HDTV frustration *now with example*

[toekramp]

On Thursday I was watching HDNBC when my pic resized on itself (went from 16:9 to 4:3) and now I'm having trouble getting it back to teh 16:9. If i have an HD stream you can see it's HD quality, but it displays in 4:3 and basically cuts off the pic and places the two black bars on teh sides. If i manually switch it to Wide then it' just stretches out the pic, not actually showing the entire pic. I have tried resetting my tv and cable box to no avail. I'm not even sure if it's a problem with my TV, perhaps my cable box is just not sending the correct signal...DVDs stiill play in 16:9. Any help would be appreciated.

edit: i've included a pic to show what i'm talking about - TV

trust me the quality of the tv's picture looks much much better than this photo

 

[GtPrOjEcTX]

you're probably watching something that wasn't taped in the 16x9 ratio, but since it is still on HD, black bars had to be added to the sides. local news for example.

unless every HD channel is doing it, then I dunno. maybe a setting on your HD receiver.

 

[toekramp]

Originally posted by: GtPrOjEcTX
you're probably watching something that wasn't taped in the 16x9 ratio, but since it is still on HD, black bars had to be added to the sides.

nah man, i have channels that show nothing but HD (INHD and INHD2) and the INHD logo in the corner is only half way showing, cause it's chopped off by the black bars...

and now i have to watch NFL in 4:3......thhhhhhhhhe horrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrror

 

[Ameesh]

have you searched google? what kind of tv and cable box do you have?

 

[toekramp]

i have not searched google, didn't really no what to look for. I have a Samsung HLN-5065W and an Explorer 3250HD cable box from Comcast

 

[Amused]

Does the cable box have a setting for the aspect ratio of the TV?

 

[mkahn5]

yeah my cable box can switch between 480 and 1080 and my TV (sony 30" wega HD) can switch between full, wide, zoom, wide zoom


check your cable box settings.

 

[eelw]

Let's first comfirm if you're watching a 4:3 or a 16:9 feed first. As my post right now, NBCHD East is showing Nascar. It's 4:3. But for some odd reason, NBCHD West is carrying a different feed and it's in 16:9. On WGNHD, the movie Father of the Bride is 4:3. PBSHD, HD Broadway is 16:9. CBS is showing Shazaam in 4:3. There's grey bars on this feed though. And lastly, ABC is showing Figure Skating in 4:3. So assuming you see the same things on your TV, then everything is fine.

 

[toekramp]

Originally posted by: eelw
Let's first comfirm if you're watching a 4:3 or a 16:9 feed first. As my post right now, NBCHD East is showing Nascar. It's 4:3. But for some odd reason, NBCHD West is carrying a different feed and it's in 16:9. On WGNHD, the movie Father of the Bride is 4:3. PBSHD, HD Broadway is 16:9. CBS is showing Shazaam in 4:3. There's grey bars on this feed though. And lastly, ABC is showing Figure Skating in 4:3. So assuming you see the same things on your TV, then everything is fine.

check OP

 

[Amused]

It looks like a setting in your cable box. Check the menu settings and see if there is one for the aspect ratio of your TV.

 

[Aimster]

You have your t.v set on zoom or strech. You cannot do that with HDTV. Set it to normal view.

 

[toekramp]

Originally posted by: Aimster
You have your t.v set on zoom or strech. You cannot do that with HDTV. Set it to normal view.

i have it set on 4:3, when watching TV the only modes i have are 4:3 or Wide.

 

[toekramp]

Originally posted by: Amused
It looks like a setting in your cable box. Check the menu settings and see if there is one for the aspect ratio of your TV.

i've been looking for one, i'll continue

 

[Aimster]

Originally posted by: toekramp

Originally posted by: Aimster
You have your t.v set on zoom or strech. You cannot do that with HDTV. Set it to normal view.

i have it set on 4:3, when watching TV the only modes i have are 4:3 or Wide.

With my T.V/Cable I set the aspect ratio using the cable remote. I go to setup using the cable remote and I set it up like that. Other than that If that doesn't work maybe you can try resetting the box for your cable? I have Cox. You probably have Comcast so it might be different.

 

[GtPrOjEcTX]

if you can't find the setting on your HD box, try looking in the manual for it or calling your cable/satellite provider's tech support.

 

[mwtgg]

Umm, I have a Comcast box, I really don't know (or care) what model the box is... but turn off the box, and hit the menu button on your remote. See if you get the menu.

 

[0roo0roo]

wtf, what connectors is he using...

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: toekramp

Originally posted by: Aimster
You have your t.v set on zoom or strech. You cannot do that with HDTV. Set it to normal view.

i have it set on 4:3, when watching TV the only modes i have are 4:3 or Wide.

wait, why do you have it (what is "it"?) set to 4:3 when your TV is widescreen? Your HD cable box should be setup to output to your TV via component video cables in 16:9 format. Most widescreen HDTVs do not let you change the aspect ratio (4:3 or 16:9) (except for say zoom, normal, strecthed) when there is a HD source being fed through the component inputs. It's just like setting up a DVD player. In the menu for a DVD player, there is a setting for 4:3, letterbox, and 16:9. You want your HD box and DVD player to be switched to 16:9.

edit: oh and can you take a pic of the whole screen? and possibly the menu/setup of your HD box, and the video menu of your TV.

 

[toekramp]

Originally posted by: TechnoKid

Originally posted by: toekramp

Originally posted by: Aimster
You have your t.v set on zoom or strech. You cannot do that with HDTV. Set it to normal view.

i have it set on 4:3, when watching TV the only modes i have are 4:3 or Wide.

wait, why do you have it (what is "it"?) set to 4:3 when your TV is widescreen? Your HD cable box should be setup to output to your TV via component video cables in 16:9 format. Most widescreen HDTVs do not let you change the aspect ratio (4:3 or 16:9) (except for say zoom, normal, strecthed) when there is a HD source being fed through the component inputs. It's just like setting up a DVD player. In the menu for a DVD player, there is a setting for 4:3, letterbox, and 16:9. You want your HD box and DVD player to be switched to 16:9.

well before i had it set to 16:9, but for whatever reason all signals are coming through at 4:3 so the 16:9 on HD channels does nothing but stretch the cut off picture. as people have suggested above, i'm going to investigate teh cable box settings

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: toekramp


well before i had it set to 16:9, but for whatever reason all signals are coming through at 4:3 so the 16:9 on HD channels does nothing but stretch the cut off picture. as people have suggested above, i'm going to investigate teh cable box settings

ok, if you had your HDbox set to output in 16:9, then I don't see how it could be the box? Are you using component inputs? There are aspect raio output settings on your HDbox and there are aspect ratio settings on your TV.

 

[toekramp]

Originally posted by: TechnoKid

Originally posted by: toekramp


well before i had it set to 16:9, but for whatever reason all signals are coming through at 4:3 so the 16:9 on HD channels does nothing but stretch the cut off picture. as people have suggested above, i'm going to investigate teh cable box settings

ok, if you had your HDbox set to output in 16:9, then I don't see how it could be the box? Are you using component inputs? There are aspect raio output settings on your HDbox and there are aspect ratio settings on your TV.

i am using component inputs, just so you know, everything was working just fine until a commerical break on thursday...then when it came back to the show, the 16:9 pic was gone

 

[KLin]

Originally posted by: toekramp
On Thursday I was watching HDNBC when my pic resized on itself (went from 16:9 to 4:3) and now I'm having trouble getting it back to teh 16:9. If i have an HD stream you can see it's HD quality, but it displays in 4:3 and basically cuts off the pic and places the two black bars on teh sides. If i manually switch it to Wide then it' just stretches out the pic, not actually showing the entire pic. I have tried resetting my tv and cable box to no avail. I'm not even sure if it's a problem with my TV, perhaps my cable box is just not sending the correct signal...DVDs stiill play in 16:9. Any help would be appreciated.

edit: i've included a pic to show what i'm talking about - TV

trust me the quality of the tv's picture looks much much better than this photo

INHD is 100% HD programming (16x9 picture). It's cutting off the logo, which is in the bottom right corner. You may want to check your video settings in your TV.