|   Help with shows broadcast in HDTV | Zdawg
Oct 23, 2002 9:37 AM | | For starters-if it is broadcast in HDTV, it is Widescreen, correct, or not? (I do not have an HDTV convertor yet)Okay-here goes-For example-West Wing says "shown in widescreen", so I switch to 16:9 Standard on my TV, and there is about an inch of black bar on top and bottom-I KNOW I HAVE THE CORRECT ASPECT. But, I know Monday Night Football is broadcast in HDTV, so I assume it is Widescreen (right assumption?)-so I switch to 16:9 Standard and get NO black bars on top or bottom? How do I know IF it is in widscreen and it is is just one of those times I do not get bars? Questions, Questions-please help..
Thanks
Z |
| re: Help with shows broadcast in HDTV | Monstrous Mike
Oct 23, 2002 12:16 PM | | HDTV is broadcast only in 16:9 aspect ratio at a resolution of 1080i or 720p and with DD sound (I'm not sure if the DD sound has to be 5.1 or not). This is a standard and cannot be circumvented by broadcasters.
However, all digital TV is not HDTV. There is regular digital TV, called DTV which is 480i or 480p and can be either 16:9 or 4:3.
For the West Wing program, the term "shown in widescreen" does not mean HDTV. It is simply a 4:3 show with black bars much like a widescreen DVD (that is non-anamorphic).
If you are receiving MNF in HDTV, it is definitely 16:9 aspect ratio so if it fills your entire 4:3 TV screen, then you probably have it in some sort of "stretch mode". |
| Mike-one more thing.. | Zdawg
Oct 23, 2002 2:06 PM | | That's just it-so, in order to receive the MNF in widescreen, I HAVE to have the HDTV converter, correct?. (Because I do not get any black bars when I use 16:9 Standard)What "threw" me was the fact that I thought WEST WING in "widescreen" meant it HAD to be in HDTV, but even though it was not 1080i or 720p, I still got the benefit of the 16:9 aspect..confused yet?? |
| Mike-one more thing.. | Monstrous Mike
Oct 24, 2002 11:01 AM | | Yes, in order to receive MNF in high definition, you need an HDTV decoder. You could receive NFL football in "widescreen" on regular TV, with black bars, but that is just a 4x3 show with areas of the screen that are black.
There is perhaps one thing to remember about aspect ratios. There are currently two aspect ratios that are available to us, 16x9 and 4x3. These are the actual ratios of the video signals we receive, regardless of what is contained within these ratios. For regular TV, the ratio is always 4x3 while for HDTV, the ratio is always 16x9. On DVDs, the video is always 4x3 but for anamorphic DVDs, 16x9 video is squeezed into 4x3.
However, within those two ratios, you there are several ratios that the video content within can appear. Full widescreen is 2.35:1 ratio thus on a 16x9 video format like HDTV, there will be black bars. On a 4x3 video format like regular TV, the black bars will be bigger.
So basically, there are two separate apsect ratios, one is the actual ratio of the video format, and the other is the ratio of the program content within that format.
I'd be happy to answer any more questions if this is not clear. |
| If it is cable...chances are.... | Debbi
Oct 23, 2002 2:55 PM | | It is simply digital and not HD. All digital cable means is that the cable company has fiber optic lines, which they use because they can deliver more channels with less transmission problems. HD and Dolby Digital are an entirely different matter. My digital cable doesnt deliver either and is max...480. Good picture, but no cigar. If your cable company is like mine, you will have a hell of a time getting them to admit the above is true. |
| First off - where is your source coming from? | johnm
Oct 23, 2002 5:02 PM | | Satellite, OTA, or Digital cable. West Wing maybe one of a handful of programs broadcast in HD. HD is commonly 1080i but the resolution 720p is also accepted as HD. HD is 16:9, not 4:3. Just because it says widescreen doesn't mean it is HD. If you do not have a HiDef set top box (STB) of some kind you are not getting HiDef signals. DVD's are not HiDef either but are widescreen also. My local NBC channel does not broadcast in Digital yet so I cannot get WestWing in HD. But I do get alot of programming from CBS, FOX, ABC and WB in HD. Satellite does NOT send locals in HD, and it appears they don't even send the Digital version. With my attic antenna I get better local reception with the OTA digital signals than Directv locals (let alone not picking up the HiDef programs). Monday Night Football is NOT shown in HD this season but it will be next season. You may be getting a digital picture 480i in 4:3 for MNF. Get ready for next season though. ABC is one of the only networks that uses 720p as their HD signal. All the others are 1080i for me. I notice a difference between HD programming from ABC compared to CBS and NBC, 1080i seems to be much better (even though it is interlaced). Also depending upon the aspect ratio of the source program you may or may not get bars in 16:9. A DVD that is 1.85:1 will fill a 16:9 perfectly while a 2.35:1 will leave bars top and bottom. As for the difference in your progams it must be related to some "stretch" modes of your t.v.
Hope this helps a little.
John |
| re: Help with shows broadcast in HDTV | Chris009
Oct 24, 2002 6:53 PM | | I don't think anyone is broadcasting HDTV live yet. Aren't the shows have to be "transfered" into HD and Surround sound (DD5.1) before broadcasting it? and you know what these HD transfers costs a couple millions (each hour). Just like what John said maybe next year.
It doesn't really matter if you have a Widescreen TV or a Standard TV. It all depends in how the show if formated. and the same thing goes for DVD's.
By the way, you do have a HDTV ready TV right? |
| re: Help with shows broadcast in HDTV | BLT
Oct 25, 2002 4:46 AM | | All the above posters are correct with this addtion. The ONLY true HD channel right now on Direct Tv is HD NET and the y broadcast in 1080i and the picture is light years ahead of all the so called high def programming out there.
Just my 2 cents:))
Bob |
| |
