aspect ratio (stretch modes)

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scoobydoo

New member
bought a new 6131 and can't get picture to fit 52 pan lcd rear pro.tried 4:3 1 and 4:3 2 and 16:9.tried tv settings cand get full picture but guide is too big then. any help would be appriciated.
 
it will fit, if you have a hd program on an hd channel, screen format normal.
set your output format to 720p or 1080i
 
I assume that this is a 16:9 TV. Make and model would be useful. Set the 6131 to 16:9 and then press the * key on the BTV remote repeatedly to cycle through the STB stretch modes to get what you want on the TV. The TV should not be doing the stretching, so you may need to run through those stretch modes to make sure it's not "fighting" the STB (ie zooming in).

BTW, since you have an LCD, there is no reason to stretch 4:3 programming, so I recommend watching 4:3 as 4:3 and 16:9 as 16:9 for the best picture quality, without any distortion and yes, you will have bars on the sides of 4:3 programming.

The 6131 will remember the stretch mode for SD channels separately from HD channels, so you'll need use the mode you like for both, however, Normal is probably what you should be using. 720P is usually the best output format as BTV sends all signals as 720P and this will then minimize the number of format changes.


Please see the following post, useful for those new to the forum - FAQs, search tips, Optimization, etc.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=57741
 
I have always wondered why I occasionally get some movies on the HD channels in 4:3.

Surely they couldn't of been shot that way could they ?
 
The movies were likely not shot that way, but a lot of the programming on the HD channels is not true HD since they didn't purchase the HD rights/movie. See:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=76089 Black Bars.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=76068 True HD.
 
I'm quite ticked by the stretch modes BellTV offers on their receivers. I'm a fan of the "Wide Zoom", where minimal portions of the top/bottom are cut off in order to minimize the impression of stretching; it's the intermediate setting between the "stretch" and full "zoom" settings. However BellTV's wide zoom setting cuts off way too much (the entire ticker on most sports/news/business channels) and yet it still looks almost stretched as much as the full stretch setting.

So whenever I want to enjoy a classic Seinfeld episode (broadcasted in the 4:3 aspect ratio), I use the "Wide Zoom" setting off my Sony TV, which does a masterful job. It barely cuts the top/bottom, and yet somehow Sony pulls it off to make it look nearly undistorted. Only downside is you end up fiddling with 2 remotes in your hand when you're switching between HD and SD content.
 
Not sure why you would be "quite ticked" that Bell doesn't offer that option. It isn't a "standard" nor something that most users would use since it distirts the picture and is not a native format. If your TV has it, then you don't need Bell to offer it. Their remote is not designed as a universal and the fact that it handles other devices I consider a bonus, although I've gone to a proper universal (Harmony 880) so can easily do what I want with any device.
 
I think what you may be referring to are two separate types of zoom functions used for two different purposes. The BellTV zoom is most likely used for watching a letterboxed 4:3 SD program on a 16:9 TV (i.e. content that is both letter and pillar-boxed), so it crops the image in such a way that it gets rids of the pillars. I think a lot of STB's offer very similar zoom functions. The Sony widezoom you're referring to is probably meant primarily to mazimize the image size of a 4:3 broadcast (pillar-boxed only) without distorting the picture too much.

As far as the 2-remote solution goes, you may wish to invest in a universal remote solution i.e. one that can 'learn' the IR codes for both the Sony and BellTV remotes.
 
As for the guide being too big, there are settings under preferences or set up that allow you to view the guide in several different modes. Check them out and pick the one that fits your TV screen the best.
 
The "partial zoom" on the BTV STBs does have a bit more vertical stretch than some other similar non-linear stretches used to have a 4:3 image fill a 16:9 screen, however, for programmes with tickers and such, it is possible to simply not stretch at all.

Even TVs with burn in concerns can tolerate a certain percentage of viewing with bars on the sides. For people with TVs unaffected by burn in, my previous recommendations in post 3 stand - don't stretch at all, but to each his own. I know lots of people who want their screen full, even if it means distorted images, lower picture quality or even loss of some of the original picture.
 
I actually did a test of that and found that 720P caused weird artifacts. Same scene played back at 1080i was flawless. Using a 768P Sharp LCD.
 
hey guys, I just got hd from bell I don't know much about it to tell you the truth only got it for the nhl playoffs, Here's my problem I have i've got a 720p with a 27 inch lcd tv, when i'm on digital channels the aspect ration is screwed up it's like long and narrow and doesn't even come close to filling the screen, but when i put on an hd channel the aspect ratio is perfect, so how do i fix this? do i keep having to go into the settings and change them every time i change the channel? Would be nice if the tv just made the adjustments itself, haha
 
Bottom left of remote has a format button, change to suite, it will remember your adjustments. haha :D
 
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