What's really annoying about widescreen digital TV
 

So for the last few years I have watched many TV programmes with a black bar
at the top and bottom of the picture which I found very annoying on my 4:3
TV. A couple of months back I bought a wide screen Sony TV with built in
freeview that was in turn connected to my satellite. I now have the clever
TV adjusting 4:3 material to fill the sides of the picture as I hate black
bars at the side. Great, I can live with that but those dam logos that sit
at the top of the picture on most stations half disappear off the top of the
picture. This now constantly reminds me that I am missing part of the
picture. The problem for me is that most material shown on TV is 4:3 and
is unlikely to change. This is something that the magazines don't mention
when promoting widescreen.

The problem for me is that most material shown on TV is 4:3 and
is unlikely to change. This is something that the magazines don't mention
when promoting widescreen.

But it is likely to change. Many new programmes are shot in widescreen, even
if they are not yet shown in widescreen. Examples include Most Haunted on
Living, and even Blockbusters with Liza Tarbuck for $ky a few years back.

For a small channel with no budget it's a pain, as you need switching kit,
but I don't know why some of the bigger channels don't. It's not as if it's
difficult to setup, certainly less than £5k. Although I suppose quite a few
of them maybe also have to go out on analogue cable at the mo, which is a
whole different kettle of fish.

"Informer" wrote in message
...
So for the last few years I have watched many TV programmes with a black
bar
at the top and bottom of the picture which I found very annoying on my 4:3
TV. A couple of months back I bought a wide screen Sony TV with built in
freeview that was in turn connected to my satellite. I now have the
clever
TV adjusting 4:3 material to fill the sides of the picture as I hate black
bars at the side. Great, I can live with that but those dam logos that
sit
at the top of the picture on most stations half disappear off the top of
the
picture. This now constantly reminds me that I am missing part of the
picture. The problem for me is that most material shown on TV is 4:3 and
is unlikely to change. This is something that the magazines don't mention
when promoting widescreen.

Most of the material is widescreen on BBC1, BBC2, BBC3, BBC4, News 24, ITV1,
Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky movies

Informer wrote:
The problem for me is that most material shown on TV is 4:3 and
is unlikely to change.

You think so ?

I'd say that the vast majority of programming on the BBC, ITV and C4 is
widescreen. C5 is about 50%. Of course over the last two weeks
the Beeb have had about 18 hrs/day of Olympic coverage in 4:3,
but that's all over now.

On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 08:04:31 +0100, "Informer" wrote:

| So for the last few years I have watched many TV programmes with a black bar
| at the top and bottom of the picture which I found very annoying on my 4:3
| TV. A couple of months back I bought a wide screen Sony TV with built in
| freeview that was in turn connected to my satellite. I now have the clever
| TV adjusting 4:3 material to fill the sides of the picture as I hate black
| bars at the side. Great, I can live with that but those dam logos that sit
| at the top of the picture on most stations half disappear off the top of the
| picture. This now constantly reminds me that I am missing part of the
| picture. The problem for me is that most material shown on TV is 4:3 and
| is unlikely to change. This is something that the magazines don't mention
| when promoting widescreen.

Play with remote, or the Setup menu of your TV and/or STB.
IME It is usually possible to correct, or at least reduce, these problems.

--
Dave F

"Informer" wrote in message
...

.. I now have the clever
TV adjusting 4:3 material to fill the sides of the picture as I hate black
bars at the side. Great, I can live with that but those dam logos that
sit
at the top of the picture on most stations half disappear off the top of
the
picture. This now constantly reminds me that I am missing part of the
picture.

Your setting of the TV set to do this would do my head in.

Most technical people set thier TV to be 'automatic' ratio. This means all
pictures are shown with correct geometry.

--
Regards,
David

Please reply to News Group.

"David" wrote in message
...


Most technical people set thier TV to be 'automatic' ratio. This means
all
pictures are shown with correct geometry.



PS
In addition to this set your digiboxes to Widescreen 16x9 Tv being used in
thier menus.
--
Regards,
David

Please reply to News Group.

Mat Overton wrote:
The problem for me is that most material shown on TV is 4:3 and

is unlikely to change. This is something that the magazines don't mention
when promoting widescreen.


But it is likely to change. Many new programmes are shot in widescreen, even
if they are not yet shown in widescreen. Examples include Most Haunted on
Living, and even Blockbusters with Liza Tarbuck for $ky a few years back.

For a small channel with no budget it's a pain, as you need switching kit,
but I don't know why some of the bigger channels don't. It's not as if it's
difficult to setup, certainly less than £5k. Although I suppose quite a few
of them maybe also have to go out on analogue cable at the mo, which is a
whole different kettle of fish.



Given that you are trying to watch material delivered in one aspect
ratio on a TV with a different aspect ratio, your choices are either
distort the picture, crop the picture, or leave parts of the screen
unused. The first two change the picture, the third option doesn't. I'll
never understand why people object so much to these unused areas, its
far preferable to the alternatives. As other posters have said, the
majority of material on the main channels is already in widescreen, and
much of the material on other channels which is shown in 4:3 was
actually made in 16:9, so its only a matter of time.

"Malcolm H" wrote


Most of the material is widescreen on BBC1, BBC2, BBC3, BBC4, News 24,
ITV1,
Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky movies


Yes and that acounts for around 40% of my viewing but the other 60% is
shared between another 200 channels.

On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 07:46:32 GMT, "David"
wrote:

Your setting of the TV set to do this would do my head in.

...and mine..

Most technical people set thier TV to be 'automatic' ratio. This means all
pictures are shown with correct geometry.

I'd like a feature where you could change the colour of the black bars
to something less noticable..

sPoNiX