[austinsho]

Folks...I may have seen this here before, but I didn't turn it up in a search. If so, can someone point me in the right direction?


I've got a Sony 32XBR450 and have just installed a Toshiba 3000 DirecTV HDTV box.


HBO and HDnet are, of course, wonderful. But viewing ANY 4:3 signal keeps the top and bottom bars and inserts grey bars on the sides of the picture.


I don't seem to be able to find a setting on the Sony or the Toshiba DirecTV box that will allow a 4:3 DirecTV signal to fill the screen. Does anyone have any words of wisdom?


Thanks!

 

[toshiba5]

austinsho,

With the Sony tvs if you aregoing in through the component inputs, it will automatically put you into 16:9 enhanced mode. This can only be turned off if you have a 480p signal going into the tv, otherwise everything will go to the 16:9 mode. To get to the 16:9 mode option, go to the menu and go to setup. You will see 16:9 enhanced as an option. It will either display "auto" and "on" as your options, which means you do not have a 480p signal, or "on" and "off", which means you have the signal and it can be turned off. Hope this helps!

 

[JonDax]

Maybe try using the s-video out from the Toshiba to your Sony for watching regular 4x3 material, otherwise I think everything gets upconverted to 1080i and your TV automatically goes into squeeze mode. Kind of a pain, I know, but I have a similar Sony set and that's how mine is.

--JD

 

[austinsho]

Thanks for the replies folks. I was kind of afraid that was the answer. Can I assume this would apply to BOTH sets of component inputs? And is this just a Sony-only issue (we've certainly had those in the past!), or do other similar sets pull the same stunt?

 

[toshiba5]

austinsho,

I have a toshiba and it does not have the 16:9 auto mode. The sony will do that with both sets of inputs. Like JD said, you can use the S-Video output from the DST3000, and just switch to the components when you will be watching HD material. I thought it was going to be a big pain when I got my Sony, but it has not turned out to be so bad.

 

[austinsho]

Once again, that's what I was afraid of. I simply have NO patience with a television set that thinks it's smarter than I am. Back it goes.


Thanks folks! mn

 

[Shaun]

Quote:

Originally posted by toshiba5 austinsho, I have a toshiba and it does not have the 16:9 auto mode. The sony will do that with both sets of inputs. Like JD said, you can use the S-Video output from the DST3000, and just switch to the components when you will be watching HD material. I thought it was going to be a big pain when I got my Sony, but it has not turned out to be so bad.

Hi Peter,

I have an 36xbr and a hughs E86 (directv) coming next week so i guess ill have to use both s-video & component as well. Basically how easy is it to switch between inputs? Is it within a menu in directv or a switch on the receiver etc ?


regards

Shaun

 

[Matt_Stevens]

The problem with 4:3 HD material is that the signal is literally a 16X9 signal of black, with the 4:3 picture in the middle. I have yet to see a 4X3 TV that can cope with this, other than buy going into SD mode on the HD receiver, switching to S-Video and THEN Zooming in with the receiver, since the imag is STILL letterboxed, with black bars left & right.


No matter what, you are screwed. That's why a widescreen tube is preferred fro HD material and a 4:3 for non-HD material.

 

[toshiba5]

Shaun,

The change will have to be made through your TV set. Depending on how many inputs you are using, you will just need to bounce from input 5 or 6, to whichever input you need to go to. The Toshiba has an SD/HD button on the remote, so you will just need to hit that to switch on the box. As Matt said, it is a pain with the digital channels cause they are really 16:9 images sent to your set, but all other channels will show up fine. And I am not sure, but I believe if you go out through SD, it will still show a 4:3 image, not the 16:9 image you would get from the HD output. Either way, I do not find this to be a majorr problem, but as more HD comes available, I am sure the more switching will be required and the larger of a pain. But either way, I look forward to the pain!!!

 

[Shaun]

Quote:

Originally posted by toshiba5 Shaun, The change will have to be made through your TV set. Depending on how many inputs you are using, you will just need to bounce from input 5 or 6, to whichever input you need to go to. The Toshiba has an SD/HD button on the remote, so you will just need to hit that to switch on the box. As Matt said, it is a pain with the digital channels cause they are really 16:9 images sent to your set, but all other channels will show up fine. And I am not sure, but I believe if you go out through SD, it will still show a 4:3 image, not the 16:9 image you would get from the HD output. Either way, I do not find this to be a majorr problem, but as more HD comes available, I am sure the more switching will be required and the larger of a pain. But either way, I look forward to the pain!!!

I think I miss under stood the original post, the original poster is just talking about 4:3 content within an HD channel like HDnet ? Correct ?

I was thinking that I would have these problems during SD channels?

How much of the sides will be missing in HD through components on the Xbr? Is the TV still doing 1080i in HD with the Svideo ?..Sorry for being clueless here, maybe i should wait on the questions till directv goes up next saturday.


thanks

 

[toshiba5]

Shaun,

Your tv set will not be receiving 1080i from the s-video output, only the components. As far as the HD channels on the XBR, you will have to watch the HD in letterbox on your set, which will show the entire HD image. I believe the first post was for all channels through the DST3000. Whether it is a regular directv image (MTV, ESPN, etc...) or a local digital, or an HD channel, it is going to put the set into 16:9 enhanced mode going through the components. That is where the s-video comes in, which will give you a full screen image without any real quality loss on the non-digital directv channels. For HD, it will need to go component.

 

[Shaun]

Quote:

Originally posted by toshiba5 Shaun, Your tv set will not be receiving 1080i from the s-video output, only the components. As far as the HD channels on the XBR, you will have to watch the HD in letterbox on your set, which will show the entire HD image. I believe the first post was for all channels through the DST3000. Whether it is a regular directv image (MTV, ESPN, etc...) or a local digital, or an HD channel, it is going to put the set into 16:9 enhanced mode going through the components. That is where the s-video comes in, which will give you a full screen image without any real quality loss on the non-digital directv channels. For HD, it will need to go component.

Thanks Peter, so all the video outputs on the hughs will be all active at the same time I'm assuming and just switch on the tv side, sounds ok. Whats the gray bars on the side (inserts?)you guys are talking about ?

 

[austinsho]

Just to confirm what started this.....when I'm watching something OTHER than HDnet, etc. (SD material) I've got the following choices with my 32XBR450...


1. LBX by cutting off the top and bottom of the picture

2. stretch to fill 16X9

3. LBX top bottom and SIDES with grey bars


Nothing allows me to completely fill the screen with a 4:3 image from CNN, etc.


So group...are we saying this isn't TECHNICALLY possible, or is this a marketing decision made by (fill in the blank) monitor company for whatever reason?

 

[rleist]

The way I understand it the Sony HD-100 stb has a variable out setting that will output 480i when receiving a non-HD signal and will output 1080i when receiving a HD signal. They created this feature specifically for the problem you are having, to work with all the 4x3 HD capable sets they are selling. I don't think any other stb maker has a similar feature.


Rob

 

[R11]

Austin,


The Sony TVs are set up to only receive SD material via the non-component inputs. The component inputs are set up to receive 480p, 720p and 1080i only. If you send a 480i signal through the component inputs it will stretch it and the video quality is worthless. The reason for the difference is that the TVs take all 480i signals and apply the DRC to them to give a pseudo HD output (line doubling both vertically and horizontally). What you get is true HD (or 480p from Fox) from the component inputs or upconverted SD from all the other inputs. You simply need to switch the TV input depending on whether you are watching a HD or SD source. On your HD receiver leave the "TV type" set to "Full Screen" or 4:3, leave the TV set to "auto progressive" and all you should need to do is switch inputs on the TV and (not sure about the 3000) probably switch HD/SD on the receiver and you should get all HD material letterboxed via component input and all SD material full screen via any other inputs.


ron

 

[toshiba5]

Ron,

Thanks, that is exactly right with the Sony and Toshiba STB. The only other options is to use a box like the Panasonic which will allow you to switch your output type to basically anything. Plus you can play with the aspect ration and fill the screen with the 4:3 box on a digital channel. I have tried this, and I would rather do all the changing of inputs then use trhe slow guides and menus on the Panasonic!