Aspect ratio on several sky channels

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numberonekiwi

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#60524 27-Apr-2010 13:24

Hi can anyone confirm what sky is doing, example channels Fashion ( 066 ) and Discovery (070 )

It appears these channels are being Broadcast in 4.3 format hence having the option under setup of Pillar Box , 14:9, or full screen

But what the issue is there is also a black line at the top and bottom of the screen as you would expect to see with 16:9 format programs on a 4:3 television which makes me think most of the content is in fact 16:9 but they are not sending the correct 16:9 signal to our decoders.

When selecting 14:9 default format for these channels seems to almost fix the issue with a smaller black boarder around the whole picture but still not perfect.

I dont believe it is any thing to do with my settings as I have spent a lot of time trying different settings in the Tv as well as the sky menus

Equipment used :

Sony KLV-40s550A
MySky HDi ( with esata on back )
HDMI cable
SPDif to Sony DAV-S800 Amp ( nearly dead )

Another thing is with the option set to default to 14:9 with a 4:3 signal then I am going to loose some vertical viewing content when the broadcast is true 4:3

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#323595 27-Apr-2010 13:32

Regarding Discovery. Most of the original content is in 16x9 HD. However sky chooses to show it in 4x3 letterbox SD hence the black bars at the sides , top and bottom. Still waiting for them to clime into the 21st century..

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Old3eyes

ZollyMonsta

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#323651 27-Apr-2010 14:27

Not Sky's fault. It's entirely up to Discovery who choose to not broadcast in 16:9 in this part of the world.

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old3eyes

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#323824 27-Apr-2010 19:00

ZollyMonsta: Not Sky's fault. It's entirely up to Discovery who choose to not broadcast in 16:9 in this part of the world.

How come then that Discovery on Foxtel is in HD in Ozz??

Regards,

Old3eyes

ZollyMonsta

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#323833 27-Apr-2010 19:17

Perhaps Foxtel are getting via Fibre.. I don't know the reason why.

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sbiddle

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#323839 27-Apr-2010 19:32

old3eyes:
ZollyMonsta: Not Sky's fault. It's entirely up to Discovery who choose to not broadcast in 16:9 in this part of the world.

How come then that Discovery on Foxtel is in HD in Ozz??

Discovery HD is not Discovery. Two different products.

edaw

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#324704 29-Apr-2010 13:44

The channels you speak of are pass through channels and Sky have nothing really to do with them and like it was said it's up to the providers to choose who has what, most likely money, that's the case with ESPN at least.

Also it's all about cost when you compare Foxtel to Sky, more subscribers / more money to spend.

I blame America for never having 16:9 SD television.

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sbiddle

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#324845 29-Apr-2010 17:18

edaw: The channels you speak of are pass through channels and Sky have nothing really to do with them and like it was said it's up to the providers to choose who has what, most likely money, that's the case with ESPN at least.

Also it's all about cost when you compare Foxtel to Sky, more subscribers / more money to spend.

I blame America for never having 16:9 SD television.

They do have 16:9 SD - they also do 4:3 HD!

edaw

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#324852 29-Apr-2010 17:30

sbiddle:
edaw: The channels you speak of are pass through channels and Sky have nothing really to do with them and like it was said it's up to the providers to choose who has what, most likely money, that's the case with ESPN at least.

Also it's all about cost when you compare Foxtel to Sky, more subscribers / more money to spend.

I blame America for never having 16:9 SD television.

They do have 16:9 SD - they also do 4:3 HD!

Are you sure it's not just HD downcoverted to 16:9 SD?
The idea of 4:3 HD seems weird, considering HD is native 16:9. However I've seen HD pillarboxed before.

sbiddle

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#324858 29-Apr-2010 17:47

edaw:
sbiddle:
edaw: The channels you speak of are pass through channels and Sky have nothing really to do with them and like it was said it's up to the providers to choose who has what, most likely money, that's the case with ESPN at least.

Also it's all about cost when you compare Foxtel to Sky, more subscribers / more money to spend.

I blame America for never having 16:9 SD television.

They do have 16:9 SD - they also do 4:3 HD!

Are you sure it's not just HD downcoverted to 16:9 SD?
The idea of 4:3 HD seems weird, considering HD is native 16:9. However I've seen HD pillarboxed before.

If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I wouldn't have believed it.. 4:3 HD on one of the major channels during their breakfast TV show when I was in New York last year. Unsure if the pillarboxing was done by the TV or broadcaster as broadcasting fulltime 16:9 like we're doing here isn't common their either.

vexxxboy

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#324865 29-Apr-2010 17:54

what amazes me is that someone is watching the fashion channel

Common sense is not as common as you think.

cyril7

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#324970 29-Apr-2010 21:06

HD 4:3 is very common, its a US thing, somehow they always seem to screw technology to satisfy some commercial or joe6pack requirement.

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numberonekiwi

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#325088 30-Apr-2010 08:53

It still seems odd that most programs on certain sky channels appear to be 16:9 but they are not sending the 16:9 signal to tell the TV to switch to that mode.
I do follow that it may not be skys fault but the providers fault itself but surely it cant be difficult to a least send the 16:9 switch signal while the content being broadcast is 16:9.

As for someone watching fashion TV - No I dont It was just another I noticed it on while scanning the channels.

ZollyMonsta

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#325117 30-Apr-2010 09:28

numberonekiwi: It still seems odd that most programs on certain sky channels appear to be 16:9 but they are not sending the 16:9 signal to tell the TV to switch to that mode.
I do follow that it may not be skys fault but the providers fault itself but surely it cant be difficult to a least send the 16:9 switch signal while the content being broadcast is 16:9.

As for someone watching fashion TV - No I dont It was just another I noticed it on while scanning the channels.

Sky stopped sending that data pretty much around the time when Freeview launched.

They used to send WS triggers over the VBI for Widescreen programming. Now these channels are just pernamently broadcast in 16:9.

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Asmodeus

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#325154 30-Apr-2010 10:30

vexxxboy: what amazes me is that someone is watching the fashion channel

One in 50 times you flick past they'll be doing a lingerie or swimwear section which is worth a short linger. Welcome break from the junkie looking walking coathangers wearing stupid crap the other 49 times you flick past...

sbiddle

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#325167 30-Apr-2010 10:49

numberonekiwi: It still seems odd that most programs on certain sky channels appear to be 16:9 but they are not sending the 16:9 signal to tell the TV to switch to that mode.
I do follow that it may not be skys fault but the providers fault itself but surely it cant be difficult to a least send the 16:9 switch signal while the content being broadcast is 16:9.

As for someone watching fashion TV - No I dont It was just another I noticed it on while scanning the channels.

This is a bit of a moot point now since all channels with WS content are broadcast as fulltime 16:9 - there is no real need to send any signalling since any 4:3 content on these channels is broadcast in the 16:9 frame anyway.

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