Widescreen SD? Is it possible?

SuperAmmo · 01-03-07, 10:14 PM

Always wondered if this was possible. This way when watching an SD station, the image wouldn't have to be stretched or have the letterbox bars or having to use the zoom function. It'd work similar to how HD and SD work right now so that a 4:3 TV wouldn't be screwed, they just wouldn't see the full image like someone with a 16:9 TV would.

Although I'm sure if it was possible, it would have been done by now...

EDIT: I'm NOT talking letterboxed, FYI.

gjlp · 01-03-07, 11:01 PM

The United Kingdom has had most of it's new TV programming for the past several years created/broadcast in widescreen even though HDTV has only become a reality there in the last few months. It really frustrated me, moving to the U.S. and seeing the resistance to moving towards 16:9 digital broadcasts (apart from HD).

humdinger70 · 01-05-07, 01:12 AM

It's been going on (widescreen SD) for several years. It's called Major League Baseball on Fox!

GeekGirl · 01-05-07, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by humdinger70

It's been going on (widescreen SD) for several years. It's called Major League Baseball on Fox!

During that time frame, the NFL on Fox also did line-doubling SD with wide screen formatting for their HD broadcast.

kenglish · 01-06-07, 10:06 AM

16:9 Standard Definition is possible....we've been doing it for years. Problem is, the CE industry doesn't recognize it, for the most part, as a standard (so much for "standards"

).

I can't seem to find a 16:9 SDTV set anywhere, and the last couple of STBs I've purchased don't have a setting for displaying 16:9 SD on a 4:3 screen. Needless to say, I don't make recommendations on STBs or sets much anymore.

John Mason · 01-06-07, 01:37 PM

Quite a few PBS presentations are in WS 480i. Usually they tell you so at the beginning of the program or list them as WS instead of HDTV. Sometimes, depending on the quality of the images, it's possible to mistake programs as HD. Waiting for segments that show distant fine details helps determine it's 480i (possibly upconverted) because distant objects aren't detailed enough (if your display can present finer resolutions.) -- John

01-03-07, 10:14 PM	#1 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a4ac4393' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:30&n=a4ac4393' border='0' alt=''></a>
SuperAmmo Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 69	Widescreen SD? Is it possible? Always wondered if this was possible. This way when watching an SD station, the image wouldn't have to be stretched or have the letterbox bars or having to use the zoom function. It'd work similar to how HD and SD work right now so that a 4:3 TV wouldn't be screwed, they just wouldn't see the full image like someone with a 16:9 TV would. Although I'm sure if it was possible, it would have been done by now... EDIT: I'm NOT talking letterboxed, FYI. Last edited by SuperAmmo; 01-03-07 at 11:05 PM..

01-03-07, 11:01 PM	#2 \| Link
gjlp Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 42	SD Widescreen - totally possible The United Kingdom has had most of it's new TV programming for the past several years created/broadcast in widescreen even though HDTV has only become a reality there in the last few months. It really frustrated me, moving to the U.S. and seeing the resistance to moving towards 16:9 digital broadcasts (apart from HD).

01-06-07, 10:06 AM	#5 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a591f81a' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:36&n=a591f81a' border='0' alt=''></a>
kenglish AVS Special Member Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Salt Lake City, UT, USA Posts: 3,788	16:9 Standard Definition is possible....we've been doing it for years. Problem is, the CE industry doesn't recognize it, for the most part, as a standard (so much for "standards" ). I can't seem to find a 16:9 SDTV set anywhere, and the last couple of STBs I've purchased don't have a setting for displaying 16:9 SD on a 4:3 screen. Needless to say, I don't make recommendations on STBs or sets much anymore. __________________ Ken English, Sr. Engineer, KSL-TV/-DT. "Not a REAL Engineer, but I play one in TV"

01-05-07, 01:12 AM	#3 \| Link
humdinger70 AVS Special Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,743	It's been going on (widescreen SD) for several years. It's called Major League Baseball on Fox!

01-06-07, 01:37 PM	#6 \| Link
John Mason AVS Special Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: New York, NY Posts: 9,670	Quite a few PBS presentations are in WS 480i. Usually they tell you so at the beginning of the program or list them as WS instead of HDTV. Sometimes, depending on the quality of the images, it's possible to mistake programs as HD. Waiting for segments that show distant fine details helps determine it's 480i (possibly upconverted) because distant objects aren't detailed enough (if your display can present finer resolutions.) -- John