[Scott Moore]

I had been watching all channels on my TW40X8 using the 6000s component output and decided to try using s-video for the non HD channels. What I end up getting in standard mode is a 4:3 box surrounded by black borders on all sides for all local digital channels in standard mode. Is this correct for a 16:9 set? I want to use TW1 mode on these channels but I still end up with top and bottom black bars unless I use zoom mode on the 6000. That lowers the PQ significantly. I know the black side bars are part of the broadcast but shouldn't standard in SD mode fill the screen top to bottom like standard in HD mode for local 4:3 ? Why the top and bottom black bars? I checked all the settings and came up with nothing. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[gboot]

I have the same TV and STB as you. I think you are doing everything right. I watch all OTA SD using s-video in TW1 mode (except for the show ER which I stretch with TW2) with the 6000 set to fill the screen. As I recall the * key toggles you from a 4:3 black bars picture to something that fills the screen. These are the only 2 options using s-video. Watching an image that doesn't fill the entire screen annoys me, so I've spent little time with other alternatives. I find the s-video which I believe uses the TV line doubler to have a superior picture quality to watching through the component video using the 6000's various stretch and zoom modes. Regarding the 4:3 with black bars and the zoom mode on s-video I didn't notice a picture quality difference but then again I would prefer some picture degradation to black bars.