[seansf]

i am relatively new to the HD world so please forgive the newbie question.


i have a 16:9 widescreen tv; i understand why some shows are letterboxed and some are windowboxed. what i don't understand is why some feeds display with BOTH windowbox and letterbox (black bars all the way around the picture). can anyone explain why this happens?

 

[RandyWalters]

Quote:

Originally posted by seansf i am relatively new to the HD world so please forgive the newbie question. i have a 16:9 widescreen tv; i understand why some shows are letterboxed and some are windowboxed. what i don't understand is why some feeds display with BOTH windowbox and letterbox (black bars all the way around the picture). can anyone explain why this happens?

It would help if you indicated the brand/model/size of your 16:9 TV is, and what source you're using for your HD feed (OTA, cable, satellite, etc). Windowboxed is black bars on all four sides of the image, and i don't think that's ever supposed to happen on a widescreen TV but i don't have one so i'm not sure about this behaviour.


Is it happening on HD programs?


Or is it only on regular SD 4.3 programs that are shown on the digital/HD channels?



We need more information . . . .

 

[seansf]

sorry. i have a sony 34hs420. my source is HD cable via a moto 6200 HD cablebox. i have only noticed this on my HD channels and i believe it only happens during commercials.


also, i was under the impression that windowboxing was when the black bars were on the sides and letterboxing was when the bars were on the top and bottom.

 

[RandyWalters]

Quote:

Originally posted by seansf sorry. i have a sony 34hs420. my source is HD cable via a moto 6200 HD cablebox. i have only noticed this on my HD channels and i believe it only happens during commercials. also, i was under the impression that windowboxing was when the black bars were on the sides and letterboxing was when the bars were on the top and bottom.

Windowbox is black bars on alll four sides (usually only happens on a 4.3 HD-TV especially during commercials or local news etc.)


Letterboxed is black bars top and bottom only (also usually only on a 4.3 TV).


Black bars on the sides only is commonly called Pillarboxed since the side bars resemble pillars. This happens when watching commercials on the HD channels on a widescreen TV.


I think maybe your HD cablebox may be configured for use with a 4.3 TV which is the only reason i can think of that it's windowboxing on your 16:9 set. See if you can find some setting in your cable box menus where you and see or change the type of TV it's being used with (my Pioneer and SA cable boxes have such settings). It just sounds like your cable box thinks it's connected to a 4.3 TV . . . .

 

[seansf]

the cablebox is definitely set for a 16:9 tv. the windowboxing only occurs occassionly. so far, i think i've only noticed it while watching the baseball playoffs on fox.

 

[Stickee]

The commercials are shot in 4:3 ratio, but some choose to have it letterboxed (e.g. for movies).


So what you are seeing is the 4:3 commercial (causing the black bars on the side) in a letterbox format (causing the black bars on the bottom and top).


I can't wait for companies to start taking advantage and we start seeing movie trailers in full 16X9 and 5.1 sound.


Hope this helps.

 

[RandyWalters]

Quote:

Originally posted by seansf the cablebox is definitely set for a 16:9 tv. the windowboxing only occurs occassionly. so far, i think i've only noticed it while watching the baseball playoffs on fox.

This would have been good info to include in your original post - it would have saved me a lot of typing

 

[seansf]

thanks for all the help sticky and randy.


randy, sorry if my omission of information caused any unnecessary typing.

 

[KeithMoore]

I have noticed "windowboxing" on OTA HD channels during some commercials too. I believe that the commercials in question are actually "Pillarboxed" (4/3) but with the picture black on the top and bottom to give the effect of a windowboxed or widescreen like picture. If you watch close every so often you'll see a "windowboxed" commercial where an object or visual effect from the commercial passes through the black on the top or bottom of the screen.

 

[Joxer]

That happens when a letterboxed SD (4:3) program is upconverted on an HD channel. The top and bottom black bars are part of the original SD picture and they add side black bars thru the upconvert process for all 4:3 SD programs. Many HD cable boxes have a zoom mode that is perfect for filling the screen from such pillarboxed+letterboxed material.