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Aspect ratio issue |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 11
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Aspect ratio issue
I've just bought a Sony 50 inch KDL 829 which I'm using with a five year old Panasonic Blu ray player.
The TV is fantastic except for one thing : When I try to watch a DVD which is not in widescreen, it will not display it as it was meant to be seen, in 4:3 ratio. It stretches the image to fill the screen instead of showing black bars at the side... I've tried everything in the menus to change this but with no success. Is the problem my old blu ray player ? |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
Posts: 41,794
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Quote:
I've just bought a Sony 50 inch KDL 829 which I'm using with a five year old Panasonic Blu ray player.
The TV is fantastic except for one thing : When I try to watch a DVD which is not in widescreen, it will not display it as it was meant to be seen, in 4:3 ratio. It stretches the image to fill the screen instead of showing black bars at the side... I've tried everything in the menus to change this but with no success. Is the problem my old blu ray player ? |
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#3 |
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Guest
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 8,103
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What screen format are you using on the TV - Wide, Normal, Full or Zoom?
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#4 |
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
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Quote:
What screen format are you using on the TV - Wide, Normal, Full or Zoom?
Just checked the Icecrypt satellite box I'm feeding it from, the options there are Auto, 16:9, 4:3PS, 4:3LB |
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#5 |
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Join Date: Feb 2008
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Quote:
You don't get those options on HDMI - just tried on a KDL-32EX310, the options are Full, Zoom and Wide Zoom on HDMI.
Just checked the Icecrypt satellite box I'm feeding it from, the options there are Auto, 16:9, 4:3PS, 4:3LB Do Sony not publish this data? |
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#6 |
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Join Date: Apr 2006
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Quote:
Those options I gave were from the 50KDL829 i-manual, I checked to see if there were any restrictions over HDMI but I couldn't see anything mentioned.
Do Sony not publish this data? |
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#7 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 749
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What is the "TV Type" setting in the bluray player ?
It should be set to 16:9 NOT "16:9Full" |
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#8 |
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 14,718
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Quote:
You don't get those options on HDMI - just tried on a KDL-32EX310, the options are Full, Zoom and Wide Zoom on HDMI.
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#9 |
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,470
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Quote:
Do you know if this is common amongst Sony sets? When My Panny plasma gives up the ghost a Sony LCD was the most likely replacement but this would probably rule that out if it is across the range.
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#10 |
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Join Date: Feb 2008
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Quote:
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.
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. |
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#11 |
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Join Date: Sep 2004
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Quote:
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.
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#12 |
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Join Date: Sep 2004
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Quote:
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.
The TV shouldn't rely on the source providing the switching but should be capable itself, it's not like it's difficult as the TV already provides this functionality for other inputs. Quote:
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.
Same here.
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#13 |
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
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Quote:
Do you know if this is common amongst Sony sets? When My Panny plasma gives up the ghost a Sony LCD was the most likely replacement but this would probably rule that out if it is across the range.
The situation in this thread is that the source is stretching the 4:3 picture to 16:9, upscaling it to HD, and then transferring it as a perfectly valid 16:9 HD picture - there's no reason for the TV to want to change this. Set the source NOT to stretch the picture (and possibly not to upscale as well - I can't comment without a Panasonic BD to play with), and you will get 4:3 with black bands on the TV as required. |
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#14 |
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Join Date: Sep 2004
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Why would you want such a silly and useless option?, set the source to output correctly and everything works fine - I don't see how setting BOTH units to the wrong settings is something you would want?.
Yes you can argue the Sky should allow pill boxing for 4:3 but because Panasonic doesn't have the strange restriction of the Sony this is not a problem. On other occasions I may have a separate recording stretched from a variety of sources (youtube etc). That's why I want the "silly and useless option". It costs nothing to have this feature so why not have it? Since you think this is a "silly and useless feature" please explain how I can watch my 1080i stretched picture without this feature, it must be easy or the feature wouldn't be "silly and pointless". I actually think that a TV being flexible and allowing for the input not being perfect is a good thing. I take it the Sony will automatically switch for SD 4:3 over HDMI and that this restriction just applies for HD over HDMI? *My Sky subscription is almost ended so the problem in that respect dissapears but that doesn't alter the principle. |
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#15 |
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Join Date: Dec 2012
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Quote:
Sorry it is a Sony problem, my Panny does this fine. Although HD is always 16:9 (a mistake in my opinion) SD can be 4:3.
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#16 |
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Join Date: Sep 2004
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Quote:
Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. On a Sony, like your Panasonic, HD is always 16X9, SD can be 16X9 or 4X3 and will switch automatically on a SD source. Upscaling makes the TV think it is an HD source and therefore must be 16X9. Devices normally have the option to put 4X3 pictures in 16X9 pillar box format if the user wishes to upscale the SD material although there is little point in doing this as Sony and Panasonic TVs have excellent scalers.
My (soon to be ex) Sky box is an example of something that doesn't do this. I used to use in "Auto" mode but because of a bug introduced with EPG changes that is not possible so it only outputs stretched 1080i that I need to set to 4:3 on the TV. |
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#17 |
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Join Date: Feb 2008
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Quote:
Why would you want such a silly and useless option?, set the source to output correctly and everything works fine - I don't see how setting BOTH units to the wrong settings is something you would want?.
......for example. When my Sky box is set to automatic my LG TV's will show all content in it's OAR providing aspect ratio setting is on Original - it also gives you 4x3, 14x9, 16x9, Zoom1, Zoom2 and Cinema. My Sony TV will not switch at all, basically because the setting to allow auto switching is not available over HDMI, only scart, there's not even a 4x3 option to switch manually, so the default picture setting is set to 16x9, therefore all 4x3 is stretched. Sony give the option to get rid of black bars where you lose picture information but no option to add them so you can watch content in it's OAR - to me they have got that the wrong way around. |
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#18 |
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Join Date: Feb 2008
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Quote:
Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. On a Sony, like your Panasonic, HD is always 16X9, SD can be 16X9 or 4X3 and will switch automatically on a SD source. Upscaling makes the TV think it is an HD source and therefore must be 16X9. Devices normally have the option to put 4X3 pictures in 16X9 pillar box format if the user wishes to upscale the SD material although there is little point in doing this as Sony and Panasonic TVs have excellent scalers.
My LG's will switch between 4x3 and 16x9 when aspect ratio is set to Original, also got the option to switch manually, 4x3, 14x9 etc. The Sony I have will not switch, the Normal setting that does the auto switching is not available over HDMI, therefore the default over HDMI is 16x9, so all 4x3 is stretched. |
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#19 |
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Join Date: Sep 2004
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Quote:
The Sony I have will not switch, the Normal setting that does the auto switching is not available over HDMI, therefore the default over HDMI is 16x9, so all 4x3 is stretched.
When I do replace my plasma I'm going to have to do some serious research on this, the problem is finding this information out. |
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#20 |
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Join Date: Feb 2008
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Quote:
That's worse than I thought. 4:3 SD is one of the standard HDMI resolutions so if the Sony does not do this then it is not meeting the HDMI spec compared to not allowing you to set 4:3 on HD which is just a missing feature that really should be there on a decent spec TV.
When I do replace my plasma I'm going to have to do some serious research on this, the problem is finding this information out. I do remember the manual saying something along the lines of, 4x3 and 14x9 aspect ratios are not available manually on HD input. This looks to be omitted from current manuals, I've no idea how the deal with SD 4x3 over HDMI on current sets, they don't seem to have an auto or 4x3 option on HDMI. Maybe Nigel can do some investigating regarding this. |
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#21 |
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Join Date: Apr 2006
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Quote:
Maybe Nigel can do some investigating regarding this.
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#22 |
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Join Date: Sep 2004
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Quote:
As far as I know, setting the Sky box to Auto means it sends SD to the set which displays it with black bars either side. But I can't say I've tied it recently.
The Sony TV (at least certain models, who knows about them all) not only has the problem of not allow manual alteration of aspect ratio (why not? ) but also doesn't do automatic switching for SD which is part of the HDMI spec.I'm now getting rid of Sky (few days left) and my replacement Humax PVRs do add black bars so this would not be an issue even with the Sony. If however I ever go back to Sky (quite possible) then the Sony fault would stop me buying that model TV as I do watch 4:3 programmes and I don't want to have to keep switching back to SCART to do it. Do you now understand the problem with not supplying aspect ratio switching on HDMI? |
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#23 |
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Join Date: Feb 2008
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As far as I know, setting the Sky box to Auto means it sends SD to the set which displays it with black bars either side. But I can't say I've tied it recently.
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#24 |
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Join Date: Sep 2004
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If you get the opportunity to try it I'd appreciate it, as would bobcarr, as it would clear things up regarding current models.
The key for me is how current Sony TVs behave - or more accurately how the models at the time of my purchase behave when I need to replace my plasma, at the moment it's going strong touch wood. |
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#25 |
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Join Date: Feb 2008
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The Sky box works correctly over HDMI for SD when Automatic is set (except for the specific Pace bug that prevents Automatic being used) where the Sky box falls down is not having the option to add bars when 1080i is used.
The key for me is how current Sony TVs behave - or more accurately how the models at the time of my purchase behave when I need to replace my plasma, at the moment it's going strong touch wood. Looks like Sony are still omitting manual switching of 4x3 over HDMI, no idea how they deal with SD 4x3 in other areas. Upgrade for me will be sooner rather than later, my nearly nine year old plasma is showing signs of ysus board failure, coloured sparklies on screen - can't complain, been a good set. Just out of interest, what setting do Panasonic use for auto switching over HDMI. |
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) but also doesn't do automatic switching for SD which is part of the HDMI spec.