HDTV 3:4 local hd channels sidebars + letterboxing

So I have a 3:4 HDTV and, of course, most of the hd channels have letterboxing. What I don't understand is, why do the local hd channels all have letterboxing and sidebars? It only happens on the local channels, like NBCHD, FOXHD, ABCHD, etc. Things like food network and discovery, hbo, etc only have letterboxing.

I know I can zoom it, but if it is in 3:4 format, and my tv is 3:4, why can't it just fill the whole screen without zooming?

Welcome to HDF and the new world of TV! This is going to be more and more prevalant as we move to the 2009 analog cutoff. Here is one discussion: 4:3 Feed Dilemma? (http://www.highdefinitionblog.com/?p=299)

I have a 4:3 HDTV as well. The reason that you are seeing black bars on all sides of the screen is that when on a HDTV channel it is transmitting a 16:9 signal so it puts the bars at the top and the bottom. When they put a standard definition program on the HD channel (not all programming on a HD channel is in HD) it has to put the black bars on the side of the screen to make the 16:9 image into a 4:3 image. The could send it as a 4:3 image and fill our entire screen but that would make it inconvenient for the 16:9 HDTV owners as they would have to change picture formats on their TV. Since we are in the extreme minority it makes sens to frame our image and make it more user friendly for the 16:9 HDTV folks.

a 4:3 HDTV . . . what is the make/model number? And what is your HD signal source: cable (box, direct), OTA, Satellite?

It sound like a lot of the problems may be in your settings-- with the above request information. someone should be able to "correct" some of this . . .

HD broadcast are 16:9 AR-- they will not fill a 4:3 screen; just as a 4:3 signal will not fill a 16:9 screen.

when they first started coming out with HDTVs they had some 4:3 ones. It isn't with the settings that is causing his problem. When he/I watch a HD channel and it is broadcasting a SD show it puts black bars on the side in the signal I am sure you have seen this on a 16:9 screen. They arent just broadcasting a 4:3 image and your TV puts them in they are in the image. So when the 16:9 image goes on the 4:3 screen it has to put black bar at the top and bottom. so you have the lack of picture bars on the top and bottom and then have the black bars on the side of the 16:9 image being broadcast which frames the picture in the screen.

That being said you MAY be able to zoom in to fill the screen based off your TV menu setting alternatively you can switch to a standard def channel and see the image full screen. My TV doesnt have the zoom function but I know some do.

I see. Well thanks guys. I guess there's nothing I can do about it except buy a 16:9 tv but it's really not that big of a deal since I can just switch to the non hd version of the channel if it's SD anyway.