Does it have to be 16:9 to be HDTV?

neil_west · 05-08-2006, 02:10 AM

My Samsung 29" 4:3 CRT claims to be HDTV 1080i ready. However, when accepting an HD signal through the component connection it does not have the functionality to "squeeze" the screen to a 16:9 ratio and hence the only practical 1080i content one can view has to be in 4:3.

To my knowledge every HDTV standard in the world specifies a 16:9 aspect ratio? Have Samsung misrepresented themselves by claiming this set is HDTV ready?

P.S. I reside in South Africa.

ja2935 · 05-08-2006, 07:08 AM

What type of HD signal are you supplying to the set, ie Broadcast, cable/sat, HD DVD?

neil_west · 05-08-2006, 07:20 AM

Just the component output from an Xbox 360 I recently brought back from the States. There is currently no HD content available on South African TV networks (terrestrial and satellite).

borromini · 05-08-2006, 02:04 PM

A TV does not require a 16:9 screen to be considered an HDTV. While all HD broadcast content is in 16:9, it's perfectly acceptable to have that presented on a 4:3 screen as letterbox. The only requirement on a TV to be considered an HDTV is to be able to accept HD signals and display them in HD such as 720p or 1080i.

Your HDTV should be able to display Xbox 360 games in 1080i, 16:9 format. Make sure the setting on the Xbox is set to 16:9 and verify settings on the TV for receiving 16:9 content.

neil_west · 05-09-2006, 01:26 AM

Unfortunately that's just the problem, the TV isn't able to display 16:9 in a letter box, for some reason the functionality to size the screen disappears in 1080i mode. The set displays "not available" when I try to do this.

All of the 1080i HDTV standards set out by the ITU-R and the SMPTE specify a 16:9 requirement.

I suspect the problem is because the model, CS-29M30BP, is probably sourced from another country and modified for the local market here. Since HDTV content is largely non-existent in South Africa it has some how been overlooked.

borromini · 05-09-2006, 07:43 PM

I've never heard of a 4:3 TV's display not allowing letter box format. What's the model/make of your HD set-top box? Have you confirmed that the settings on the STB is set to either 1080i or "pass-through".

neil_west · 05-10-2006, 08:59 AM

Yip, finally got a response from Samsung South Africa, and they admit they botched the specs of the TV. It's not HDTV ready even though it says it is.

They say this is the first time they've encountered the problem because hardly anyone in South Africa has a high-definition source, and they've agreed to refund me even though the set's 3 months old.

05-08-2006, 02:10 AM	#1
neil_west HD in Africa! Join Date: May 2006 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Age: 28 Posts: 60	Does it have to be 16:9 to be HDTV? My Samsung 29" 4:3 CRT claims to be HDTV 1080i ready. However, when accepting an HD signal through the component connection it does not have the functionality to "squeeze" the screen to a 16:9 ratio and hence the only practical 1080i content one can view has to be in 4:3. To my knowledge every HDTV standard in the world specifies a 16:9 aspect ratio? Have Samsung misrepresented themselves by claiming this set is HDTV ready? P.S. I reside in South Africa.

05-08-2006, 07:08 AM	#2
ja2935 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 1,034	What type of HD signal are you supplying to the set, ie Broadcast, cable/sat, HD DVD? __________________ Toshiba 34HF84 Comcast Motorola DCT 3416 (all digital), Component/Fiber Optic Toshiba SD4900 (Region Free), Component/Digital Coax Toshiba HD-A2, HDMI/Fiber Optic Yamaha YHT-160 Home Theater System

05-08-2006, 02:04 PM	#4
borromini HT Frontiersman Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Northern California Posts: 9,825	A TV does not require a 16:9 screen to be considered an HDTV. While all HD broadcast content is in 16:9, it's perfectly acceptable to have that presented on a 4:3 screen as letterbox. The only requirement on a TV to be considered an HDTV is to be able to accept HD signals and display them in HD such as 720p or 1080i. Your HDTV should be able to display Xbox 360 games in 1080i, 16:9 format. Make sure the setting on the Xbox is set to 16:9 and verify settings on the TV for receiving 16:9 content. __________________ "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

05-09-2006, 07:43 PM	#6
borromini HT Frontiersman Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Northern California Posts: 9,825	I've never heard of a 4:3 TV's display not allowing letter box format. What's the model/make of your HD set-top box? Have you confirmed that the settings on the STB is set to either 1080i or "pass-through". __________________ "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

05-08-2006, 07:20 AM	#3
neil_west HD in Africa! Join Date: May 2006 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Age: 28 Posts: 60	Just the component output from an Xbox 360 I recently brought back from the States. There is currently no HD content available on South African TV networks (terrestrial and satellite).

05-09-2006, 01:26 AM	#5
neil_west HD in Africa! Join Date: May 2006 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Age: 28 Posts: 60	Unfortunately that's just the problem, the TV isn't able to display 16:9 in a letter box, for some reason the functionality to size the screen disappears in 1080i mode. The set displays "not available" when I try to do this. All of the 1080i HDTV standards set out by the ITU-R and the SMPTE specify a 16:9 requirement. I suspect the problem is because the model, CS-29M30BP, is probably sourced from another country and modified for the local market here. Since HDTV content is largely non-existent in South Africa it has some how been overlooked.

05-10-2006, 08:59 AM	#7
neil_west HD in Africa! Join Date: May 2006 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Age: 28 Posts: 60	Yip, finally got a response from Samsung South Africa, and they admit they botched the specs of the TV. It's not HDTV ready even though it says it is. They say this is the first time they've encountered the problem because hardly anyone in South Africa has a high-definition source, and they've agreed to refund me even though the set's 3 months old.