Hello, I just got my 1st hdtv, the olevia 232V (720p 32"). My questions are about OTA HDTV and aspect ratios.

I get digital stations for like ABC, NBC, and the CW. When I hit display it shows these as 1080i HD and 720p HD for ABC. The screen on these stations is almost always in the center of my screen with vertical bars on the side (I guess they are in 4:3).

On regular analog channels I can set the aspect on my tv to fullscreen and stretch the picture to fill up the screen. However, on these digital channels it never lets me stretch the picture. The only way I can fill up the screen is zooming and this cuts off stuff.

Question #1

Is it normal that you can't stretch these digital channels?

Also, I watched wheel of fortune tonight on the digital NBC channel and it said "Availiable in HDTV" at the beginning. However, I still got it in the 4:3 ratio. I did not think true HD programming would be in 4:3.

Question #2

Does anyone know if wheel of fortune is in 16:9? Is it possible that my local NBC broadcaster doesn't send it out as HD or 16:9?

Question #3

If there is a way to get digital 4:3 tv stretched, does anyone know how for the 232V?

Thanks

On my TV and my TiVo Series3 HD DVR, too, I can’t change the aspect ratio of digital transmissions I receive from digital channels, either OTA or via cable. When you see a 4:3 picture on a digital channel, 95% of the time it means that you are watching an SD transmission. The other 5% of the time it means that somebody at the local station forgot to throw the right switch to have the transmission broadcast in HD.

Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy are HD, but are broadcast in 4:3, so you're probably seeing them in HD, it's just not widescreen. most all primetime scripted shows are in 16:9 HD.

Thank you. So some tvs I guess can change the ratio on digital transmissions?

Since I do not have cable I like the digital channels because the do not have static. In 09 when there is no more analog, will I have to watch everything broadcast in 4:3 with letterbox? :( Also, is cable tv like digital channels? meaning would I have the unchangeable aspect problem with cable?

Thanks

Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy are HD, but are broadcast in 4:3, so you're probably seeing them in HD, it's just not widescreen. most all primetime scripted shows are in 16:9 HD.

Oh thats not cool :( Are you able to stretch them?

Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy are HD, but are broadcast in 4:3, so you're probably seeing them in HD, it's just not widescreen. most all primetime scripted shows are in 16:9 HD.

Umm... both of those shows are 16:9 HD, but since its syndicated, it's completely up to your local affiliate that shows them to actually pass on the HD feed (if it can).

For example, my local affiliate is WABC, and it does show both in HD

So it is probably my local station that chooses to do nightly news in hd, but not the 2 game shows.

Umm... both of those shows are 16:9 HD, but since its syndicated, it's completely up to your local affiliate that shows them to actually pass on the HD feed (if it can).

For example, my local affiliate is WABC, and it does show both in HD

My bad then, I haven't watched either one in months, but I would have sworn they were in 4:3, and it was definitely HD, if not, it had to be the sharpest detail I've ever seen on an SD broadcast in my life.

So it is probably my local station that chooses to do nightly news in hd, but not the 2 game shows.
If you mean the NBC nightly news, that is a NBC network program where the station passes on a live HD feed from the network. It is the only nightly news program in HD so far. Jeopardy & Wheel of Fortune are syndicated programs where the local station gets the program from a satellite feed and records it before the broadcast. In order to show the syndicated program in HD, the station has to be able record and playback the program in HD. Not that many station can do that so far, especially in the smaller markets. At this point, Jeopardy and Wheel are still the only syndicated programs in HD, AFAIK, but that will likely change by later this fall once the Pathfire distribution system is upgraded for HD.

I have not updated the list in a while, but I put together an updated list of stations in March of stations known to show Jeopardy and Wheel in HD - http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=9960860&&#post9960860. The station engineer for WJLA-DT ABC 7 in Washington DC recently posted that the station buying equipment and will start showing the two programs in HD sometime in July. The station in Boston is supposed to go HD "soon" for those programs as well.

If you have questions about over the air reception, antennas, and what stations you might be able to get, check the HDTV Hardware reception forum.

Hello, I just got my 1st hdtv, the olevia 232V (720p 32"). My questions are about OTA HDTV and aspect ratios.

I get digital stations for like ABC, NBC, and the CW. When I hit display it shows these as 1080i HD and 720p HD for ABC. The screen on these stations is almost always in the center of my screen with vertical bars on the side (I guess they are in 4:3).

On regular analog channels I can set the aspect on my tv to fullscreen and stretch the picture to fill up the screen. However, on these digital channels it never lets me stretch the picture. The only way I can fill up the screen is zooming and this cuts off stuff.Daytime TV (soaps/talk/game shows) still read as 1080, 720 or whatever on the channel's info bar, even though nearly all of it's in 4:3. Primetime programming (with some exceptions) should be natively (not stretched) 16:9 widescreen.

On the remote for your TV, the aspect ratio or shape button should scroll through options like Letter Box, Full & Zoom. It's unlikely every channel won't let you change the AR (aspect ratio). More likely an issue with the set or remote.

BTW, I get both Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune in full HD here.

The local station is still broadcasting in 16x9 1080i/720p even with a 4x3 program. The station adds in the sidebars. Nothing you can do about it. I've never seen an HD stretch mode but many TV (and receivers) have a "zoom" or "crop" mode for HD.

If you mean the NBC nightly news, that is a NBC network program where the station passes on a live HD feed from the network. It is the only nightly news program in HD so far. Jeopardy & Wheel of Fortune are syndicated programs where the local station gets the program from a satellite feed and records it before the broadcast. In order to show the syndicated program in HD, the station has to be able record and playback the program in HD. Not that many station can do that so far, especially in the smaller markets. At this point, Jeopardy and Wheel are still the only syndicated programs in HD, AFAIK, but that will likely change by later this fall once the Pathfire distribution system is upgraded for HD.

That makes alot of sense. Thanks! I guess my local stuff doesn't do it in HD since it was indeed 4:3.

It's unlikely every channel won't let you change the AR (aspect ratio). More likely an issue with the set or remote.

The only thing I am dissappointed in is when a digital channel is broadcasting in 4:3 (SDTV not HDTV right?) the fullscreen aspect ratio won't stretch it out like on an anologue channel.

The local station is still broadcasting in 16x9 1080i/720p even with a 4x3 program. The station adds in the sidebars.

So I think you are saying differently than afiggatt. I think you are saying that I was really getting wheel of fortune in HDTV, just with bars on the side and afiggatt is saying my local station sends it to me as SDTV.

For those of you with cable tv, are they like analoge channels where it lets you stretch them, or like 4:3 digital channels where you can't stretch them? Also, what is the advantage of digital channels if its not in HDTV? I don't understand why everything is switching over to digital broadcasting if it doesn't have to be in HDTV.

I've never seen an HD stretch mode but many TV (and receivers) have a "zoom" or "crop" mode for HD.

My Mitsubishi WS-55411 has an HD stretch mode. (Stretched horizontally but height stays the same.)

So does your hd stretch mode let you stretch 4:3 digital channels? I'm just worried about when everyone moves from analog to digital and I can't stretch it.

What is so good about digital if its not in HD, or is the only advantage that it is ABLE to do HDTV?

Why do you want to stretch the picture and distort it?

-Robert

Why do you want to stretch the picture and distort it?

-Robert
I don't like it, either, but a lot of people do it because they hate the distortion less than "those ugly black bars." I guess we purists just have to live with it.

I don't like it, either, but a lot of people do it because they hate the distortion less than "those ugly black bars." I guess we purists just have to live with it.

Yep I hate the ugly black bars.

I emailed my broadcaster WBIR knoxville, Tn and they said they don't broadcast wheel or jeopardy in Hidef.

But I guess if I had like digital cable I couldn't stretch any of the 4:3 channels?!

Actually I found a digital channel broadcasting @ 480i. I was able to stretch it. So I can stretch digital channels just not 1080i stuff. Is that normal? What resolution are most digital cable channels? ps my tv is 720p 32" native res. like 1366x768

But I guess if I had like digital cable I couldn't stretch any of the 4:3 channels?!
That would depend on your receiver. For example, the SA 8300HD, which is the HD DVR that Cox OKC and many other coble companies use, gives you the option to stretch, zoom X1, and zoom X2, even on digital channels. My TiVo S3, which is exponentially superior to, and was way more expensive than, the 8300HD won't do that, nor will either of my HDTVs, one of which is a late model Sony XBR. Go figure.

Yep I hate the ugly black bars.Since you've got a flat panel LCD, don't you really mean "those ugly GRAY bars"? ;)

Seriously, though, leaving the ratio at 4:3 on a 32" display makes for an awfully small picture, so I certainly don't blame you for wanting to stretch.