Can anybody recommend a terrestrial ATSC tuner that can be set to output the decoded signal over an analog component connection at its original resolution, without performing any scaling/deinterlacing? Or barring that, is there one that can at least be set to automatically output widescreen channels at 1080i, and non-widescreen channels at 480p, as some cable boxes can apparently do? I'm looking to add digital reception to my HD-ready 4:3 Sony CRT, and although it can display letterboxed 1080i with full vertical resolution, the only way of getting it to fill up the entire screen (short of messing around in the service menu) is to feed it 480i/p. And I'd rather not have to flip a switch on the back of the unit every time I change channels.

I'd prefer a standalone tuner, but if I have to get one as part of a DVR or DVD recorder, so be it.

Thank you very much!

With primary terrestrial channels via ATSC, all HD programming will be letterboxed on a 4:3 TV.

First off, it's YPbPr that you want if it's analog. YCbCr is digital.

There are no boxes that have ever output the original resolution. But that's an accademic answer since it probably doesn't matter. There are 18 formats for DTV and boxes usually output 480i/p60, 1080i60 and/or 720p60.

The LG 3510A will do what you want. There are output modes that are called variable and it will spit out 1080i for HD and 480p for SD (and switch automatically). The LG is no longer made and so you'd have to find a used unit.

Ed

Paul,
Hopefully there will be some Tuners that will offer CenterCut option for displaying widesceen programs on 4:3 aspect displays as many European tuners can. Use of a Center Cut option cuts off the sides of a 16:9 frame and then zooms it out to fill the entire screen.

With primary terrestrial channels via ATSC, all HD programming will be letterboxed on a 4:3 TV.
Um...yes, I know that. Maybe I didn't phrase my original query clearly enough--I want HD programming to be letterboxed (with full vertical resolution), and SD programming to be full-screen, without having to fiddle with the settings every time I switch between the two. (There are a number of digital stations in my area that only transmit in 480p.)

First off, it's YPbPr that you want if it's analog. YCbCr is digital.
Quite right--silly of me! Or to be really precise, that should be Y'PbPr (with Y' denoting gamma-corrected luma, as opposed to linear luminance).

The LG 3510A will do what you want. There are output modes that are called variable and it will spit out 1080i for HD and 480p for SD (and switch automatically). The LG is no longer made and so you'd have to find a used unit.
Sounds good! I'll check it out.

Hopefully there will be some Tuners that will offer CenterCut option for displaying widesceen programs on 4:3 aspect displays as many European tuners can. Use of a Center Cut option cuts off the sides of a 16:9 frame and then zooms it out to fill the entire screen.
That certainly would be useful when watching pillarboxed 4:3 material that's been upconverted to HD by the broadcaster...but like I said, I want actual HD material to be letterboxed!

Thanks to all of you for your replies.

I guess that perhaps you may not understand that with a digital terrestrial channel, they always broadcast in a 16:9 format. The black 'pillar bars' are part of the transmission with 4:3 upconverted program material(s). Therefore, your TV will "postage stamp" the picture.

Ratman,

I think you forget those digital sub-channels which are mostly 480i SD 4:3 format. Only the main digital channels are mostly 16:9 HD format.

I didn't forget... re-read post number 2. "primary" is the key term. ;)

Ratman,

I think you forget those digital sub-channels which are mostly 480i SD 4:3 format. Only the main digital channels are mostly 16:9 HD format.
Quite right--I am interested in watching the multiplexed sub-channels as well as the primary channels, so I will be dealing with actual 4:3 transmissions. I am very well aware that pillarboxed 4:3 material in a 16:9 frame will result in postage-stamping on my display. What's more, I'm fairly certain that there are several minor stations in my area whose digital transmissions are limited to 480-line 4:3 standard def., even on the primary channel. As Foxbat mentioned above, there are 18 possible ATSC formats, and not all of them are widescreen.

By ATSC definition (lowest 8 out of 18 formats), only 480i/p can be 4:3. Yes, the multicasted subchannels are usually 480i and yes, there are a few digital stations that don't broadcast any higher than 480p on their primary.

Generally, the local affiliates for the major networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX) always broadcast 720p/1080i 24x7. But, there can be exceptions in some areas of the country.

The Tivo HD will do what you want, although it's a whole DVR, and requires a Tivo service subscription. But you can use it strictly for OTA if you like. (Actually, now that I think of it, you might even be able to use it as a tuner -- but not recorder -- without a subscription.)