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Analogue widescreen ?


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Old 12-09-2003, 11:56
kas
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Recently purchased a Sony 28" IDTV.
Just wondering why almost all channels on Freview are broadcast in WS format (including 1,2,3 & 4), yet the same analogue channels are still in 4:3 format. Will this change in the future, or is it something to do with the signals broadcast.
This is not a major problem as I watch Freeview, however when recording (using analogue) it is annoying that the pictures aren't WS.
Thanks
KAS
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Old 12-09-2003, 12:58
Matt F
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The issue with analogue is that there is no way of telling the receiver what format of TV you have. Therefore it can only be broadcast in one ratio (usually 4:3 or 14:9). It could be broadcast in anamorphic widescreen but this would be of no use to the vast majority of TV viewers who have normal 4:3 sets.

You could, with analogue, always broadcast in 16:9 letterbox but this would quite probably annoy a lot of 4:3 set owners (who don't want big black bars top and bottom) and it isn't that good for widescreen TV owners as you have to "zoom in" which reduces quality. 14:9 is a good compromise as it only presents small black bars to 4:3 viewers but allows widescreen viewers to zoom in a bit (assuming the set has a "14:9 zoom" setting).

The advantage with digital (be it set top box or iDTV) is that you specify how you want the picture formatted - 4:3, letterbox or anamorphic widescreen. That's the beauty of it - the choice is yours.

Matt.
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Old 12-09-2003, 13:01
Milky Joe
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I wrote an FAQ on this a few weeks ago but DS still havent put the article up yet I better get on their case!
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Old 12-09-2003, 13:57
Orbitalzone
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It is possible for analogue channels to 'tell' the TV when to go into the zoom mode... Channel 4 do it on their 16/9 letterboxed movies... (line 23 switching is what it's called)

However, with analogue TV, to send out a widescreen image means using the letterbox format so that 4/3 type TV's can still display a correctly proportioned image (albeit in letterbox shape)
The widescreen TV enlarges the image to 'zoom' out / fill the screen - but it's at a lower quality than compared to digital widescreen tv.
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Old 12-09-2003, 16:24
Kevo
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Originally posted by kas
This is not a major problem as I watch Freeview, however when recording (using analogue) it is annoying that the pictures
The reason why I bought a second stb.

You'll probably end up doing the same.
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Old 12-09-2003, 16:59
Jim Rae
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Analogue widescreen is not ony possible, but is used in some countries which don't have digital.

Channel Four used it for a time in the UK - the transmissions were in PAL plus, which gave a widescreen picture if you had a WS set with PAL plus decoder - and a conventional picture on non WS sets.

Sony still make them for some markets.

In the UK however, the whole thing was overtaken by digital and the system abandoned.
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Old 12-09-2003, 19:19
Orbitalzone
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Jim, the Pal Plus transmissions I saw at a seminar by Nokia, were in letterbox format as I recall...the extra PLUS data was transmitted in the black bands of the picture (could be seen as slight colour movement) - this data was decoded by a PAL Plus widescreen TV and gave the TV extra picture information to give a higher resolution picture... presumably so when zoomed out the picture quality didn't lower. It was even said that PAL Plus gave improved pictures on normal TV sets (might have been true as they did look good, but probably a bit of bull plop)

I know that several of the German channels on Astra (in analogue) transmited PAL Plus and they were in letterbox....

Still it was about 10 years ago that I went to that trade show...
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Old 12-09-2003, 21:32
Jim Rae
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Was it really ten years ago - no wonder my memories of it are a bit vague!

Have a look at this link to reminisce...

[url]http://www.tele-satellite.com/TSI/9511/philips.shtml[url]
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Old 12-09-2003, 21:35
Jim Rae
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Sorry - can't get the link to connect - try a manual one...
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Old 13-09-2003, 12:01
Orbitalzone
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Interesting link....

Pal Plus... another innovation consigned to the technology disasters dustbin... hope there's room in there along with Beta, V2000, DCC, BSB, DMAC, CD-i .........
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Old 29-09-2003, 21:11
pmcmillan
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A good technology that is still heavily used in Germany.

In the UK, with the early advent of Digital TV, it missed it's ideal time to grow.

The £200+ premium placed on the cost of the TV was better spent with a STB.

Phil
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Old 30-09-2003, 12:14
Kevo
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Originally posted by Orbitalzone
Interesting link....

Pal Plus... another innovation consigned to the technology disasters dustbin... hope there's room in there along with Beta, V2000, DCC, BSB, DMAC, CD-i .........
and LD, DVHS....
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Old 30-09-2003, 16:01
David (2)
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DVHS - is it still going? 515 lines - 15 more than DVD, and it plays your old VHS tapes.
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Old 30-09-2003, 16:39
Kevo
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15 more! That many.

Tape access too.

My old VHS VCR can play my old VHS tapes.

Destined for the 'bin' if not there already!
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