Gray Bars on OTA HD channels

[kd4ao]

Is there anything that can be done to get rid of the gray bars that appear on OTA channels every time they broadcast non HD content. I wonder if it has to do with their costs or are they making a statement to their advertisers or what? I am not sure if this is a local thing or if it exists on OTA channels every where. Just wondering. Bob

[MrKlaatu]

You can change them to black bars in settings. You can also stretch the image (blech!).

[Reggie3]

You can change them to black bars in settings. You can also stretch the image (blech!).

2nd - I rather have the bars.

[RegGeek]

The bars are there because the content was not shot in a widescreen format, so something has to fill the space. Pick your poison, it's either the bars or they stretch the picture out. Look around for people talking about TNT's stretch-o-vision. When they stretch it out instead of sending the signal with the bars it can look pretty bad.
Personally I prefer the bars to an overly manipulated picture. But that's just me. YMMV.

[terryfoster]

Sounds like you may be experiencing gray bars inserted by your local affiliate. Your only recourse is complaining to your affiliate or changing the output format to 480i and applying your own bars.

[kd4ao]

Terry, you are right, they are inserted by the local stations, but why gray that we can not change. Seems like black would just look better. Oh well its really no big deal and I bet I'm right about cost/money being at the root of it.

[Redlinetire]

Gray is considered better than displaying pure black, since pure black can burn it quicker.

I have a CRT and have had to stop watching ESPN-HD since they use black bars on all their SD material. Which is unfortunately still quite a lot all these years after it launched...