Trying to understand why some D* shows that are in HD still get displayed with pillar boxes on the side? ABC's "Bachelor" and NBC's "Biggest Loser" are two shows that I can think of off the top of my head that are displayed w/ pillar boxes. I know I'm watching the HD channel and not the SD channel. My AVR

TV: Samsung 67" LED DLP (67a750)
D* HD DVR: HR22-100

I've verified damn near every setting I can find in the TV and the DVR. I know ABC broadcasts 720P and NBC broadcasts 1080i. Other ABC and NBC shows show up full screen. Any ideas why the two shows mentioned above aren't showing in full screen??

Not all programs on HD channels are HD. The two examples you use are both SD, which is 4:3 aspect ratio, thus the black side bars.

Some HD channels choose to send SD in its original aspect ratio (OAR), including the over-the-air networks like ABC and NBC. Others, like TNT, AMC, and more, choose to fill the entire 16:9 image area by stretching or zooming the 4:3, thus distorting the image.

Interesting. So there's no way for me to fill the screen even if it distorts the image? My locals are via D*, not OTA...if that matters.

Is there any way to find which HD shows aren't truly HD?

Also, why would they send some HD shows in its OAR (4:3 SD) and some in HD (16:9)? Not all shows on NBC HD and ABC HD show up w/ pillar boxes - only a select few.

Interesting. So there's no way for me to fill the screen even if it distorts the image? My locals are via D*, not OTA...if that matters.

Is there any way to find which HD shows aren't truly HD?

Also, why would they send some HD shows in its OAR (4:3 SD) and some in HD (16:9)? Not all shows on NBC HD and ABC HD show up w/ pillar boxes - only a select few.

Specifically speaking of NBC HD and ABC HD all shows in 16:9 are HD. Those in 4:3 are SD and are shown with pillar boxes. Your TV or DirecTV receiver might have a zoom or an Aspect Ratio (AR) button but most likely this will not fill your screen as the pillar boxes are technically part of the feed.

Interesting. So there's no way for me to fill the screen even if it distorts the image? My locals are via D*, not OTA...if that matters.There could be two ways to fill your screen; using controls on the HD receiver or your HDTV. In many cases this can be done, but not all hardware will do this.



Is there any way to find which HD shows aren't truly HD?The AVS Programming Synopsis ( http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=164671 ) is a good start to learn about this type of issue, but in general most reality programming on the networks is not HD, while most all other prime time programming is HD.

Networks and channels not listed below do not distort non-HD images; they pass 4:3 SD as 4:3.

Stretches/Zooms/Crops, grouped by corporate ownership:
A&E Television Networks:
A&E HD, Biography HD, History Channel HD, Crime and Investigation HD

Rainbow Media Holdings:
AMC

Discovery Communications:
Animal Planet HD, Science HD, TLC HD, Discovery HD, Planet Green

Turner Broadcasting System:
Cartoon Network HD, TBS HD, TNT HD

Scripps Networks:
Food Network HD, HGTV HD

Lifetime Networks:
Lifetime HD, Lifetime Movie Network HD

Cox Communications:
Travel Channel HD


These channels falsely label everything as HD:
Animal Planet HD
CMT HD
Discovery HD
Science HD
TBS HD
TNT HD

Specifically speaking of NBC HD and ABC HD all shows in 16:9 are HD. Those in 4:3 are SD and are shown with pillar boxes. Your TV or DirecTV receiver might have a zoom or an Aspect Ratio (AR) button but most likely this will not fill your screen as the pillar boxes are technically part of the feed.


Yea, I've gone through all the different settings within the DVR and the TV. I've tried stretching, Native, cropping, etc... etc... etc... Nothing gets rid of the pillar boxes. As you and Ken stated, it must be part of the feed.

Where can I read more about what HD channels and/or HD shows that are supposedly HD but are simply sending the 4:3 SD content + filler crap to meet the 16:9 AR and then call it HD?

Thanks for the link Ken. I'll head there and start reading now.

The high resolution channels always broadcast 16:9 aspect ratio video.
However if the program being shown was "filmed" with a SD 4:3 aspect ratio camera and not an widescreen HD camera then piller bars are added to the actual 480i souce creating 852x480 frames and this video content is then upscaled to 1280x720 ir 1920x1080 depending on which is the standard for the network.
Titantv.com may indicate which programs are "filmed" with HD and not SD cameras.
In general Prime Time programs are true HD and each year more of the daytime programs are true HD.
The problem is that everybody calls the 16:9 aspect ratio high resolution channels HD channels since they are capable of broadcasting HD programs.

Thanks. I wasn't aware of any of this until last night.

Also if you look at the guide it will say HD next to the program name if the show is in hi-def. However some channels give out incorrect information so it isn't always 100% true. TBS and TNT are really bad about labelling everything on their channels as HD even though the majority of it isn't (they also stretch 4:3 material to fill the screen which annoys most of us here). Comedy Central does the oposite, they don't label anything in their guide as HD yet, but if you look for their bug in the corner it will say HD when they are showing HD material (they also pillar box SD material so they get a thumbs up from most of us on that one).

We are still probably a couple of years away from channels airing HD 100% of the time. Either get used to pillar boxes, quit watching those shows, or learn how to make your equipment stretch the sigal (eeeewwww). I know that it is possible with the DirecTV receivers to do this but I don't remember how since I never use it.

Though worth also pointing out that some HD transfers of old movies may have pillarbox bars if the old movie was not shot widescreen and hasn't been cropped for HD.

I have Blu-rays of The Seventh Seal and a couple of UK classic movies from the 50s that are pillarboxed HD for this reason.