Widescreen Issues on VMC

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laurasaur

42 posts

Geek

#27628 2-Nov-2008 11:32

Hey guys me again with more random quirky VMC Issues that no one else seems to have.

SO system specs

9500gt
Hauppauge 150 MCE Card
Sky Box connected through S-video
LCD connected by HDMI

So I finally have it all configured and running pretty nicely, channels changing, guide updating etc. The problem is with the screen. Its obviously a widescreen LCD - VMC itself fills the screen and is in perfect aspect ratio. when I run the test videos etc they display perfectly filling the whole screen etc and in perfect aspect ratio. Howver when I crank into Live TV sky is like letterboxed into a squished aspect ratio with the black bars down the side.

I have spent soooo long trying to fix this, changing the sky settings, changing the htpc settings and getting no where.
Can anyone help me? Please :)

amphibem

138 posts

Master Geek

#175226 2-Nov-2008 11:43

Standard Sky is broadcast in 4:3 (576i), so I am not sure how you expect to get a widescreen image? However you say the image is 'squished', does people etc look overly thin?

I am sure what you should find is that any 16:9 or 16:10 videos you have will display as such, and fill up your screen. However anything in 4:3, wether that is stored videos and Sky, will have black bars. It shouldn't be squished though. Maybe some screenshots could help demonstrate what you mean.

laurasaur

42 posts

Geek

#175227 2-Nov-2008 11:47

amphibem: Standard Sky is broadcast in 4:3 (576i), so I am not sure how you expect to get a widescreen image? However you say the image is 'squished', does people etc look overly thin?

I am sure what you should find is that any 16:9 or 16:10 videos you have will display as such, and fill up your screen. However anything in 4:3, wether that is stored videos and Sky, will have black bars. It shouldn't be squished though. Maybe some screenshots could help demonstrate what you mean.

yes people are squished. and some channels are widescreen in sky! like if i plug the s-video striahgt into the tv on tv3 it is a widescreen image ie fills up the whole screen and people look normal.

CYaBro

4583 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#175234 2-Nov-2008 12:23

A couple of things to check:
Make sure the Sky set-top-box is set to 16:9 in the Advanced setup menu.
Also while you have Live TV running use the i/more/info button on your remote and go to Zoom on the menu that pops up.
There are 4 different modes of zoom, find one that works best for you depending on what you are watching.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

Spyware

3761 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#175239 2-Nov-2008 12:48

Maybe you can give us an idea of a channel concerned, e.g., Discovery, Disney are 4:3 ratio, TV1, TV2, TV3, Maori are 16:9 ratio. When TV3 (widescreen 16:9 channel) play a 4:3 ratio program they pillarbox it in the 16:9 frame. This is normal and people aren't squished so get used to it. Only solution is to change set top box to 4:3 pan/scan (centre cut) and stretch to buggery (fatsovision puke).

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