[qwerty]

Watching the NCAA tournament last night on CBS, the sides of the picture were clipped off. It doesn't seem to be distorted. It's like it was 16:9, but only displaying the 4:3 in the middle.

I don't have HD. Does anyone know if this is DirecTV or CBS? Is there a setting to fix it?

Thanks.

 

[Terry K]

Watching the NCAA tournament last night on CBS, the sides of the picture were clipped off. It doesn't seem to be distorted. It's like it was 16:9, but only displaying the 4:3 in the middle.

I don't have HD. Does anyone know if this is DirecTV or CBS? Is there a setting to fix it?

Thanks.

Its Direct. Welcome to the wonderful (yeah right) world of center cutting. This is Directv's elegant way of saying 'we can't get a traditional SD feed so we'll just chop the sides off and give you crap'

The simple solution is going to be either to upgrade to HD or find an OTA solution.

There's no way you can fix it. (And really no excuse for it other than a lazy way to provide SD until its phased out)

 

[DogLover]

Its Direct. Welcome to the wonderful (yeah right) world of center cutting. This is Directv's elegant way of saying 'we can't get a traditional SD feed so we'll just chop the sides off and give you crap'

The simple solution is going to be either to upgrade to HD or find an OTA solution.

There's no way you can fix it. (And really no excuse for it other than a lazy way to provide SD until its phased out)

You seem to put all the blame on DIRECTV. Don't you think this had to be in the contract with the local station? Some stations would choose to letterbox, others would choose to clip the sides.

Perhaps, a complaint letter to the station would help. Unfortunately, there seem to be a lot of people that prefer "to have their screen filled up", than to see the entire show. The station and DIRECTV may just be doing what most people want.

You are correct and that the ultimate solution would be to upgrade to HD, either through satellite or OTA.

 

[Beerstalker]

Actually, as far as I know this is up to the channel provider. Evidently his local CBS station has told DirecTV to center cut their HD channel in order to send it out as SD rather than sending it out letterboxed and hearing all the people call in and complain that their old 4:3 TV has black bars on it.

 

[HoTat2]

I thought even without HD access the R22 (or an (H)HR2X) would still allow you to receive locals in HD?

And IIRC, I read somewhere that w/o HD access you still had to make sure the guide settings were on "Hide SD Duplicates" or maybe "Show All Channels" for the HD locals to appear in the guide though.

 

[veryoldschool]

I thought even without HD access the R22 (or an (H)HR2X) would still allow you to receive locals in HD?

And IIRC, I read somewhere that w/o HD access you still had to make sure the guide settings were on "Hide SD Duplicates" or maybe "Show All Channels" for the HD locals to appear in the guide though.

This may be for MPEG-4 only markets, but does bring up the question of what format setting was being used.

 

[The Merg]

This may be for MPEG-4 only markets, but does bring up the question of what format setting was being used.

You can get OTA HD channels on a R22 that is in SD-mode, however, the receiver will only output it to the TV in 480p.

- Merg

 

[Beerstalker]

This may be for MPEG-4 only markets, but does bring up the question of what format setting was being used.

I think you are right. I believe getting the locals in HD without HD service is only in MPEG-4 markets, because there aren't SD locals at all the receiver has to tune into the HD channel, if it's already tuning to the HD channel DirecTV has evidently decided to just allow it to ouput the HD signal.

Outside of MPEG-4 markets DirecTV offers SD versions of the local channels. I believe DirecTV takes the OTA HD channel and downscales it to create the SD channel and send it out over the satellites. I believe they talk to the channel provider and get their feedback on how they want the channel sent out (either letterboxed or cropped). I believe that FOX has made a company wide decision that all of their HD channels sent out as SD have to be letterboxed. I believe ABC/ESPN made the same decision. I don't know that any of the others (NBC, CBS, PBS, etc) have made such a decision.

I don't think that there are any MPEG-4 markets in Colorado, so his reciever is most likely only allowed to tune into the SD channels. I don't think you can change the format on the receiver with SD channels being output in SD can you?

 

[veryoldschool]

You can get OTA HD channels on a R22 that is in SD-mode, however, the receiver will only output it to the TV in 480p.

- Merg

Since you have a R22, they did "unlock" the format options even for those without HD service, "right"?
I understand the output is locked to 480, but is it widescreen/letterbox?

 

[Beerstalker]

That's a good question. I live in an MPEG-4 market so the HD and format selections are unlocked here.

Also, I'm fairly certain if you use an AM21 or HR20 to get local stations OTA in an MPEG-4 market that you can ouput them in HD since HD outputs and the format selections are unlocked.

 

[veryoldschool]

That's a good question. I live in an MPEG-4 market so the HD and format selections are unlocked here.

Also, I'm fairly certain if you use an AM21 or HR20 to get local stations OTA in an MPEG-4 market that you can ouput them in HD since HD outputs and the format selections are unlocked.

If the format options have been unlocked, "original format" will output whatever the signal is without any changes to it.
This was needed for a friend who has an "HD ready" 4:3 TV as the other options didn't work correctly. All the settings that normally work, didn't, so everything had to be passed on to the TV unaltered, so it would display the image correctly.

 

[The Merg]

Since you have a R22, they did "unlock" the format options even for those without HD service, "right"?
I understand the output is locked to 480, but is it widescreen/letterbox?

I believe you are right there. I think the "unlock" for the format options occurred after I upgraded to HD so I can't say for sure.

If ThomasM or Supamom happen into this thread, they might be able to answer as they still use the R22 in SD mode (and I know that ThomasM does have it hooked to a HDTV).

- Merg

 

[qwerty]

I can go in select the check boxes next to the different resolutions. I really can't say whether it actually does anything, though.

 

[veryoldschool]

I can go in select the check boxes next to the different resolutions. I really can't say whether it actually does anything, though.

Resolutions are one thing, while format is another, which seems like your issue.
See what happens with the remote when you cycle/press the format button near the upper left [one down from the top].

 

[HoTat2]

I think you are right. I believe getting the locals in HD without HD service is only in MPEG-4 markets, because there aren't SD locals at all the receiver has to tune into the HD channel, if it's already tuning to the HD channel DirecTV has evidently decided to just allow it to ouput the HD signal.

Outside of MPEG-4 markets DirecTV offers SD versions of the local channels. I believe DirecTV takes the OTA HD channel and downscales it to create the SD channel and send it out over the satellites. I believe they talk to the channel provider and get their feedback on how they want the channel sent out (either letterboxed or cropped). I believe that FOX has made a company wide decision that all of their HD channels sent out as SD have to be letterboxed. I believe ABC/ESPN made the same decision. I don't know that any of the others (NBC, CBS, PBS, etc) have made such a decision.

I don't think that there are any MPEG-4 markets in Colorado, so his reciever is most likely only allowed to tune into the SD channels. I don't think you can change the format on the receiver with SD channels being output in SD can you?

OK, I thought this might be the case, but wasn't sure so I just assumed it would and wrongly I guess :sure:

I knew that in the MPEG-4 only local markets DIRECTV does permit an R22 or HR2X receiver w/o HD access to display any local channels in HD. But did not really sure if this applied to the early markets with long established MPEG-2 SD locals at 101W as well.

 

[HoTat2]

I'm curious though as to what the OP would want. Without HD access on DIRECTV's system all SD feeds are limited to a 4:3 frame regardless.

Which means they can only crop the picture, letterbox it, or maybe some combination of the two using "Active Format Description" (AFD). If "cropped" its the present image you have. If letter-boxed without zooming it will cause a window-box image on an HD set with matte bars all around.

 

[LOCODUDE]

Owner of a R22-100 running SD on a HDTV, you can turn native off and change the format to your desired liking......This gives you all the formatting options which those with HD access have, you just will get the output in SD.... Access the settings/display, and you will see your options..

 

[veryoldschool]

Owner of a R22-100 running SD on a HDTV, you can turn native off and change the format to your desired liking......This gives you all the formatting options which those with HD access have, you just will get the output in SD.... Access the settings/display, and you will see your options..

native and format are separate. Native and resolutions are connected.

 

[LOCODUDE]

native and format are separate. Native and resolutions are connected.

Just saying what is available to the OP........ If the OP find the post to be of no use to him, he can choose to ignore it......

 

[veryoldschool]

Just saying what is available to the OP........ If the OP find the post to be of no use to him, he can choose to ignore it......

And I was merely point out what does what of them.
There's no need to look in the trunk if the problem is under the hood.