OTA HD Programming

[b727guru]

OK, this is my latest confusion regarding my TV.
I currently have an HDTV w/ a built-in tuner and receive beautiful Hi Def pictures on it here in Atlanta.

When just watching local news or a anything OTA that it's not Hi Def, I obviously have the blank space on the sides of the image.

My antenna currently goes directly into the TV and will not allow me to change the display format to expand the image to fill the screen.

Is is because the antenna cable is connected to the TV? Should I direct it through my receiver instead? Would this allow me to change the display format?
It doesn't make sense but I figure I'd ask....
:confused:

[summerfun]

You are not doing anything wrong. You cannot stretch the black bars on an HD channel.

When you are watching an SD channel, the signal is only 4:3, so your TV puts the black bars up and your TV can allow you to stretch them away if you want. But when you are watching an HD channel, the signal you are receiving is 16:9. If it happens to be a 4:3 program, the broadcaster adds the black bars to the signal and your TV sees a full 16:9 display and you cannot stretch the bars away.

Foot note: As soon as I post this, somebody will say they have a TV that can do it, but mine can’t and is seems like yours can’t either, so there you have it.

[b727guru]

"When you are watching an SD channel, the signal is only 4:3, so your TV puts the black bars up and your TV can allow you to stretch them away if you want"

Summerfun,
You say here that I can stretch them away if I want. How do I do this?

In my remote there's a FORMAT button that allows me to switch between different stretch modes. This works just fine when I watch TV over satellite signal. This feature is disabled when I watch OTA programming regardless of this signal being HD or SD.

Thanks in advance,
Guru.

[Ratman]

To clarify... SD (4:3) programming on "digital" OTA channels put black bars in the program. So essentially it's 16:9 and therefore cannot be stretched (on most digital TV's).

[b727guru]

Damn! that sucks.

Clear enough for me!!!


Thanks Ratman.

[summerfun]

"In my remote there's a FORMAT button that allows me to switch between different stretch modes. This works just fine when I watch TV over satellite signal. This feature is disabled when I watch OTA programming regardless of this signal being HD or SD.

Thanks in advance,
Guru.
I can't say for sure, every TV is different. If you can stretch your satellite, it’s because your STB box is sending a signal that your TV can stretch. I don't know why your OTA 4:3 analog channels would be disabled from stretching. Your OTA digital channels will not stretch because they are already 16:9 as mentioned before.

[durl]

I can accomplish the "full-screen" affect on local HD signals but my satellite/OTA HD receiver makes it happen. I would guess that if your built-in receiver doesn't allow for it, you'll have to keep the black bars.

[fredinva]

b727guru,

Hey, have you tried the OTA coax plugged into your receiver? If not - try it, might work.

I'm still trying to figure out some of the other comments??
who's watching ota 4:3 analog???

I can stretch, partial zoom, full zoom my ota digital signal of Letterman(SD digital).
And I can also do the SAME with Jay in HD ota.

Sony GW KF50WE610
with ota ant plugged into Dish 811 hd recvr.

fred