622 Different HD Screen Views - Local Channels

[denkbar]

My 622 that receives local channels through the satellite (not OTA). In the Los Angeles area, "normal" setting for HD shows ABC and CBS in full screen non-zoom/non-stretch mode, but NBC is shown with side bars on each side as if it were SD on Normal or Gray Bar. NBC does have HD resolution.

Does anyone know why the difference in screen displays? I have 1080 set on the 622.

[jgurley]

I can't explain this other than the NBC program you are watching is not a HD program. Does this happen with all NBC programs, even those broadcast in HD?

[denkbar]

Thanks.

The NBC programs are HD. They have the HD "advertising logo" in one of the screen corners, plus the picture granularity is much better than HD.

It doesn't make sense to me either. The non-HD NBC programs have the side bars, as expected, so it doesn't make sense to me either.

[ls7dude]

Not all HD is in widescreen mode. HD and widescreen are two different things.

[Ron Barry]

Unless I am not understanding the post. This is expected behavior. I am in SoCal and watch NBC both OTA and Through SAT and they work just like the other HD channels. Some content is 4x3 over HD while other is 16x9 over HD. Just depends on the show.

[jgurley]

I find this very interesting. I was absolutely certain that all OTA HD is 16x9. So are you saying that some satellite HD is 4x3?

[tnsprin]

I find this very interesting. I was absolutely certain that all OTA HD is 16x9. So are you saying that some satellite HD is 4x3?

Many programs are broadcast 16x9 WITH BARS. I.e. the source material is 4x3 (often upconverted SD).

[jgurley]

Well I guess I've been wrong all these years.

I just knew that any program with bars meant it was actually a SD program broadcast on an HD station. Example I often see is on ESPNHD when they switch from an HD program to a SD with those bars. I figured the bars were only showing up because that specific program time was SD on an HD channel.

[HobbyTalk]

I would say that in most cases it is upconverted SD programming but that may not always be the case. On one of our local channels the news is in HD but it is 4x3 format.

[jgurley]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say unequivocally that ALL HD OTA programming is 16x9. If you're seeing a 4x3 picture from an HD network, then that specific shot is in SD. This switch from 16x9 to 4x3 happens all the time during news programs because when the shot is in the studio it's HD and 16x9. When they go "on the street" then it's 4x3 because that camera is SD.

If you're local news channel is always in 4x3 then either it's SD or you've got some work to do on your setup.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it :)

[davethestalker]

Well I guess I've been wrong all these years.

I just knew that any program with bars meant it was actually a SD program broadcast on an HD station. Example I often see is on ESPNHD when they switch from an HD program to a SD with those bars. I figured the bars were only showing up because that specific program time was SD on an HD channel.

SportCenter, NFL LIve, College Football Live (whatever the break down show is called), NFL Primetime, NASCAR Now (for example) are all in "HD". Shows like Rome is Burning, Around the Horn, PTI are not in "HD" yet. Mike & Mike recently (a few of months) went HD. As stated earlier, when a 4:3 show is on ESPN/ESPN2, ESPN is kind enough to put the logos on the sides in the bars. I see this as saying that the HD channel is running, but not actively airing something in HD.

My local NBC (OTA) is horrible during daytime hours. The put their 4:3 programming in Stretch-O-Vision on channel 16.1. But, on 16.2, it is native 4:3 with the bars, just a digital version of the native 4:3 broadcast. During prime time shows like Heroes, the 16.1 channel is in full HD. While the 16.2 airs the 4:3 version of the same show. Doing so adds bars to the sides and to the top and bottom, because the show is filmed and aired in widescreen. Kudos to NBC, they have been doing this for what, 10+ years. Unlike NBC, Fox airs shows like House, 24, and Prison Break in 4:3 in stead of widescreen on the non-HD channel.....which is REALLY STUPID.

[mikeinaustin]

this is interesting, the tonight show with jay leno used to be 16x9 HD on my set, but recently it went to 4x3. HOWEVER, the picture very much looks HD (detail, color, etc).

[Ron Barry]

With the writer strike you might be seeing upcasted 4x3 upcasted of Jay Leno.

[Jim5506]

This last week NBC has been showing old Tonight shows. Monday was Jay Leno's first night as permanent host, and all week the shows have been pre-HD shows. Letterman is showing shows from earlier in 2007.

[MrDogDad]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say unequivocally that ALL HD OTA programming is 16x9. If you're seeing a 4x3 picture from an HD network, then that specific shot is in SD. This switch from 16x9 to 4x3 happens all the time during news programs because when the shot is in the studio it's HD and 16x9. When they go "on the street" then it's 4x3 because that camera is SD.

If you're local news channel is always in 4x3 then either it's SD or you've got some work to do on your setup.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it :)

We watched "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" on Friday night. It was remastered in HD but they left the aspect ratio at the original 4x3. There were bars on the sides but the network HD logo overlapped the bars. So technically it was a 16x9 signal with 4x3 content.
The image quality was outstanding with the color saturation outrageously high. It really did justice to Dr. Seuss.

[BillJ]

NBC showed Scrubs with sidebars last week. The guide didn't list it as HD either. Don't usually watch the show so I'm not sure if it's ever HD.

[TvilleBee]

Scrubs has never been shot in HD

[P Smith]

Not all HD is in widescreen mode. HD and widescreen are two different things.

Read ATSC standards !

[ls7dude]

Read ATSC standards !


Please back-up your statement other than taking the 5 seconds to put a thumbs down.

[Jim5506]

All HD is widescreen, whether the picture goes from edge to edge on the 16X9 screen is determined by the source material (Wizard of Oz for example).

Whatever aspect ratio the source was produced in can be shown in HD. Hogans Heroes was reformatted to 16X9; there are 2.85:1 ar movies shown in HD, etc. But the actual broadcast frame size is ALWAYS 16X9 for HD, some frames just have black bars on sides or top and bottom.

In order for the HD tuner to properly interpret the data, it must conform to ATSC standards.

[P Smith]

Please back-up your statement other than taking the 5 seconds to put a thumbs down.
Remove your last two posts here and I will do the same.
Then take your time and educate yourself before post statements like your above without back-up.

[ls7dude]

Remove your last two posts here and I will do the same.
Then take your time and educate yourself before post statements like your above without back-up.

Why are you such an *******? Hiding behind your computer ****head?