View Mode Question

[wirm]

Hi folks,

I just got my very first wide screen tv (Sharp Aquos 42" 1080p LCD) and set it up last night. I just use basic (analog) cable, so the coaxial cable from the wall goes straight into the wall. no set top box, cable card, HDMI, or component cables to worry about.

My question is regarding the black bars at the top or sides of the screen. Please excuse my ignorance, but I had thought that the TV automatically got rid of those black bars at the top and bottom for wide screen programming (DVD's and such), and added bars to the side for normal 4:3 programming.

Instead, I have to push the "View Mode" button on the remote and adjust the aspect for everything I watch. This has the following options:

• Side Bars (I think)
  S. Side
  Zoom
  Stretch

Anyway, I don't suppose there's any way I can get the TV to adjust the aspect for me automatically? Or do I really have to choose the view mode for every channel I switch to (assuming I'm switching between 4:3 and 720p channels).

Thanks

 

[JonnyBlaze]

If you're not using a box you're not getting 720p channels.

 

[wirm]

oh that sucks

Sometimes I see something at the bottom of the screen when a show started that says something like "Broadcast in HD". With my old tv, those shows had the black bars on the top and bottom.

So I don't get 720p with those channels either?