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OK, this is slightly OT, but someone here will probably be able to
help. I own a widescreen TV, but when I watch a show broadcast in
widescreen, like The Sopranos, it's basically like watching a
non-anamorphic DVD. I either have to stretch the picture or zoom in to
get everything looking normal, losing information at the sides.

Is this normal? Are the black bars transmitted as part of the picture
information? Or is there just something I haven't set correctly with
my TV?

Any help is appreciated.

LECV

"Limited Edition Clear Vinyl" <> wrote in
message news: om...
> OK, this is slightly OT, but someone here will probably be able to
> help. I own a widescreen TV, but when I watch a show broadcast in
> widescreen, like The Sopranos, it's basically like watching a
> non-anamorphic DVD. I either have to stretch the picture or zoom in to
> get everything looking normal, losing information at the sides.
>
> Is this normal? Are the black bars transmitted as part of the picture
> information? Or is there just something I haven't set correctly with
> my TV?
>
> Any help is appreciated.
>
> LECV

The black bars are normal on widescreen shows transmitted in 4:3 NTSC, which
is most off air stuff in North America. So yeah, you'll have to zoom. My
widescreen TV has a setting that appropriately sets the picture without any
loss of information in cases like this.

Jay

"Limited Edition Clear Vinyl" <> wrote in
message news: om...
> OK, this is slightly OT, but someone here will probably be able to
> help. I own a widescreen TV, but when I watch a show broadcast in
> widescreen, like The Sopranos, it's basically like watching a
> non-anamorphic DVD. I either have to stretch the picture or zoom in to
> get everything looking normal, losing information at the sides.

They're not really broadcast "in widescreen." They're broadcast in 4:3
letterbox; the black bars are part of the 4:3 frame.

This will be the case with any analog broadcast. You'll have to use the TV's
zoom feature to move the black bars out of the visible screen.

To see these shows in true widescreen, you need a digital source -- digital
cable or satellite or OTA broadcasts, via a digital tuner.

RichC

"Rich Clark" <> wrote in message
news:z9CdnSqYvZP1-_HdRVn-...
>
> "Limited Edition Clear Vinyl" <> wrote
in
> message news: om...
> > OK, this is slightly OT, but someone here will probably be able to
> > help. I own a widescreen TV, but when I watch a show broadcast in
> > widescreen, like The Sopranos, it's basically like watching a
> > non-anamorphic DVD. I either have to stretch the picture or zoom in to
> > get everything looking normal, losing information at the sides.
>
> They're not really broadcast "in widescreen." They're broadcast in 4:3
> letterbox; the black bars are part of the 4:3 frame.

They are broadcast in widescreen on the HD channel
>
> This will be the case with any analog broadcast. You'll have to use the
TV's
> zoom feature to move the black bars out of the visible screen.
>
> To see these shows in true widescreen, you need a digital source --
digital
> cable or satellite or OTA broadcasts, via a digital tuner.
>
> RichC
>
>

I watch The Sopranos on the HD HBO channel and I don't see no stinkin bars!

They are there on the regular broadcast though.

T.

--
"Logout, that cookie **** makes me nervous!" - Tony Soprano

Limited Edition Clear Vinyl, says...
> Is this normal? Are the black bars transmitted as part of the picture
> information?

Yes, when you are watching the regular NTSC analog transmission. To see
widescreen shows in real, high quality, without the bars, you need to
watch the digital transmission. To do this you will need an HDTV
receiver, and a station in your area broadcasting HD, or HD cable or
satellite service.

CBS, NBC, ABC, HBO, SHOWTIME, and several other networks are
broadcasting their widscreen shows in HD on their digital channels. FOX
doesn't broadcast in HD yet, but some of their shows (24, for example)
are broadcast in standard definition definition widescreen without the
bars. Those programs will be MUCH higher quality than the analog
letterboxed versions of their shows, but you still need an HDTV receiver
to watch those.

I have a DirectTV receiver that picks up both standard def and HD
DirectTV programming, and also acts as an over-the-air tuner for local
HD broadcasts. It's great.

Is your WS set an HD?

Get HBO HD.

=============================
"Limited Edition Clear Vinyl" <> wrote
in message news: om...
: OK, this is slightly OT, but someone here will probably be able to
: help. I own a widescreen TV, but when I watch a show broadcast in
: widescreen, like The Sopranos, it's basically like watching a
: non-anamorphic DVD. I either have to stretch the picture or zoom in to
: get everything looking normal, losing information at the sides.
:
: Is this normal? Are the black bars transmitted as part of the picture
: information? Or is there just something I haven't set correctly with
: my TV?
:
: Any help is appreciated.
:
: LECV

Thanks for the responses, everyone. Yes, my set is HD. The problem is
that I don't watch nearly enough television to justify the cost of a
high def receiver for my satellite service, plus the HD channel
subscription costs. Sopranos and the odd Seinfeld and Simpsons rerun.

Thanks again.

LECV

"Richard C." <post-age @spamcop.net> wrote in message news:<406cc5ba$0$67686$ om>...
> Is your WS set an HD?
>
> Get HBO HD.
>
> =============================
> "Limited Edition Clear Vinyl" <> wrote
> in message news: om...
> : OK, this is slightly OT, but someone here will probably be able to
> : help. I own a widescreen TV, but when I watch a show broadcast in
> : widescreen, like The Sopranos, it's basically like watching a
> : non-anamorphic DVD. I either have to stretch the picture or zoom in to
> : get everything looking normal, losing information at the sides.
> :
> : Is this normal? Are the black bars transmitted as part of the picture
> : information? Or is there just something I haven't set correctly with
> : my TV?
> :
> : Any help is appreciated.
> :
> : LECV

Limited Edition Clear Vinyl wrote:

> Thanks for the responses, everyone. Yes, my set is HD. The problem is
> that I don't watch nearly enough television to justify the cost of a
> high def receiver for my satellite service, plus the HD channel
> subscription costs. Sopranos and the odd Seinfeld and Simpsons rerun.

All you need is an antenna from Radio Shack and
a length of coax cable.


drc

Darrel Christenson, says...
> All you need is an antenna from Radio Shack and
> a length of coax cable.

And an HD receiver box, if the TV doesn't have one built in.

I get CBS, ABC, NBC, PBS, and the WB in High Definition off the air, no
special subscription required. And I get FOX in widescreen. Plus,
several other local stations are multicasting different SD programming
on various subchannels. It's worth the few hundred for the tuner, if you
have stations broadcasting digital in your area.

Limited Edition Clear Vinyl wrote:
> Thanks for the responses, everyone. Yes, my set is HD. The problem is
> that I don't watch nearly enough television to justify the cost of a
> high def receiver for my satellite service, plus the HD channel
> subscription costs. Sopranos and the odd Seinfeld and Simpsons rerun.

If you get the Sopranos DVD set, it will fill your widescreen.