HDTV viewing is wife's nemesis

I looked for an answer to my question, but did not see one,so if I missed it, I apologize up front. We have a Sony WEGA HDTV, model KV-36XBR450. We recently moved, and now have Direct TV instead of cable like we used to have. The deal is, now we either get HD programming in letterbox, or with a black frame all around the picture. It just may be that the TV is old enough that we are unable to receive full screen HDTV. If this is the case, so be it. But if there are settings that can be changed to allow for full screen viewing, I will be glad to try anything that will end my wife's misery.
Thanks!

You want to make sure that both the TV and DirecTV box are set to 16x9 or widescreen and 1080p or i.

thanks...I have the TV set to auto 16:9, and the receiver is set to 1080i, but no luck.

thanks...I have the TV set to auto 16:9, and the receiver is set to 1080i, but no luck.

Your TV is a 4:3 TV, so a 16:9 image will always be letterboxed. When you set your TV to auto 16:9 all it does is uses raster compression (Sony calls it "Enhanced 16:9") to display all 1080 lines in a 16:9 area within the 4:3 screen. The letterbox bars are not part of the broadcast signal.

All HD broadcasts are 16:9. However, when an HD station broadcasts 4:3 content (which is quite often), it adds pillars on each side of the picture before broadcasting it as 16:9. In other words, the side bars are part of the broadcast signal. In this situation you will have bars at top and bottom and the sides because the TV detects a 16:9 signal.

It is impossible to show a 16:9 picture as "full screen" on a 4:3 screen without either cropping it on the sides or streching (distorting) it vertically, or a combination of both.

i appreciate the info, even though my wife won't.her solution is to send the HD box back. thx!

Sounds like it's time to upgrade to a widescreen HD TV.

yes . me think so ,too

This is useful info. I have a Sony KV-34XBR800 Widescreen HD ready TV from 2002. It works fine and hopefully I'll get some digital programming.