Why can't they format shows like Enterprise correctly?

[bemenaker]

Star Trek Enterprise is broadcast in SD but in a letterboxed format. Why is it, that Direct's box can't figure out to upcovert that to full screen 16:9 instead of showing it with the two 4:3 side bars, then the letterboxing inside 4:3. Come on, it's not that hard to realize that it's a 16:9 pic and upconvert the thing. Especially, when sci-fi is an HD channel. I don't care that it' not in HD but to watch it in a miniature box is retarded.

I run my hr21-700 in native mode.

[Earl Bonovich]

SCI-FI isn't offereing it in HD...
They are formatting the video... to have the black bars on the side of the broadcast.

So to the receiver... it is seeing a 16:9 video....
And that is what it is playing.

So it isn't the box... the box is playing what it is given.

Unless you want to see DirecTV to implement algorithms to override the broadcast. That is something different.

[Sirshagg]

As for why it's not in HD - I believe it's been stated elsewhere here that HDNet has exclusive rights to this show in HD.

[Carl Spock]

Doesn't your TV have a Zoom setting on its aspect ratio, bemenaker? That solves all my problems.

[harsh]

Star Trek Enterprise is broadcast in SD but in a letterboxed format.You should watch the Universal HD version if you can. It is in correct 16x9 HDCome on, it's not that hard to realize that it's a 16:9 pic and upconvert the thing. Especially, when sci-fi is an HD channel. I don't care that it' not in HD but to watch it in a miniature box is retarded.It is harder than you think. Especially when Sci-Fi puts a bug in the lower right hand corner.

Your beef should be with Sci-Fi, not DIRECTV. Sci-Fi is the one who has chosen to put an awful lot of SD programming on their "HD" channel.

[bemenaker]

To have the box auto see that it's 16:9 and scale it up isn't that difficult. My XBOX running XBMC does this all the time, and it has less firepower under the hood than the set top box.

This isn't the only show I see this happening too, and it would be pretty simple to deal with. My set top box knows I have a 16:9 TV. The set top could easily see all that black space figure the aspect ratio, and scale it.

[Earl Bonovich]

To have the box auto see that it's 16:9 and scale it up isn't that difficult. My XBOX running XBMC does this all the time, and it has less firepower under the hood than the set top box.

This isn't the only show I see this happening too, and it would be pretty simple to deal with. My set top box knows I have a 16:9 TV. The set top could easily see all that black space figure the aspect ratio, and scale it.


But that is the thing...

It does see it as a 16:9....

SCI-FI is PREMATTING the video to 16:9 on their end...
So what SCI-FI is broadcasting is a 16:9 image, that is composted of a black background, with the 4:3 video footage in the center.

You will find that a LOT of content providers are doing this with their 4:3 content on their 16:9 HD channels.

So the DirecTV box is displaying a 16:9 image that it is getting... it doesn't know that it is a pre-matted 4:3... it just see's it as a 16:9, because that is what it is.

Then... if you want some auto-detection to override this matting...

As Harsh pointed out... some of these networks are slapping their network BUG in the bottom corner, in the black area... thus an auto-detection method would be very difficult and the content providers will get mad, because you are cutting out their network bug....

[cartrivision]

SCI-FI isn't offereing it in HD...
They are formatting the video... to have the black bars on the side of the broadcast.

So to the receiver... it is seeing a 16:9 video....
And that is what it is playing.

So it isn't the box... the box is playing what it is given.

Unless you want to see DirecTV to implement algorithms to override the broadcast. That is something different.

That’s correct. This is really something that SCI-FI is doing badly. Even though they don't have a HD source, they still have a 16:9 source, so on their HD channel with a 16:9 aspect ratio they (SCI-FI channel) should be filling up the whole screen with the 16:9 SD video instead letterboxing it inside of a 4:3 pillarbared frame. Maybe their lack of HD rights contractually forces them to broadcast it letterboxed within a 4:3 frame, but such a restriction would seem silly.

[Alan Gordon]

Your beef should be with Sci-Fi, not DIRECTV. Sci-Fi is the one who has chosen to put an awful lot of SD programming on their "HD" channel.

I recently got into a discussion with someone on another board regarding Sci-Fi's "windowboxing" of 16x9 SD programming on their HD channel. While SirShagg is correct that Sci-Fi-HD cannot air ST:E in HD due to HDNet's exclusive rights to the programming, I do think it's a shame considering how much 16x9 programming Sci-Fi HD airs that they don't at least broadcast it where it fills up the screen.

Two examples are "The Sarah Jane Adventures" and "Doctor Who" which are filmed in SD but are broadcast in the UK to fill the entire 16x9 aspect ratio... but here in the US, Sci-Fi HD airs them windowboxed... which is why I watch these two on an SDTV in the other room. That being said, at least they aren't doing "STRETCH-O-VISION".

~Alan

[Alan Gordon]

Maybe their lack of HD rights contractually forces them to broadcast it letterboxed within a 4:3 frame, but such a restriction would seem silly.

Especially on shows (like the ones I mentioned above) that are not available in HD, and even doubly so for shows like "Stargate: SG-1" which isn't available in HD and Universal themselves own.

~Alan

[cartrivision]

Doesn't your TV have a Zoom setting on its aspect ratio, bemenaker? That solves all my problems.

It's better to use the zoom function on his HR21 (which is called "Crop" on the HR20/21s). that gives the same effect but all the menu graphics will still appear normal and within the boundaries of the screen.

[bobnielsen]

At least they aren't stretching the letterboxed image like some of the faux-HD channels do.

[tonyd79]

It's better to use the zoom function on his HR21 (which is called "Crop" on the HR20/21s). that gives the same effect but all the menu graphics will still appear normal and within the boundaries of the screen.

But with a 16x9 source, that function on the HR21 doesn't work. My returned, crappy cable box (SA8300) did zoom on any and all formats. I am not sure why the HR2x boxes can't zoom even HD pictures. I would prefer that to TV zoom for the reason you stated here, including the status bar.

[MartyS]

That’s correct. This is really something that SCI-FI is doing badly. Even though they don't have a HD source, they still have a 16:9 source, so on their HD channel with a 16:9 aspect ratio they (SCI-FI channel) should be filling up the whole screen with the 16:9 SD video instead letterboxing it inside of a 4:3 pillarbared frame. Maybe their lack of HD rights contractually forces them to broadcast it letterboxed within a 4:3 frame, but such a restriction would seem silly.

THis always brings up the great debate. Just because I have a 16:9 screen, I don't want the original aspect ratio of a TV show stretched to fit it. It makes the characters look short and fat, and most stretching isn't consistent throughout the picture. They tend to be wider on the sides and more "normal" in the middle.

There are a number of TV stations down here that stretch their local broadcasts, rather than letterboxing them and I refuse to watch those.

If I want a stretched picture, let me do it with my TV... if I want to watch it in its original aspect ratio, let me do that as well.

I'm tired of people saying I have an HD TV, but I'm not getting a full screen... THAT"'S BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT WATCHING AN HD PROGRAM!

[islesfan]

It's better to use the zoom function on his HR21 (which is called "Crop" on the HR20/21s). that gives the same effect but all the menu graphics will still appear normal and within the boundaries of the screen.

Yes, I was about to state this, until I noticed your post. Any idea why this is?

[gcisko]

Doesn't your TV have a Zoom setting on its aspect ratio, bemenaker? That solves all my problems.

You actually do this on SCIFI-HD??? On local digital MPEG4 HD channels this has no effect. I never tried on Scifi-HD though. But I think his only option is to try the Zoom on the SD scifi channel.

This is what I used 1080i Crop for. Unfortunately the vertical stretch bug never has gotten fixed so this method is of limited usefullness. I also think 1080i does not work on the digital MPEG4 channels.

[gcisko]

That’s correct. This is really something that SCI-FI is doing badly. Even though they don't have a HD source, they still have a 16:9 source, so on their HD channel with a 16:9 aspect ratio they (SCI-FI channel) should be filling up the whole screen with the 16:9 SD video instead letterboxing it inside of a 4:3 pillarbared frame. Maybe their lack of HD rights contractually forces them to broadcast it letterboxed within a 4:3 frame, but such a restriction would seem silly.

It would not seem silly to the one with the HD rights.

[PoitNarf]

Yes, it would be nice if Sci-Fi filled up the entire screen when broadcasting SD letterboxed content. That along with their extremely annoying BUG telling me to watch "Ghost Hunters" while I'm watching BSG are pretty much my only gripes with that channel.

[gcisko]

Yes, it would be nice if Sci-Fi filled up the entire screen when broadcasting SD letterboxed content. That along with their extremely annoying BUG telling me to watch "Ghost Hunters" while I'm watching BSG are pretty much my only gripes with that channel.

And apparently that ghost hunter thing is because too many people are using trick play to get past comercials. So they force it down your throat during the content of the program you really want to see. Very irritating!!!