The Deal with 4:3
 

Whats the deal with all the 16:9 programmes letterboxed to fit 4:3? I'm pretty sure that Sky sends most of the stuff this way, but is there stuff in 16:9 that both Sky and ntl get and re-encode to 4:3? If so, is it just a case of wanting to reduce space?

I mean, one of the major marketed benefits of digital tv was that it allowed you to get programmes in 16:9.

Re: The Deal with 4:3
 

I know that with Sky you can set a preference for viewing in 4:3 or 16:9. I think most stuff is sent in both formats.

With Freeview you can press a button to change between the two formats, when it is being broadcast in both.

I doubt that either Sky or ntl recode, they'll likely show it as they get it.

Re: The Deal with 4:3
 

Yeah, but the preference thing is different, it doesn't change anything when you something has been encoded as 16:9 letterboxed to fit in 4:3 screen..seems rather pointless to make something even smaller than 4:3 just to fit it in; i hate stretching it to 16:9, the egghead vision is just too annoying.

Re: The Deal with 4:3
 

the 'egghead vision' is very disturbing - makes everyone look very stocky!

I've got a compromise: a sony widescreen with "smart" vision. So I can view in 4:3, 16:9, zoom, or smart. I chop and change depending on the program. 'Smart' is a compromise - it doesn't squash things in like 16:9 but rather chops a bit off the top and bottom.

Can be a bit annoying, e.g. when watching the footie and not being able to see the time & score...

but again there's a 'solution' - you can move the picture up and down.

Do people like watching sport in the alternative widescreen format? Compared to 4:3 the picture is a lot further away, so it gives a better tactical sense of the game as a whole, but you lose the detail of close up faces and action.

Re: The Deal with 4:3
 

What IS annoying, is that the broadcasters sometimes (according to NTL) dictate the format, and prevent the 4:3 / Letterbox selection being honoured - a particular nuisance after one firmware update, where the previous one had followed the user settings exactly!

Re: The Deal with 4:3
 

NTL don't recode.. I'm pretty sure Sky don't either. In fact, I believe that NTL and Sky actually broadcast the same signals (not counting interactive as this is handled seperately in both cases anyway).

If something is broadcast in 16:9, then Freeview, Sky and NTL carry the 16:9 broadcast. They do NOT broadcast it in 4:3. All that happens if your box is set to 4:3 is the STB chops the edges off the 16:9 broadcast.

Of course, with 4:3 broadcasts, when the box is set to 4:3 then it will just show the broadcast. If the box is set to 16:9, it MAY simply add bars down either side.

Re: The Deal with 4:3
 

I was just about to say the same thing. Only a 16:9 or 4:3 signal is broadcast on digital at any one time. The STB can decide what to do with that signal based on the TV preferences set.

Analogue broadcasts are still 4:3 but typically have a 14:9 picture in letterbox format as a compromise when the programme is 16:9 on digital.

Re: The Deal with 4:3
 

Actually, I have a Sony W/S Telly. If you are in 16:9 mode and get a 4:3 signal, it places bars down the side of the picture.

But then I do have the STB set to Wide Screen.

Re: The Deal with 4:3
 

I'd actually like an option on the STB to display a 16:9 signal as 14:9 to match the analogue counterpart rather than 4:3 pan and scan since (with the exception of sport) producers tend to work to that format as the default and 4:3 chops too much off - but on a portable 14" telly the 16:9 letterbox is generally that bit too small.

I'd also like to be able to switch between formats more quickly than having to delve several menu levels deep to get to the visual settings menu.

Re: The Deal with 4:3
 

Some Freeview boxes let you do exactly that!

And that!