Size of picture on my SONY LCD rear projection HD television - I'm confused (newbie)

Doowopper · 05-03-2005, 04:59 AM

I just started using a SONY Wega 42," LCD rear projection, LCD, high definition tv. I tried watching "Deadwood," on it, which is on a regular HBO station. The show is broadcast in high definition. However, the picture fills what looks like a 16:9 rectangle, but only in the middle of the screen, with huge horizontal and vertical black areas around the picture - as though the show is being broadcast in 16:9 for a tv with a 4:3 screen. I can fill the screen with the picture and eliminate the black areas around the picture only by using zoom or stretch settings with the remote, which distort the picture. I cannot get an undistorted picture that fills my entire screen. I thought that because the show is broadcast in high definition and seems to have a 16:9 format, that it would fill my whole screeen without having to distort the picture with stretch or zoom settings with my remote. Perhaps I am confusing the size of the picture with high definition and could use some clarification. Or, perhaps there is a setting I need to adjust and I haven't figured out how to do it.
1) Is it normal for some shows to be broadcast in high defintion and have the resulting 16:9 picture cover only the middle portion of the screen with large black areas around it?
2) If the answer to 1) is no, how do I get a high definiton, 16:9 picture to cover the whole screen (now the picture covers only the middle of the screen, as described above) without the picture being distorted? I tried all of wide settings available on my remote, but none provided an undistorted picture (with no stretch or zoom) that fills my whole screen.
Thanks.
Richard

dvdslw · 05-03-2005, 06:44 AM

Hello, have you tried the settings on your HD Reciever? Example; my cable box has a setting for the type of screen I have I can select 16:9 or 4:3. Also there is a setting for the video output resolution I can select 1080i, 720p, 480 etc.. I also have a Sony LCD TV and my cable box is set to 16:9 widescreen and 1080i output resolution this gives me the best picture quality and a widescreen picture. I assume you have this issue with all HD programming, if you only have this problem with one channel it's probably how it was broadcast and you cant do anything about it. For example, I watched Medium on NBC last night and it was broadcast in widescreen HD format but only filled the screen as you described. It happens every once in a while, but it's a problem with the actual broadcast not my TV. Also I assume you have a HD reciever and you are connected to your set with component, DVI, or HDMI cables or are using a cable card to recieve HD programming.

crgraham32 · 05-03-2005, 07:14 AM

Are you sure you are watching it on HBO HD and not on regular HBO? It will only be true HD and 16:9 on HBO HD, otherwise you will get a 4:3 picture with black bars.

Also, with the Sony (I have the 55" LCD), you have to have your screen mode set to Full instead of Normal.

stevedee · 05-03-2005, 07:38 AM

If you are not watching Deadwood on the HBO HD channel, you will have the bars on all four sides, as this program is broadcast in letterbox format for SD. I believe Deadwood will be rebroadcast on the HD HBO channel tonight. I'll be watching, as I missed the Sunday night airing.

05-03-2005, 04:59 AM	#1
Doowopper How can anyone watch standard def? Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 23	Size of picture on my SONY LCD rear projection HD television - I'm confused (newbie) I just started using a SONY Wega 42," LCD rear projection, LCD, high definition tv. I tried watching "Deadwood," on it, which is on a regular HBO station. The show is broadcast in high definition. However, the picture fills what looks like a 16:9 rectangle, but only in the middle of the screen, with huge horizontal and vertical black areas around the picture - as though the show is being broadcast in 16:9 for a tv with a 4:3 screen. I can fill the screen with the picture and eliminate the black areas around the picture only by using zoom or stretch settings with the remote, which distort the picture. I cannot get an undistorted picture that fills my entire screen. I thought that because the show is broadcast in high definition and seems to have a 16:9 format, that it would fill my whole screeen without having to distort the picture with stretch or zoom settings with my remote. Perhaps I am confusing the size of the picture with high definition and could use some clarification. Or, perhaps there is a setting I need to adjust and I haven't figured out how to do it. 1) Is it normal for some shows to be broadcast in high defintion and have the resulting 16:9 picture cover only the middle portion of the screen with large black areas around it? 2) If the answer to 1) is no, how do I get a high definiton, 16:9 picture to cover the whole screen (now the picture covers only the middle of the screen, as described above) without the picture being distorted? I tried all of wide settings available on my remote, but none provided an undistorted picture (with no stretch or zoom) that fills my whole screen. Thanks. Richard Last edited by Doowopper; 05-03-2005 at 05:01 AM.

05-03-2005, 06:44 AM	#2
dvdslw Sony XBR2 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Orlando, Florida Posts: 388	Check your video source Hello, have you tried the settings on your HD Reciever? Example; my cable box has a setting for the type of screen I have I can select 16:9 or 4:3. Also there is a setting for the video output resolution I can select 1080i, 720p, 480 etc.. I also have a Sony LCD TV and my cable box is set to 16:9 widescreen and 1080i output resolution this gives me the best picture quality and a widescreen picture. I assume you have this issue with all HD programming, if you only have this problem with one channel it's probably how it was broadcast and you cant do anything about it. For example, I watched Medium on NBC last night and it was broadcast in widescreen HD format but only filled the screen as you described. It happens every once in a while, but it's a problem with the actual broadcast not my TV. Also I assume you have a HD reciever and you are connected to your set with component, DVI, or HDMI cables or are using a cable card to recieve HD programming. Last edited by dvdslw; 05-03-2005 at 06:49 AM.

05-03-2005, 07:14 AM	#3
crgraham32 How can anyone watch standard def? Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 26	Are you sure you are watching it on HBO HD and not on regular HBO? It will only be true HD and 16:9 on HBO HD, otherwise you will get a 4:3 picture with black bars. Also, with the Sony (I have the 55" LCD), you have to have your screen mode set to Full instead of Normal.

05-03-2005, 07:38 AM	#4
stevedee Guitar Gunslinger Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 35	If you are not watching Deadwood on the HBO HD channel, you will have the bars on all four sides, as this program is broadcast in letterbox format for SD. I believe Deadwood will be rebroadcast on the HD HBO channel tonight. I'll be watching, as I missed the Sunday night airing.