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"Letterbox" effect on Sky Movies on widescreen television

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,626
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in TV and Home Entertainment Technology #1
Hi,

My parents have recently got Sky installed and they have a 28" (I think) widescreen television.

I have configured their Sky digibox to 16:9 picture format - most programmes appear fine, but when they watch movies on Sky sometimes, but I don't think always, they are getting the "letterbox" effect with two thick black lines at the top and bottom of the picture.

With the digibox set to 4:3 picture format they can manually change the picture format on the television set to what ever they want/need but when I changed the picture format to 16:9 as I thought as they have a widescreen television that it was the best setting for them to use they are unable to change the picture format manually on the set.

Does anyone please explain what is happening - why the "letterbox" effect still appears on 16:9 picture format - and if I can take any action to stop my Dad from complaining about the picture :-)

Cheers for any help.

Steve.

Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,106
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    #2
    Most modern films are not 16:9, but wider than that. Most film buffs what this cinematic widescreen version, so you get letterbox even on 16:9. It's no different when playing cinematic DVD's on a widescreenTV.
  • David (2)David (2) Posts: 20,632
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    #3
    the same thing is true of DVD films as well. Some are framed in 16:9 - so they fit the new shape tv's perfect. But some are in a very deep letter box format. On a normal shape tv you would have massive black bars top + bottom, but even on a widescreen tv, you still get some of the same effect (the bars are not as deep, but still there).

    Dave
  • kavok007kavok007 Posts: 164
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    #4
    Films are often made in full 'Cinemascope' type aspect ratio which is 21:9 as apposed to 16:9 whioch is the adopted format for TV broadcasts. If a DVD player or Sky+ is set to show 4:3, the sides of these pictures are 'cropped', by up to 40% to fit. When set to 16:9 the full picture is shown, but if it is 21:9 there will be small black bars at the top and bottom of the screen.

    Star Wars is a good example of 21:9, try switching the Sky box from 16:( to 4:3 when watching it and you should notice the difference!.

    Hope this helps.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,106
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    #5
    kavok007 wrote:
    If a DVD player or Sky+ is set to show 4:3, the sides of these pictures are 'cropped', by up to 40% to fit.

    That's a very good point. Zooming the broadcast to fill a 4:3 screen isn't the same as a 4:3 Pan/scan broadcast that most 4:3 TV owners are used to. You often end up with just the noses of two peole talking either side of the image!
  • meltcitymeltcity Posts: 2,266
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    #6
    Sky is unusual in that it broadcasts films in OAR (original aspect ratio) on Sky Movies.

    You don't see black bars on the terrestrial channels because they crop 'scope' films to 16:9. ITV1 and Five go even further by cropping them to 14:9 on analogue.
  • bobcarbobcar Posts: 19,424
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    #7
    meltcity wrote:
    Sky is unusual in that it broadcasts films in OAR (original aspect ratio) on Sky Movies.

    You don't see black bars on the terrestrial channels because they crop 'scope' films to 16:9. ITV1 and Five go even further by cropping them to 14:9 on analogue.

    Yes, that's much to Sky's credit and shame on the others.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5,506
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    #8
    For the benefit of the OP ... as has been explained, these black bars are intended and correct. Don't do what some people and ZOOM your TV pciture to get rid of them because then people will be all stretched and out of proportion.
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