4:3 CRT displaying widescreen broadcast

[dynamiccoins]

Hi,
I'm trying to understand how a picture is displayed if the original signal is broadcast in widescreen (which I understand some TV is now - I'm using freeview) and the TV is a 4:3 aspect.

When watching a widescreen DVD I imagine it will display in a letterbox, but what about normal freeview - is that the same?

The reason I ask is I want to but a new CRT and have seen a Beovision MX5500 28inch on EBay for a couple of hundred.

Thanks

[enablerbro1]

If your freeview box has adjustable ratio settings I'd suppose it could output widescreen broadcasts as 4:3. I don't know if all Freeview channels broadcast all programmes in widescreen, I suspect not.

[JayCee]

Most Freeview boxes give you the option to letterbox the output so it should display widescreen pics with black bands top and bottom on a 4x3 TV.

[dynamiccoins]

thanks for the replies. I've googled the MX5500 and see it was made in 1990-2 so now I'm not sure its such a good buy.

[JayCee]

Originally Posted by dynamiccoins

I've googled the MX5500 and see it was made in 1990-2 so now I'm not sure its such a good buy.

They weigh a ton and the crt will probably be "soft" due to its age anyway so probably the right decision.