help! Was told no 16:9 on Sky HD. Install this week

M

mistycat

Guest
Hi, could someone please tell me what someone meant when they told me today there is an issue with widescreen on Sky HD. Is there a problem on upgraded SD channels? Is there a problem on HD channels? Can I force WS through the Sky HD box over HDMI? I only wish to use HDMI due to the great picture ( I have TVDrive at present).

I have read people's posts but need it clearly put to me before install on Sunday.

Thank you very very much, Maree.:clap:
 
Got mine today and its default is 16:9 :)
 
Some idiot told me that it would go to 4;3 on HDMI at some stage, either viewing standard def channels, or at some stage on HD with upgraded shows. Sounnds strange but I was not sure. Thanks
 
Some content over HDMI is 4:3 though this seems to be SD content on some of the HD channels.

It would seem though if you also plug in a scart you can swap over inputs and its shown in 16:9
 
The only things i have noticed is on SkyOneHD, when they are showing Simpsons and old episodes of Stargate etc, there are small black bars on the left and right of the screen.
I believe the programmes in question are filmed in either 4:3 or 14:9 and when on the HD channel, the aspect ratio is not altered. On regular SkyOne the picture is stretched to fill the screen, but you will soon see that although it is a cropped picture on HD, it is in the correct ratio.

If it bugs you then just watch said programmes on reegular SkyOne.
 
Thank you boys for your help. I cannot wait for Sunday then. The only problem is that I am not sure whether or not this makes me sad LOL
 
The only things i have noticed is on SkyOneHD, when they are showing Simpsons and old episodes of Stargate etc, there are small black bars on the left and right of the screen.
I believe the programmes in question are filmed in either 4:3 or 14:9 and when on the HD channel, the aspect ratio is not altered. On regular SkyOne the picture is stretched to fill the screen, but you will soon see that although it is a cropped picture on HD, it is in the correct ratio.

If it bugs you then just watch said programmes on reegular SkyOne.

I noticed this tonight and spent ages messing around wondering if i had a fault with the new HD box!!!!! LOL :oops:
 
Some idiot told me that it would go to 4;3 on HDMI at some stage, either viewing standard def channels, or at some stage on HD with upgraded shows. Sounnds strange but I was not sure. Thanks

Well, I was the idiot who told you on the Digitalspy HD forum, where you asked the same question, that it would display SD 4:3 ok via hdmi if the box output resolution was set to auto:)

John
 
If I recall the following happens

Set to Auto, output will alter to 720p or 1080i (so mostly 1080i for sky channels then) depending on what the HD channels is broadcasting. When SD content is broadcast it does not upsample the resolution as this remains at 576. I believe its does convert to progressive though. This resolution most TV's allow to be altered so you retain control over if you wish to stretch the SD 4:3 ratio picture (blurggghhhh), Zoom in (OK I guess) or leave it with the(and this is the important bit) the TV displaying black bars.

When the box is set to 720p or 1080i these are defined as widescreen broadcasts at all times. Fine for HD as thes will always be widescreen too. But for SD content this presents a problem as it "maybe" 4:3 ratio. What the sky box does is upsample it to the chosen resolution AND adds in the black bars itself so that the final result going to the TV is 16:9 ratio output albeit with some of the output set to black. The TV has no idea and belives this is a 720p or 1080i widescreen image and displays it as such. Most TV's think they know better and hence give no control over the widescreen signal being sent to it and hence you can't (on most TV's) stretch the SD content contained within the widescreen broadcast.

So its a subtle difference (576 line SD content and TV adding black bars VS 720p or 1080i content with SkyHD box adding in the black lines before transmitting) but one that makes a huge difference to your control.

hth
 
If I recall the following happens

Set to Auto, output will alter to 720p or 1080i (so mostly 1080i for sky channels then) depending on what the HD channels is broadcasting. When SD content is broadcast it does not upsample the resolution as this remains at 576. I believe its does convert to progressive though. This resolution most TV's allow to be altered so you retain control over if you wish to stretch the SD 4:3 ratio picture (blurggghhhh), Zoom in (OK I guess) or leave it with the(and this is the important bit) the TV displaying black bars.

When the box is set to 720p or 1080i these are defined as widescreen broadcasts at all times. Fine for HD as thes will always be widescreen too. But for SD content this presents a problem as it "maybe" 4:3 ratio. What the sky box does is upsample it to the chosen resolution AND adds in the black bars itself so that the final result going to the TV is 16:9 ratio output albeit with some of the output set to black. The TV has no idea and belives this is a 720p or 1080i widescreen image and displays it as such. Most TV's think they know better and hence give no control over the widescreen signal being sent to it and hence you can't (on most TV's) stretch the SD content contained within the widescreen broadcast.

So its a subtle difference (576 line SD content and TV adding black bars VS 720p or 1080i content with SkyHD box adding in the black lines before transmitting) but one that makes a huge difference to your control.

hth

Neil, this means that it outputs a less quality than HD upscale if it is viewed in 576p does it not? 576p is dvd quality anyway isn't? Would there be much difference outputting SD at 726 or 576. Thanks, Maree.
 
This depends on your TV. If the box is set to 720p or 1080i, the box will upscale SD pictures. If set to Auto, the box will output 576p for SD channels and the TV will do the upscaling (assuming the TV has its own upscaling capability). Which looks better, you can only try for yourself and see. For my setup, the TV does a much better job of it than the box.

John
 
Yes, sorry I should have qualified my last statement.

As Rezillo said with the box set to auto and it outputting 576p for the SD content the TV itself does the scaling to its native panel resolution so its still upscaled.

However the same (more or less since std sky box outputs 576i rather than 576p) is true even with a non-hd box. LCD and Plasma's always scale to some degree. What differs is each TV's ability to do this well.

Its why it amuses me when you pop into certain high street shops and they say "this Upscaling DVD player is better because it upscales" er no, that's not definately true as how do you know what equipment I have at home ;)
 

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