

So are network shows like Friends shown in widescreen when they are broadcasted in HD. Just curious because I have a 32" screen and I'm wondering if it is even worth the extra $ to get HD cable.

Thanks,
Ken