[Guest]

OK does anyone know how the stretch works for HDTV (Model 6000)? When I am watching CBSHD the commercials are all in 4:3 but then it expands to 16:9 for some programs. How does it know to stretch for programs and go to 4:3 for commercials? It also does it during SEC football games. The replays are 4:3 but the game is 16:9. I thought at first that all HDTV programming was in 16:9 but then I noticed that the receiver started stretching everything to 16:9 so I went into the setup and switched it to 4:3(1) and all programs were 4:3 then I went back to 16:9 and all of a sudden it went back to putting the commercials in 4:3 and putting the programs into 16:9. I changed channels to the normal CBS and noticed that programs such as JAG were just being zoomed instead of actually being recorded in 16:9. I really don't understand what is going on. It also sometimes says partial zoom on the info and sometimes it doesn't.

Summing it up...
1. Are any of the programs actually in 16:9 including football?
2. How does the stretch work? Is the 6000 doing it or is it being done at CBS?
3. Why does it sometimes stretch everything and other times it doesn't?
4. What setting is the best setting for a 56 inch widescreen?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

On HD Programming if you keep it on Normal the HD Shows will fill the screen however the commercials which are not in HD are shown in 4x3 it is transmitted with the black side bars by CBS.

If you ever watch football on CBS when they do the halftime shows they are not in HDTV but instead of having black bars on the side, they show blue boving graphics.

Your 6000 is operating fine, CBS is still sending 1080i out even though whats currently on the screen is not in HD.

As commercials begin to come out in HD you will see this problem go away.

 

[jquaglino]

Originally posted by paulrichjr
OK does anyone know how the stretch works for HDTV (Model 6000)? When I am watching CBSHD the commercials are all in 4:3 but then it expands to 16:9 for some programs. How does it know to stretch for programs and go to 4:3 for commercials? It also does it during SEC football games. The replays are 4:3 but the game is 16:9. I thought at first that all HDTV programming was in 16:9 but then I noticed that the receiver started stretching everything to 16:9 so I went into the setup and switched it to 4:3(1) and all programs were 4:3 then I went back to 16:9 and all of a sudden it went back to putting the commercials in 4:3 and putting the programs into 16:9. I changed channels to the normal CBS and noticed that programs such as JAG were just being zoomed instead of actually being recorded in 16:9. I really don't understand what is going on. It also sometimes says partial zoom on the info and sometimes it doesn't.

Summing it up...
1. Are any of the programs actually in 16:9 including football?

The majority of CBS' primetime schedule and Saturday SEC game is in HDTV. HDTV is 16:9. What you see at commercial break is 4:3 commercials inserted into a 16:9 frame with black bars on the sides. The 6000 is not stretching during the game or commercial break, etc.

2. How does the stretch work? Is the 6000 doing it or is it being done at CBS?

The 6000 has several different stretch modes. In 16:9 it has normal (which is the one you want when viewing HD), black bars, grey bars, stretch, partial zoom, and zoom. If you are watching 4:3 content on a no dtv channel, ie ESPN the you have the option of maintaining the aspect ratio while viewing on a wide screen. You can select black bars or grey bars. If you prefer to fill your screen, you can select stretch (geometrical stretch of the image), partial zoom (combination of stretch and zoom resulting in a cropping of some of the picture) or Full zoom (zooms and crops the 4:3 image to fill your 16:9 screen.

The 6000 has automatic different memory settings for SDTV and HDTV. This allows you to set ESPN to stretch and HBO-HD to Normal. When you change channels the 6000 changes settings with the channel change. To change aspect ratios press the * key. The aspect ratio being used is reported on the top banner on the lower left side.

3. Why does it sometimes stretch everything and other times it doesn't?

Independent settings for SDTV and HDTV.

4. What setting is the best setting for a 56 inch widescreen?

For HDTV set it to Normal. For SDTV set either to Stretch, Partial Zoom or Full Zoom as you prefer.

Thanks for your help.

 

[jannlinder]

Part of the HD spec is the ability to tell receivers to switch resolutions and aspect ratios (4x3 or 16x9, etc) on the fly. This MAY or may not be happening here :shrug:. It may be that CBS HD is simpy upconverting the commercials to 1080i and placing them in the middle of the normal 16x9 screen instead of (like the spec says) sending the signal to your box to switch it to 4x3 temporarily and then a new signal to switch back to 16x9 when the game starts again (some FOX programs do this--superbowl, etc). Actually, if you wish to find out which one is going on, then simply look at the sides of the commercials. If it is black (or grey) then they are Probably sending the signal for the 6000 to change your resolution and/or (aspect ratio). If there is ANYTHING (like the flowing backgrounds) to the left and right of the commercial, then they haven't changed resolution and/or aspect ratio..they have simply upconverted the commercial to 1080i on top of their flowing background on a 1080i 16x9 signal.

did this help?

Jann

 

[Chris Blount]

Has anyone noticed that even though most commercials and newscasts are in SD, they still look a hell of a lot better than an OTA analog broadcast. Since I have my antenna hooked up to receive OTA digital and analog, I can switch back and forth easily between the digital and analog broadcast from the same stations. The OTA analog is filled with interference and over saturation while the digital broadcasts look clean and very clear.

My crystal ball tells me that once digital TV's become cheap and common and people start seeing the improved picture quality whether its actually HDTV or not, they will flock to DTV just like what happened with DVD.

 

[Mark Lamutt]

You're absolutely right, Chris, because the commercials (and really everything that isn't HD) is being upconverted from 480i to 1080i or 720p. And CBS' SD offerings look even better because this season CBS is doing all of the upconversion at their broadcast studio in New York on the really expensive equipment, rather than having each local station do the upconversion on their expensive (although not nearly so much so) equipment. The other networks have the local stations do the upconversion.