View Full Version : Stretching 4:3 - Just plain annoying
Now that I've had a bit of time to adjust to going from a box screen to widescreen, I am glad I made the change, but it's still annoying to watch 4:3 with bars on the sides (but not for long, of course) or stretch it to fill the screen.
Using the 16:9 zoom makes it fill the screen ok, but it's too damned big and not as sharp.
So, I guess like most of you out there in HDLand, I find myself watching alot of CBS, ABC, (we don't have NBC-HD yet), HDNet, HBO, Showtime instead of some of my other favorites like The Comedy Channel and ESPN (but not for long).
Right now, that is the only drawback I see to HD - is waiting for everything else to catch-up so in the future we don't have to worry about aspect ratios.
Just my ramblings on a Tuesday morning..........pass the coffee.....
:cool:
hockeyfan
01-28-2003, 12:29 PM
Just curious as to when you are watching a high def 16x9 show what happens when a 4x3 non high def commercial comes on. Does it auto stretch or do you just get the bars on the side?
Also I see a lot of non high def commercials that act like they are letterbox (and it seems like they are all different size letterbox), what happens when you are stretching the 4x3 screen? How does it appear on your 16x9 screen, either when you are in stretch mode or 4x3 mode? Are all these different commercial sizes annoying?
As you can tell I am a rookie who has never seen the HDTV sets except in the stores.
Thanks
If you're watching HD and a 4:3 HD comes on, you have black bars on the side.
Most TVs cannot stretch HD material - I think the "82" series Toshibas are about the only ones...
Check out the FAQ section, 7th one down on the home page - see the post on "widescreen stretch modes". These modes apply to SD material.
hdexpert
01-29-2003, 04:01 PM
the new mitsubishi models will also stretch hd material
Zorpheus
01-29-2003, 04:18 PM
The Mitsubishi's have a neat mode for viewing 4:3 standard images in 16:9 format. Its a variable skewing of the image as a function of distance from center. Objects near the center of the image appear normal (not distorted or 'bloated'). As you move further from the vertical centerline of the image, the screen is streached an increasing amount. This is a great mode for watching most things (poeple walkin' and talkin' on screen) but it does kinda suck for auto races. ;)
Zorpheus. Most WS TVs have a "non-linear" stretch mode as you describe. I've seen it on Hitachi, Sony, Toshiba, etc. They are slightly different (mostly for differentiation purposes), but similar ideas.
Woodycbs
01-30-2003, 12:58 AM
I agree with above - what type of TV do you have? Most have multiple stretch modes that are much better than the basic 16:9 format stretch. With each brand there are certain "names" for their stretch modes. My RCA has a "cinematica" mode that rocks. I swear I can't even tell the darn thing is stretched and either can others who are new to the whole thing.
I do have to agree that I am anxious to see new shows and channels added though. Not for the stretching though but just the picture itself. HD shows just make all other SD shows/channels look bad.
I pick out every distortion, pixel, line, fuzziness in my TV as well as everyone else's. It's a disease now.:D I need HD!!
Originally posted by Woodycbs
I agree with above - what type of TV do you have? Most have multiple stretch modes that are much better than the basic 16:9 format stretch. With each brand there are certain "names" for their stretch modes. My RCA has a "cinematica" mode that rocks. I swear I can't even tell the darn thing is stretched and either can others who are new to the whole thing.
I do have to agree that I am anxious to see new shows and channels added though. Not for the stretching though but just the picture itself. HD shows just make all other SD shows/channels look bad.
I pick out every distortion, pixel, line, fuzziness in my TV as well as everyone else's. It's a disease now.:D I need HD!!
=========
Woodster:
Yeah...........I agree, once you go HD, you can never go back. ;)
Tom_BZ
01-30-2003, 10:52 AM
On my panasonic i have a fiture that lets me "just" the picture so that the image in the middle is normal and the outer edges are stretched. It works great and I watch all my 4:3 show that way.:D
Originally posted by Tom_BZ
On my panasonic i have a fiture that lets me "just" the picture so that the image in the middle is normal and the outer edges are stretched. It works great and I watch all my 4:3 show that way.:D
Yeah, Tom, mine is similar..........but no matter how good the stretch is.........you still see some disfiguration at the sides.......one day we won't have to worry about all this.........
but for now, it's annoying as heck......... :o
When watching the Comedy Channel last night, I switched to 16:9 zoom on the Hitachi, which is tolerable, though the image sizes are too damned big...........but it cut the top of the comedian's head off as well...........there really is just no good way to watch 4:3 if you're concerned about burn-in, without sacrificing the picture clarity and viewing quality.
