4:3 programmes on Freesat

J Roadley

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Can anyone confirm how stuff like The Simpsons, Family Guy etc look on a Freesat box. At the moment on SKY HD and Freeview I can watch them in their native 4:3 format without having to adjust the ratio on the TV - is this the same for Freesat?

I ask as I saw some screen grabs which had The Simpsons stretched all the way across the screen which is what I want to avoid!
 
Unfortunately it is stretched with no option to change it (on the Humax box at least). I e-mailed Humax who said they planned to offer an option in the future.
 
It depends what cables you are using - SCART is fine - HD cables needs a software update.
 
Hi all I bought a grundig hd box to day and it out puts 4.3 over HDMI i.e auto switches no problem.
 
Various things to consider here - think of how Sky HD does (or doesn't) achieve it.

If you have your Sky HD box connected to your TV via HDMI then your TV may always stretch the picture out (if it considers HDMI input must be in high definition) and may or may not allow you to change it back to 4:3. Or your TV may only consider that it is receiving a high definition signal via HDMI if the output is set to 1080i, 720p or 568i, rather than Automatic.

But a TV will normally assume what it thinks is a high definition signal is in widescreen, so will generally stretch the picture out. Whether you can switch it back to 4:3 or not is down to your television (Philips generally can't, most others can).
 
hi broadz can you tell me why my tv will not stretch my 4.3 channels i.e pop girl ITV3 heartbeat showing in 4.3 square over HDMI. thanks in advance.
 
Thanks all - just to confirm I'm interested in SD being broadcast through a HDMI connection. For ALL HD 4:3 stuff I'd expect the picture to be pillar boxed rather than 14:9 like SKY ONE HD shows Simpsons :eek:

C4HD pillarbox Simpsons so looks like it should in the centre of the screen with black bars down left and right hand side.
 
Virgin V+ boxes, when connected by HDMI do give the option of showing the true format of the programme, or adopting the 'wide' option via the menu to stretch 4:3 pictures. Its a bit of a slog to switch from one option to another on a regular basis. Unfortunately using the TVs picture changing options is not permissable with an HDMI connection. Trying to do so on my Sony gives a 'not available' message. This is a pity because a bit of 'zooming' is preferable to an out and out stretch.
 
Hi all I bought a grundig hd box to day and it out puts 4.3 over HDMI i.e auto switches no problem.

Yes i have just purchased the Goodmans and that displays 4.3 via the HDMI, so beginning to look as if its just the Humax box that doesn't. Anyone with the Bush confirm/

TG:confused:
 
Yes i have just purchased the Goodmans and that displays 4.3 via the HDMI, so beginning to look as if its just the Humax box that doesn't. Anyone with the Bush confirm/

TG:confused:

Bush box shows 4:3 material pillar boxed in correct aspect ratio over HDMI. Over Scart it fails to auto switch ratios and you end up with the messy stretch-o-vision effect. Thankfully, Scart is redundant in my house...

P.
 
Bush box shows 4:3 material pillar boxed in correct aspect ratio over HDMI. Over Scart it fails to auto switch ratios and you end up with the messy stretch-o-vision effect. Thankfully, Scart is redundant in my house...

P.

As does the Goodmans.

TG:thumbsup:
 

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