Originally Posted by Nillbymouth:
“My conclusion, and this could be wrong, is that the program is recorded in 4:3 format but broadcast as 16:9. Therefore, since it is 16:9 format you get black bands top and bottom, but, because it is also 4:3 you also get black bands left and right. The Thomson and some TVs or DVD players must compensate for this and show it as true 4:3 but others, like my cheap DVD Player (£19 from Richer Sounds a couple of years ago) cannot cope.
The file properties should confirm this.”
“My conclusion, and this could be wrong, is that the program is recorded in 4:3 format but broadcast as 16:9. Therefore, since it is 16:9 format you get black bands top and bottom, but, because it is also 4:3 you also get black bands left and right. The Thomson and some TVs or DVD players must compensate for this and show it as true 4:3 but others, like my cheap DVD Player (£19 from Richer Sounds a couple of years ago) cannot cope.
The file properties should confirm this.”
I think you're right here - BBC transmits all of its DTT stuff (on 1, 2, 3 and 4) in widescreen, but actually transmits black bars at the side where the original source is 4:3.
Other channels have a different approach however.
Matt
