Originally Posted by anthony david:
“No it's not a Sony problem. HD is 16x9 only, 4x3 is not an option and never has been although TV manufactures are free to include anything they want in this regard. The source, BD in this case, should either be set in its menu to pillar box for 4X3 SD material or, easier still, set not to upscale SD content. Sonys TV scalers are good so the pictures may look better that way anyway. On a Humax Fox T2 for example if you set the output to 1080i you need to select 4X3 using the Wide button on 4X3 SD sources. My Sony SD DVD player has no format problems with SD if the output is set to 576 rather than 1080. Genuine 4X3 BDs are pillar boxed during post production and display as such although the image is actually 16X9 as far as the TV is concerned.”
Yes, HD channels are shown in a 16x9 frame over HDMI, but there are still a good number of SD channels which include 4x3 that can be viewed over HDMI too - my view is you should be able to select ratios on the display device, not having to go into various stb menu's and adjust your settings depending on what format you are watching.
I have three LG TV's and one Sony, the Sony is the only one that doesn't allow 4x3, 14x9, 16x9 and original (normal on the Sony) over HDMI.
Sky box can be set to 1080i (preference to auto because of blank screen switch over time), on 4x3 material we only need to select 4x3 on LG TV remote to restore OAR. This applies to any source we have connected.
Not that we watch very much SD, 4x3 even less, but ratio switching over HDMI is something I would prefer and something I will look for on our next TV, just for those occasions when we do.